Ships
- HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck (D20) Captain from 27 May 1944 · Relieved on 15 September 1944
Willem van den Donker had Jacob van Heemskerck from 27 May 1944 until 15 September 1944. Uboat.net lists him as kapitein ter zee, which it glosses as captain. The Dutch history calls him Captain. The English rank Captain comes from that gloss and from the Dutch history.
Uboat.net records that he was born on 10 September 1893 at Heverlé, Belgium, and died on 16 September 1971. It gives no place of death.
The rank table lists adelborst der 2e klasse, glossed cadet, on 6 September 1911; adelborst der 1e klasse, glossed midshipman, on 6 August 1914; luitenant ter zee der 3e klasse, glossed sub-lieutenant, on 16 January 1915; luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse, glossed lieutenant, on 6 August 1916; luitenant ter zee der 1e klasse, glossed lieutenant-commander, on 6 August 1924; kapitein-luitenant ter zee, glossed commander, on 21 June 1936; and kapitein ter zee, glossed captain, on 27 May 1940. He retired on 1 August 1952. The page says it has no career narrative.
He relieved Willem Harmsen on 27 May 1944, after convoy UGS 38. On 9 June the Dutch history has her leaving the Mediterranean for Liverpool, where she arrived on 14 June and went into overhaul at Camell Laird for the rest of the war. He left on 15 September 1944, when Gustaaf Alexander Berg took her. The overhaul was still going on. The pages do not list another wartime command.
He retired on 1 August 1952. He died on 16 September 1971.