Van Speyk putting the Spark to the Tinder on his Ship, 5 February 1831, by J. Schoemaker Doyer, c. 1834. During the Belgian revolution Jan C.J. van Speyk (1802 - 1831) was given command of a Dutch gunboat. Caught in a storm, the ship ended up against the banks of the Scheldt in Antwerp where it was overwhelmed by a crowd of Belgians. Van Speyk blew his ship up: he and his fellow officers had sworn an oath never to let their ship fall into the hands of the enemy undamaged. Almost all the crew, including Van Speyk, as well as several Belgians died in the explosion. Van Speyk's embalmed remains were solemnly interred in the New Church in Amsterdam in May 1832. He was honoured as a national hero. Schoemaker Doyer based his work on an eyewitness account.