Jan Carolus Josephus van Speijk, also written Van Speyk, (31 January 1802 5 February 1831) Dutch naval lieutenant who became a hero to the Dutch people for his efforts in suppressing the Belgian Revolution. When the Belgian War of Independence broke out Van Speijk gained an appointment as commander of a gunboat. On February 5, 1831, a gale caused his boat to drift into the quay at the port of Antwerp. Belgians stormed the boat and demanded Van Speijk take the Dutch flag down. Rather than complying, he fired a pistol (some versions say he threw a lit cigar into a barrel of gunpowder in the ships armoury