Believe it, or not, Cor started at IRC earlier than 1 April 1983! On 21 November 1980 he wrote a letter to the Rijks Instituut voor Drinkwatervoorziening in Leidschendam asking to fulfil his “vervangende dienstplicht” for 18 months and 20 days at IRC as conscientious objector (dienstweigereaar) to his compulsory service in the Dutch army.
He was still in the State procedure and he hoped to be accepted so that he could start in 1981. He offered IRC his interests and some experience in:
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literature research
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technical and scientific research
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chemical laboratory testing.
On 19 May 1981 he wrote a letter to Karel Hoogendoorn (his first of many chiefs at IRC) with an official letter from the Defence Ministry that he had been accepted. The Ministry of Social Affairs wrote IRC a greenlight letter on 6 August 1981 for Cor’s posting at IRC.
It is unknown when he did his real first day as dienstweigeraar at IRC. By that time Ebbo Hofkes was his second chief.
