HS7/159 PART I, 1944.
TRANSCRIPTION.
DUTCH SECTION HISTORY
January 1944 - December 1944.
JANUARY & FEBRUARY 1944.
GENERAL SITUATION AND RELATIONS WITH THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT.
The year 1944 opened up with a complete 'impasse', no prospects of improving the situation and complete dissatisfaction in both the Dutch and SOE camps.
It is obvious that if Colonel DE BRUYNE had had the complete confidence of his opposite members in the Dutch Bureau Inlichtingen, they would have been able to supply him and SOE, with reliable contacts on which to build up again. However, through the lack of co-operation between the Dutch B.I. and Colonel DE BRUYNE's office on the one hand and the SIS, Dutch Section and SOE, on the other hand, a complete deadlock had been reached.
Was Jan Somer at that moment already Chief of Bureau Inlichtingen? Yes he was, since July 26th 1943.
Op 26 juli 1943, enkele maanden nadat Wilhelmina’s voorkeurskandidaat reserve-majoor H.G. Broekman terugtrad, ging de kleurrijke kapitein der infanterie van het Koninklijk NederlandsIndisch Leger Jan Marginus Somer Bureau Inlichtingen aansturen.
Colonel DE BRUYNE was in disfavour and he resigned his post early in February 1944. Major BINGHAM had an interview with Colonel KRULS, head of the Dutch AMGOT and for whom the Dutch Minister of War had the highest regard. This meeting took place on the 9th February and during which Colonel KRULS emphasised the importance of being well informed as to the mentality of the Dutch population in general. He also stated that circuits with which the Dutch Information Service (B.I.) was in contact, could not be charged with giving a true picture of the wishes of the larger mass of the population. They apperently consisted, according to him, of a small group of politicians who wanted to revive the old game of 52 parliamentary parties. who were already jockeying for positions in order to be in power after the liberation. He claimed that as a result, the Dutch Cabinet were in a completely false picture on which to base its attitude and that in his opinion, it was necessary to have a man with a wide view at the head of all departments maintaining contact with the people in occupied Holland. He was extremely bitter about Major SOMER, head of B.I. and considered him to be at the root of all the trouble in Dutch Government circles.
It is therefore evident that, in a sense, the Dutch Government themselves were disatisfied at the state of things and would have welcomed a strong SOE, had this been possible, On the other hand SIS, who were fully aware of the SOE state of affairs in Holland, can hardly be blamed for not co-operating more fully at that time. Their circuits would have obviously been penetrated.
In view of Colonel DE BRUYNE's resignation ant the general situation SOE decided also to make changes. Lord SELBORNE had a meeting in the middle of February 1944 with the Netherlands Minister of War, his excellency Jhr. O.A.C. LIDTHE DE JEUDE, to discuss the general situation and Major-General C. Mc. V. GUBBINS, in his letter to LIDTHE DE JEUDE of 23rd February, stressed the urgency of building up an effective organisation in the Netherlands to implement the directives of the SUPREME COMMANDER for D-Day action and that Commander JOHNS, regional director for Belgium, should henceforth be responsible for all policy matters in regard to SOE, operations in Holland.
On the 13th March, the Netherlands Minister of War was informed that Lt.Col. R.I. DOBSON, who had three years experience in the Belgian Section, vice Major BINGHAM, had been nominated to take charge of the Dutch Section and that SOE, welcomed to nomination of Major General J.W. VAN OORSCHOT as replacement for Col. DE BRUYNE.
Major General VAN OORSCHOT took up his appointment on the 15th March, renamed his office the B.B.O. (Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten) and Lt.Col. R.I. DOBSON took over from Major BINGHAM on 26th February 1944.
STUDENTS IN TRAINING. 20.
AGENTS IN THE FIELD. Nil.
MARCH 1944.
A. AT HQ SOE.
The Dutch Section, although given a new lease of life, was faced with an extremely difficult task. It not only had to live down the stigma which reared over its head but also had to tackle anew the problem of building up a new organisation in the field with apparently very little time to spare.
The SOE Security Section, in goof faith, considered that everything that mattered in the field had been penetrated and strongly advised against sending agents to the field, but on the other hand, gave no guidance and in fact did everything it possibly could do to discourage further operations in Holland. This utter feeling of distrust of having anything to do with Dutch activities filtered through the air. Operation's section and in due course to the AIR MINISTRY, who already having had severe losses over Holland, were extremely difficult in the selection of DROPPING POINTS and would only consider 'BLIND DROPS' in zones more or less selected by them.
B. IN THE FIELD.
Although SOE had no contact the following was, however, the true picture of clandestine activity in occupied Holland at that time. Many spontaneous resistance groups existed and were derived from the ex-officer's organisation which existed to aid officers who had been forced to live underground in order to avoid deportation to Germany and the student groups which were formed to assist young Dutchmen who were liable to the German Labour Laws.
Due to the needs of these groups other groups had grown up which were concerned with acquiring false papers, accommodation and supplies for those living illegally. The CLERGY were active in this respect and did splendid work in aiding ALLIED AIRMEN in the same way. Many people in the liberal professions formed similar groups and although a very large number of Dutch people were concerned with some clandestine activity or other in one of the following organisations:
O.D. - Intelligence. Political and Post War Planning.
R.V.V. - Sabotage and 'Radio Dienst' Wireless Contacts.
K.P. - Knokploegen -Refractaires.
L.O. - Landelijke Organisatie - False Papers, etc.
N.S.F. - National Steun Fonds - Finance.
N.C. - National Committee - Welfare and Social problems.
C.I.D. - C.E. and underground telephone system.
C.P. - Clandestine Press.
Their activities had grown in a slapdash fashion through lack of guidance or directives from the UK. They were by no means watertight and most of the leaders and organisers of different movements knew each other personally. There was a semblance of security but is was not all that could be desired, added to which, there were also many minor personal and political feuds.
ENEMY FORCES.
Much must however be said for the courage and bravery shown by the Dutch Resisters who had survived in a very small country with little or no natural cover. Facing them they had a formidable enemy force to control underground activity consisting of the following units:
The Grüne Polizei.
The G.F.P.
S.D. and Gestapo.
N.S.B. (Dutch civilian Collaborators)
Dutch and Flemish S.S.
Feldgendarmerie.
Landwacht
Wehrmacht.
RELATIONS WITH DUTCH GOVERNMENT AND S.I.S.
Major-General VAN OORSCHOT, having taken office, recruited one Capt. DE GRAAF who had recently arrived from occupied Holland and who had been working with a sabotage organisation called 'CS-6' and dispensed with Colonel DE BRUYNE's assistants Major LIEFTINCK and Lt. Commander SCHILP.
As a first step towards closer collaboration, VAN OORSCHOT, who was an old friend of Major SOMER, called for a meeting between the four services i.e. SIS, SOE, BI and BBO during which Commander JOHNS and Lt.Col DOBSON expressed the wish for real co-operation and made clear to SIS and the BI the SOE Charter and likely functions that the Resistance Forces would be called upon to do by the SUPREME COMMANDER.
The meeting was satisfactory and was followed up by a further meeting with Colonel CORDEAUX of SIS and Commander JOHNS and Lt.Col. DOBSON.
Our relations with the BBO, remained exceedingly good throughout the whole period of relationship with them. They had very little knowledge of the inner workings of our clandestine methods and, apart from looking after the interests of their agents, they were satisfied to leave the whole matter to us. We kept them fully in the picture, with the exception of Army Plans and having gained their confidence no difficulties arose.
Having gained the confidence of the Dutch BI, SIS , fell into line and our relations with them were excellent. In fact, so good, that from September 1944 until the German Capitulation, it was they who attended our Daily Meetings at SF-HQ and we who dropped practically all their agents and stored for the to our reception committees during that period.
PLANNING.
Having gone through this groundwork the Dutch Section commenced planning for three missions:
1. To contact the CLANDESTINE PRESS, gain their confidence and through them hope to be able to contact one or
more of the active Resistance groups. SOE lost contact with Johan Grün who was arrested 03-01-1944.
2. Mission to contact the CS-6, based on information brought out by Capt. DE GRAAF.
3. Mission to build up an effective sabotage organisation to disrupt enemy communications on the main RAILWAY lines
in Holland leading to GERMANY and South to BELGIUM.
These Missions were agreed to by the BBO and SOE subject to the means of infiltration being on a 'Blind Drop' basis.
AGENTS IN THE FIELD. Nil.
AGENTS IN TRAINING. 20.
APRIL 1944.
DEVELOPMENTS WITH DUTCH.
Lt.Col. KLIJZING, who arrived in the UK from Holland in March, was established in the Office of the BBO, as Major General VAN OORSCHOT's personal assistant. His relations with the Dutch office of the BI were good.
AGENTS SENT TO THE FIELD.
CLANDESTINE PRESS.
T. BIALLOSTERSKI (@ DRAUGHTS) and his wireless operator J.A. STEMAN (@ BEZIQUE) were dropped on the night of 31st March/1st April, to contact the Clandestine Press and also to obtain through them some good contacts with te active resistance movement. The operation was successful, but unfortunately their package containing the wireless transmitter, which was buried on landing, was taken away by a farmer and never traced again. DRAUGHTS successfully made contact with the Clandestine Press, delivered money to them and also the printing block of Queen Wilhelmina's letter to the Dutch population which was later reproduced in the Clandestine Press and after nominating a DRAUGHTS-2 (Cor van Paaschen), returned to the UK on the 9th July by way of Belgium, France, Spain and Gibraltar. He arranged a dropping ground with BEZIQUE to which a new transmitter would be sent. BEZIQUE was however able to contact us first of all through a SIS transmitter (Herman Leus) and later on by the transmitter we were able to sent him (through Frank Hamilton).
Tobias Biallosterski, born 18-04-1920 Bloemendaal, died 25-02-1945 Scheveningen. Dropped in the night 31/01-04-1944 near Etten-Leur. Left Holland 19-04-1944. returned in England 09-07-1944. Code name operation DRAUGHTS. Code name in the field HANS. Field name Hans de Bruin. HS9/.. Source: Frans Kluiters. See https://www.weggum.com/Overview_Biallosterski.html
Johannes Antonius (Jan) Steman. born 03-07-1920 Amsterdam, died 29-05-1995. Dropped in the night 31-01-04-1944 near Etten-Leur. Arrested 00-02-1945. Released 00-04-1945. Signal Plan NIDD and plan TEIFI. Code name operation BEZIQUE. Operational code name FRANS. Field name Johannes A. Bogaard. HS9/1413. Source: Frans Kluiters.
CS-6 and RVV.
N.J. CELOSSE (@ FARO), A.J.M. CNOOPS (@ CRICKET), J.H. SEYBEN (@ PING PONG) and H.A.J. SANDERS (@ SWALE) were dropped successfully on the night of 31st March/1st April. FARO to contact CS-6 and CRICKET the RVV. Unfortunately a second wireless operator SKITTLES (Aart Penning), refused to jump, leaving only one wireless operator to work for three organisers.. This may have had some bearing on their future fate as the two teams now only had one WT operator necessitating the organisers to more or less keep together with the ultimate result that they were all arrested in May. CRICKET, before his arrest, was however able to contact the RVV and delivered our directives to them. They requested stores should be sent to them and also that if the RAF would drop parachute flares over the Dordrecht Power Station they would attempt to sabotage it. The RAF were unwilling to undertake the operation and in consequence the whole project fell through. The RVV reported that as a result of a well carried out sabotage attack on the factory at HOEK PIERSON, the A.S.M. of Amsterdam had been forced to cut its consumption of oxygen by half.
Nicolaas Johannes (Bob) Celosse, born 28-04-1917, Banjuwangi, Dutch East Indies. Executed 05-09-1944 Vught. Dropped in the night of 31/01-04-1944 near Slootpolder, Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 19-05-1944. Code name operation FARO. Operational name BOESCHOTEN. HS9/284. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Antonius Jacobus Marie (Tony) Cnoops, born 20-05-1907 Delft died 24-07-1972 Warnsveld. Dropped in the night of 31/01-04-1944 near Slootpolder, Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 19-05-1944. Code name operation CRICKET, Operational name A.J.M. Coster. HS9/329. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Johannes Henricus (Harry) Seijben, born 30-08-1919, died 17-12-1989. Dropped in the night of 31/01-04-1944 near Slootpolder, Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 19-05-1944. Code name operation PING-PONG. Operational name HENDRIKUS. Field name J.H. Schouten of J.H. Schoonen. HS9/1433/7. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Hubertus Antonius Johannes (Huub) Sanders, born 09-03-1923 Malang, Java, Dutch East Indies. Dropped in the night of 31/01-04-1944 near Slootpolder, Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 19-05-1944. Code name operation SWALE. Operational code name CURLING. Name in the field IVO. Field name Van Spaanen or Bob Sipma. HS9/1307/7. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Aart Penning, born 07-08-1916 Ridderkerk, died 05-08-1949 The Hague. WT operator. Refused to jump 31/01-04-1944. Mission FARO. HS9/1165. Source: Frans Kluiters.
GERMAN CONTROLLED SOE TRANSMITTER - HECK/BLUE.
On the 1st April, a telegram was received from the old German controlled transmitter, reading:
"MESSRS BLUNT, BINGHAM AND SUCCS LTD LONDON STOP
IN THE LAST TIME YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE BUSINESS IN THE NETHERLANDS WITHOUT OUR ASSISTANCE STOP
WE THINK THIS RATHER UNFAIR IN VIEW OF OUR LONG AND SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION AS YOUR SOLE AGENTS STOP BUT NEVER MIND WHENEVER YOU WILL COME TO PAY A VISIT BE RECEIVED WITH THE SAME CARE AND RESULT AS ALL THOSE YOU SENT US BEFORE STOP
SO LONG"
Although the SOE Security Section produced this as further evidence of German penetration - specially as it coincided with the despatch of the six agents on the night of the 13st Mach/1st April - the Dutch section felt that there was no connection as the time factor was too short.
STORES SENT TO THE FIELD: 2 Packages.
AGENTS IN TRAINING: 20.
MAY 1944.
GENERAL SITUATION. Nothing outstanding.
AGENTS SENT TO THE FIELD.
C.M. DEKKERS (@ POKER) and his wireless operator G.J. KUENEN (@ FOOTBALL) were dropped on the night of 31st May, to build up a sabotage organisation to destroy enemy rail communications throughout Holland but unfortunately their aircraft was shot down over the GILZE-RIJEN airfield. Both POKER and FOOTBALL and the crew were killed.
Cornelis Martinus (Cees) Dekkers, born 26-01-1919 Breda, killed 01-06-1944 Gilze. Crashed with Hudson V9155, of the 161 Special Duties Squadron on 01-06-1944 near airfield Gilze-Rijen. Code name operation POKER, Operational name DUIKER. Name in the field Kees van Duin. HS9/413/8. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Gerrit Jan (Jan) Kuenen, born 13-01-1918 Aalten, killed 01-06-1944 Gilze. Crashed with Hudson V9155, of the 161 Special Duties Squadron on 01-06-1944 near airfield Gilze-Rijen. Code name operation FOOTBALL. Field name KOOPS. HS9/ none. Source: Frans Kluiters.
COMMUNICATIONS.
An attempt was made to sent two packages containing wireless material to BEZIQUE (Jan Steman) by the same aircraft doing the POKER/FOOTBALL operation, but unfortunately these were lost when the aircraft was shot down. BEZIQUE did however contact us on an SIS transmitter belonging to ST. JUDE (Herman Leus).
CASUALTIES.
FARO (Celosse), CRICKET (Cnoops), SWALE (Sanders) and PING-PONG (Seyben) were arrested in the 19th May. FARO refused to talk and was subsequently shot (Camp Vught). CRICKET and his wireless operator SWALE both played the game and did not divulge their security checks with the result that we able to play back the German controlled traffic until such time as it deemed safe for CRICKET and SWALE's security before closing down. The fact that the RVV reported the arrest through a SIS transmitter (which one?) was, from a security point of view, in their favour and confirming to us that they, as an organisation, were still safe. In closing down the SWALE traffic it was decided to sent the following message to the Germans as a rebuff to their famous message of the 1st April:
"WITH REFERNCE TO YOUR MESSAGE OF APRIL FIRST WE HAVE TRIED YOUR AGENCY ONCE MORE BUT CONSIDER IT TO BE SO TERRIBLY INEFFICIENT AS TO WARRANT OUR CHANGING FOR GOOD STOP
PLEASE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT AS THAT MATTER WILL BE IN OUR HANDS AND NOW HAVING A DETAILED LIST OF YOU ALL YOU MAY REST ASSURED THAT IT WILL HARDLY BE PINPOINTS STOP"
POKER and FOOTBALL, were killed when their aircraft was shot down on the night of the 31st May/1st June.
AGENTS IN TRAINING: 25.
JUNE 1944.
SPECIAL SECURITY MEETING.
An important meeting was held in London to determine, if possible, the extent of Germen penetration of the RVV. The meeting was attended by the Security Sections of SOE, SIS, The BI, BBO and ourselves. The SOE Security Section had been pushing for this meeting for some time and SIS, on the other hand, were just as equally keen not to have it. The result was unsatisfactory and SIS felt satisfied that the RVV, so far as could be determined, were still sound. This did give however an opportunity to the SOE Dutch Section to plan ahead.
OPERATIONAL BAN.
Owing to the Security Ban, all operations were stopped to Holland until after D-Day. As the ban also applied to foreigners arriving in the UK it affected our recruiting possibilities. It also prevented the all important RUMMY/PODEX mission, to check the security of existing organisations, from leaving the country for the field.
AGENTS TO THE FIELD. Nil. See operational ban.
STORES SENT TO THE FIELD. Nil.
COMMUNICATIONS. As per appendix.
ARRESTS. Nil.
AGENTS RETURNED. Nil.
AGENTS IN TRAINING. 22.
JULY 1944, again pieces of this file, HS7159 part I are missing, in this month the following agents were dropped:
Operation FIVES-I.
Jan Bockma, born 31-08-1921 IJlst, killed 06-07-1944 IJsselmeer near Makkum. The Hudson FK790 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron was shot down and crashed in the IJsselmeer, killing all on board. Code name operations FIVES-I. Operational code name HALMA, Radio plan RIBBLE. Training name Jan Borel or Ginger. Name in the field Jan Boersma. Mission: WT operator to Verhoef. HS9/.. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Pieter Jacob Kwint, born 04-08-1922 Meppel, killed 06-07-1944 IJsselmeer near Makkum. The Hudson FK790 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron was shot down and crashed in the IJsselmeer, killing all on board. Code name operation FIVES-I. Operational code name FIVES. Training name Pieter Krant. Name in the field Pieter Nijhof. HS9/872/4. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Pleun Verhoef, born 30-11-1919 Vianen, killed 06-07-1944 IJsselmeer near Makkum. The Hudson FK790 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron was shot down and crashed in the IJsselmeer, killing all on board. Code name operations FIVES-I. Operational code name RAQUETS. Name in de field L. Vorstman. Mission: Agent to the RVV. HS9/1528/3. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Johannes Albertus Walter, born 07-10-1922 Dombang, Java, Dutch East Indies. Killed 06-07-1944 IJsselmeer near Makkum. The Hudson FK790 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron was shot down and crashed in the IJsselmeer, killing all on board. Code name operations FIVES-I. Operational code name BOWLS. Field name Johannes Albertus Wees. Field name Johannes Albertus Kamp. Mission: WT operator to Kwint. HS9/ 1554/2. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Operations RODEX-I.
Arie van Duyn, born 27-07-1916 Noordwijk, died 02-01-1988. Dropped on the night of 05-06-07-1944 on the Tongerse Heide near Epe, Gelderland. Detected by key-clicks and arrested on 19-12-1944. release 00-04-1945. Code name operation RODEX-I. Operational code name CRIBBAGE. Field name THEDORE or NOL. Signal plan TEES. Name in the field Duveen. Mission: WT operator to De Goede and Mulholland. HS9/1504/3. Soure: Frans Kluiters.
Lambertus Arend (Bert) de Goede, born 02-07-1920 Vrijenban, Delft, died 22-03-1989. Dropped on the night of 05-06-07-1944 on the Tongerse Heide near Epe, Gelderland. returned 24-02-1945. Code name operation RODEX-I, Operational code name RUMMY. Mission: to check certain contact and to give sabotage instructions. Training name Gort. HS9/593/5. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Leonard George (Len) Mulholland, born 20-09-1920 Surabaya, Dutch East Indies. Dropped on the night of 05-06-07-1944 on the Tongerse Heide near Epe, Gelderland. Picked up during forced labour razzia on 11-11-1944. Returned 00-05-1945. Code name operation RODEX-I. Operational name PODEX. Code name in the field KOOS. Name in the field Leonard George Sanders. HS9/1073/4. Source: Frans Kluiters.
AUGUST 1944. Again, operations are not mentioned in the papers of HS7/159 part I.
Operation SCULLING.
Seerp Postma, born 27-09-1921 Bedum, executed 02-12-1944 Apeldoorn. Dropped on the night of 07/08-08-1944 in the Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 22-11-1944 Utrecht. Code name operation SCULLING, Operational code name SCULLING I. Code name in the field WITTE DIRK. Training name Ploeg. Mission to contact the LO and the LKP. HS9/1204/4. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Gerrit Heinrich (Gerrit) Reiziger, born 01-12-1917 Haarlemmermeer, killed 07-04-1945 Itzehoe. Dropped on the night of 07/08-08-1944 in the Wieringermeerpolder. Arrested 27-12-1944 Zeist due to key-clicks. Code name operation SCULLING. Operational code name TURNIQUOITS. Code name in the field KAREL. Signal plan WAVENEY. Other names used Gerrit Royen, Gerrit Rochard, Gerrit van Berkel and Grrit Henricus. Mission WT operator to Postma. HS9/1244/8. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Operations TIDDLYWINKS and ROWING.
Antonia Maria Francisca (Frankie) Hamilton, born 02-05-1910 Asten, Noord-Brabant, died 10-01-1996 Wassenaar. Dropped on the night of 09/10-08-1944 near Oosterblokker, Noord-Holland. Injured on landing and put out of action. Code name operation TIDDLYWINKS. Operational name JOSEPHINE Hemerik. Field name Josephine Wouters. Mission: to coordinate underground Press. HS9/650/2. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Frans Louis Johannes (Frank) Hamilton, born 02-10-1913 Kapahiang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies. Died 27-02-1990 Brazil? Dropped on the night of 09/10-08-1944 near Oosterblokker, Noord-Holland. Code name operation ROWING. Code name in the field GUUS. Signal plan TEIFI. Mission: to deliver WT set to Jan Steman (BEZIQUE) and to coordinate underground press. HS9/650/3. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Operations CHARADES, HUNTING & SHOOTING.
Jacob (Jaap) Beekman, born 21-12-1919 Zwolle, died … Zwolle. Dropped on the night of 28/29-08-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Returned 05-04-1945. Code name in the field MAURITS. Signal plan CHARADES. Name in the field Jacob Barends. Mission WT operator to Luijkenaar. HS9/114/1. Source: Frans Kluiters. See Network Beekman.
Jacob Roelof (Jaap) Hinderink, born 08-11-1923 Assen died … Dropped on the night of 28/29-08-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Returned 15-04-1945. Operation name HUNTING. Code name in the field CHRIS/HARRY. Field name Mulders. Mission to organise resistance. HS9.713. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Johannes Hendrik (Joop) Luijkenaar, born 19-01-1918 Rotterdam, died 00-00-1996. Dropped on the night of 28/29-08-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Returned mid March 1945. Operation name SHOOTING, Code name in the field LODEWIJK. Signal plan WITHRAM. Code name Leestemaker. HS9/951. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Joop Luijkenaar moved after being dropped to the Rotterdam area, while Beekman, his WT operator, moved to Overijssel, why?
Operations STALKING.
Krijn Buitendijk, born 28-11-1921 Vlaardingen, died 03-01-1998 Vlaardingen. Halifax Mk-V MA-W LL-388 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron crashed on the night of 28/29-08-1944 near Engelen, Noord-Brabant. Came out on the night of 10/11-11-1944. Operation code name STALKING. Operational code name FISHING. Code name in the field TIMO. Name in the field Bosman. Mission: sabotage instructor. HS9/233/6. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Gerrit Kroon, born 02-10-1909 Apeldoorn, killed 02-05-1945 Sandbostel, Neuengamme. Injured on landing and arrested. Liberated 01-05-1945, but died a day later. Operation code name STALKING. Operational code name SKATING. Name in the field Gerrit Kraal. Mission: WT operator to Buitendijk en Van der Meer. HS9/865/2. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Jacobus Martinus (Jacky) van der Meer, born 02-03-1916 Rotterdam, died 12-12-1987. Halifax Mk-V MA-W LL-388 of the 161 Special Duties Squadron crashed on the night of 28/29-08-1944 near Engelen, Noord-Brabant. Mission accomplished 25-10-1944. Operation code name STALKING, Operational STALKING. Name in the field Meyer. Mission to organise resistance. HS9/1507. Source Frans Kluiters.
SEPTEMBER 1944.
GENERAL SITUATION.
H.R.H. PRINCE BERNHARD.
Prince Bernhard left for the Continent on the 9th September accompanied by Capt. KNIGHT of the SOE Dutch Section, Capt. DE JONGH of the BI and two SOE wireless operators Sergeants SPENCE and HANNAFORD. His HQ was established in BRUSSELS and his wireless contact with us was on Plan NORTHAW. Henceforth Prince BERNHARD worked in close liaison with No's 1, 2 and 3 Special Forces Detachments and 30 Corps Rear HQ. In early 1945, a second HQ was established in Breda until a final HQ was formed in APELDOORN, at the Royal Palace, later. He became actively engaged in arming reliable resistance Groups in liberated Holland, South of the Rivers, for the maintenance of law and order, also to assist Allied troops in their requirements. For this purpose some 50 tons of arms were flown by TEMPSFORD in Hudson aircraft to BRUSSELS from where they were transported by road to EINDHOVEN.
RESISTANCE ACTIVITIES.
Although each service maintained its own links with the field, the SIS and SOE wireless channels were from now on more or less pooled and put at the disposal of PRINCE BERNHARD. This caused some confusion in the beginning as the Prince also used the SIS Internal wireless net at EINDHOVEN and replies to his messages sent on this net would very often come in on the UK's channels, necessitating retransmission to the Prince on the NORTHAW channel. Owing to the fight for supremacy between the OD, RVV and KP, Prince Bernhard called for unity and the first step towards this end was the forming of the DRIEHOEK (TRIANGLE) which ultimately became the DC (DELTA CENTRUM), staff to the CBS (Henri Koot). Although a certain amount of internal opposition existed between the organisations, they were at any rate combined in their efforts against the Germans.
ARNHEM AIRBORNE OPERATION 'MARKET'.
This took place on the 17th of September and one JEDBURGH Team was attached to each of the following units:
AIRBORNE CORPS HQ. Team 'EDWARD'.
Capt. STAAL, DUTCH.
Capt. SOLLENBERGER, US.
Capt. MILLS, BRITISH.
2/Lt. WILLMOTT, BRITTISH.
Sgt. BILLINGSLEY, US.
I AIR TRANSPORTED DIVISION. Team 'CLAUDE'.
Capt. GROENEWOUD, DUTCH.
Lt. KNOTTENBELT, DUTCH.
Lt. TODD, US.
Sgt. SCOTT, US.
82 DIVISION (US). Team CLARENCE.
Capt. BESTEBREURTJE, DUTCH.
Lt. VERHAEGHE, US.
Sgt. BEYNON, US.
101 DIVISION (US). Team DANIEL.
Maj. WILSON, BRITISH.
Lt. DUBOIS, DUTCH.
Sgt. FOKKER, DUTCH (Lykle Faber, WT operator).
Sgt. MASON, BRITISH.
Jacob (Jaap) Staal, born 8 July 1913, Assen - 1981? was a Dutch commando during World War II. He fought in Operation Market Garden in 1944. In recognition of his services, Staal was decorated with the Dutch Bronze Lion and the American Medal of Freedom with bronze palm.
Following the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1940, Staal left for England, where he joined the British regiment Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry, seconded to the Special Operations Executive (SOE). In 1944 Staal, now a lieutenant, trained for Operation Jedburgh with fellow Dutch officers Arie Bestebreurtje, Henk Brinkgreve and Jacobus Groenewoud. Operation Jedburgh involved allied agents being parachuted behind enemy lines to conduct sabotage and guerrilla actions and organize local resistance groups.
During Operation Market Garden, Staal commanded a five-men Jedburgh team codenamed "Edward". Staal, now a captain, was the only Dutch member of his team, the others were British and American. The team landed by glider near corps headquarters outside Groesbeek on 17 September 1944. Team Edward's task was to organize and support the local resistance, serve as liaison between the Allied airborne troops and the Dutch resistance, gather tactical intelligence and maintain lines of communication between the different Jedburgh teams taking part in Market Garden.
As Market Garden progressed, the "Edward" team moved to Nijmegen. Subsequently, Staal and his team entered Arnhem, where the British 1st Airborne Division was struggling to survive. The team provided communications for the British division and established an outlet for intelligence from Dutch resistance networks, in extremely difficult conditions.
When the 1st Airborne Division either surrendered or was evacuated from Arnhem, Staal's team had to arrange their own escape. This was done did in a notable manner by commandeering a German staff car (a Bentley Vanden Plas which Willmott was able to start without a key). They passed through or forced German checkpoints but were halted by heavy fire from an American patrol. The team returned to London from Brussels on 28 September.
After the end of the war, Staal was promoted to reserve lieutenant colonel of the artillery. In 1947 he emigrated to South Africa.
HS9/1403. Source: Wikipedia.
Jacobus (Jimmy) Groenewoud, 08-11-1916 Amsterdam, killed 18-09-1944 Arnhem. He was the second of four children of Jacobus Groenewoud Senior and Hendrika de Klerk. In 1934, having left school, he found employment with the Holland Africa Line Agency, working at their Head Office in Amsterdam. Four years later, aged 21, he emigrated to South Africa and continued to work for the Agency until their office was closed on the 31st March 1940, due to the onset of war.
At this time, Groenewoud heard that 27 Dutchmen were leaving South Africa for the Dutch Indies to volunteer for the KNIL (Royal Dutch Indies Army), and he felt that he had a moral obligation to follow them. He had been called up for conscription in 1935, but had failed the medical test due to his poor eyesight, and two years later was declared unfit for military service. Consequently his efforts enlist by contacting the Dutch legation in Pretoria resulted in three rejections, finally he wrote a letter in red ink directly to the Dutch Ambassador, who advised him to register with the consul.
While he waited for a response, Groenewoud sought employment and had several temporary jobs before, on the 1st December 1940, he secured a more permanent position as an accountant at the SESCO Works. On the 25th September 1941, Groenewoud was informed that he had been accepted into the Dutch Army and was to report to the Princess Irene Brigade in Britain. As he had been hired on the understanding that he was unfit for military service, the company, who by now were involved in war production, were far from happy to be losing a man whom they had come to regard as an integral part of their business, but their protests came to nothing.
Dressed in a British uniform, Groenewoud set sail for the UK on the 20th January 1942. His arrival in Glasgow, on the 17th February, was not all that could have been hoped for as the port authorities would not allow him and the other members of his party to disembark as they had not been forewarned of their arrival and so were technically illegal immigrants. The matter was soon resolved, however, and by the end of evening they had joined their Dutch comrades at Wrottesley Park, near Wolverhampton. Groenewoud did not stay very long though, as he was selected for officer training and, having excelled on the course, was granted a temporary commission as a reserve 2nd Lieutenant in October 1942. This position qualified him to serve as a Liaison Officer, and he was attached to a battalion of the Canadian Black Watch, where he acquired the all too predictable nicknames of "Dutch Joe" and "Amsterdam Joe".
In December 1942, he was sent to the Officer Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot, and by the following August, with his rank confirmed, he was transferred to the Headquarters of the 76th Home Guard Division. Groenewoud was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in February 1944, and was posted to the 18th Battalion The Welch Regiment, where he came to be regarded by his Commanding Officer as his best platoon commander. His stay was brief, however, as he was then transferred to the Special Operations Executive to be trained in the Jedburgh role, subsequently becoming one of the three members of Jedburgh Team Claude; his companions being two Americans, Lieutenant Harvey Todd, and Technical Sergeant Carl Scott.
Due to the rapid liberation of France and Belgium, it was clear that Holland would be the immediate target for Jedburgh operations, and this led to a number of its Dutch officers, including Groenewoud, being promoted to temporary Captain. On the 10th September, Team Claude were informed that they were to be attached to the 1st Parachute Brigade for Operation Market Garden, with Groenewoud serving as a Liaison Officer. He met Brigadier Lathbury and Major Hibbert on the same day.
Jedburgh Team Claude took-off in a C-47 from Barkston Heath on Sunday 17th September. Having landed safely on DZ-X, Groenewoud and Lieutenant Todd left to find transport while Technical Sergeant Scott looked for their equipment and his wireless set. By the time he had succeeded, both officers were on their way to Arnhem with the 1st Parachute Brigade and Scott would not see them again. He spent the remainder of the battle in Oosterbeek, and although he was safely evacuated across the Rhine he was killed in action five weeks later.
On the way to the bridge, Groenewoud took part in an attack on a German Headquarters (Rijnpaviljoen), where he discovered a number of important documents. He and Todd arrived at Arnhem Bridge on the evening of Sunday 17th September, and installed themselves alongside Brigade Headquarters. On the following day, Groenewoud was at a meeting with Lieutenant-Colonel Frost and Major Hibbert in attendance, and hearing that they had been unable to make contact with the rest of the Division, he volunteered to make his way to Oosterbeek, but this was deemed unnecessary. That evening, Groenewoud made use of his Jedburgh list and telephoned trusted members of the Dutch Resistance to discover the whereabouts of known German sympathisers in Arnhem.
On Tuesday 19th September, the shortage of medical supplies at the Bridge was becoming acute, and so Groenewoud and Todd volunteered to make what was by then a near suicidal dash to the nearby home of a doctor, from where they hoped to get in touch with the St Elizabeth Hospital and arrange for supplies to come through. They had only covered a short distance before they came under fire and Groenewoud was shot in the head by a sniper and died instantly. Todd was forced to shelter in a house, but managed to make contact with the Hospital, only to learn that the Germans had threatened to shoot any staff who attempted to assist the British.
After the battle, Major Hibbert wrote a report which described and praised the efforts of Jacobus Groenewoud, and Lieutenant Todd recommended that he be posthumously awarded a medal for sacrificing his life in the hope of helping the wounded. The Dutch War Department were duly informed and Groenewoud was awarded the Military Order of William 4th Class, the highest honour that the Dutch military can bestow. In Peterborough Cathedral, there is a monument which remembers him and all of the fallen Jedburghs.
My thanks to Jim Ommeren and Martin Groenewoud their help with this story.
Source: https://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/jacobus_groenewoud.htm
Maarten Jan Knottenbelt, born 12-03-1920 Batavia, Dutch East Indies, died 19-08-2004 The Hague. Dropped 17-09-1944 near Renkum. Wounded escaped 00-09-1944. Knottenbelt was een Nederlandse militair van de Koninklijke Landmacht tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog die onderscheiden is met de Militaire Willems-Orde. Hij was in 1942 een van de eerste Nederlandse militairen die de commando-opleiding voltooiden.
Maarten Knottenbelt was het derde kind in een gezin van vier. Zijn ouders waren Frederik Hendrik Knottenbelt (geb. 1884) en Helena Johanna ten Doesschate (geb. 1895-). Frederik Hendrik Knottenbelt was mede-eigenaar van de suiker export firma Wellenstein Krause & Co in Batavia en de familie was zeer gefortuneerd. Knottenbelts broer en zusters waren Gesiena Suzanna (1916), Frederik Hendrik (1918) en Helena Johanna (1925).
Op het moment dat de Tweede Wereldoorlog uitbrak studeerde Knottenbelt in Engeland aan de Universiteit van Oxford. Zijn ouders woonden in Londen en hij had ook in Engeland op een kostschool in Eton gezeten. Op 20 augustus 1940 werd hij als dienstplichtige opgenomen in de Prinses Irene Brigade in Engeland. Hij werd opgeleid tot officier en werd op 24 juli 1941 benoemd tot reserve tweede luitenant van het Wapen der Infanterie.
Na de val van Frankrijk in juni 1940 besloot Winston Churchill tot oprichting van Commando’s. Op 22 maart 1942 is Knottenbelt een van de 48 vrijwilligers (8 officieren, 17 onderofficieren, 4 korporaals en 19 soldaten) van de Prinses Irene Brigade die beginnen aan de vooropleiding bij No. 3, No. 4, No. 9 en No. 12 Commando en daarna in mei 1942 de commandotraining volgen in het “Commando Basic Training Centre” in Achnacarry in de Schotse Hooglanden, waar sinds februari 1942 het “Commando Training Depot” gevestigd is.
Knottenbelt en 24 anderen voltooiden de opleiding, en werden geplaatst bij de op 29 juni 1942 opgerichte No. 2 (Dutch) Troop[6] gevormd die wordt geplaatst bij No.4 Commando in Troon. De eerste commandant van No. 2 Dutch Troop wordt reserve eerste luitenant Piet Mulders en als officieren worden de reserve tweede luitenants Jan Linzel en Carel Ruijsch van Dugteren en Maarten Knottenbelt toegevoegd. Op 16 juli worden ze overgeplaatst naar Portmadoc in Noord-Wales waar No. 2 Dutch Troop bij No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando wordt ingedeeld.
Op 11 december vertrekt No. 2 Dutch Troop, o.a. op verzoek van prins Bernhard, met de Britse 3e Commando Brigade naar Bombay. Na aankomst half januari 1944 wordt Dutch Troop in een tentenkamp ondergebracht.
Als eenheid wordt No. 2 Dutch Troop niet ingezet, maar een aantal commando’s wordt gedetacheerd bij Britse eenheden. Knottenbelt gaat met sergeant Willem van der Veer (1917-2009) toegevoegd aan No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando en nemen daarmee deel aan gevechtsacties tegen de Japanners bij Arakan in Birma. Op 18 juli 1944 gaat No. 2 Dutch Troop terug naar Engeland.
Knottenbelt werd met Nederlandse commando’s van No. 2 Dutch Troop voor Operatie Market Garden gedetacheerd bij de Britse 1e Luchtlandingsdivisie, de Amerikaanse 82e en 101e Luchtlandingsdivisies en het Britse Luchtlandingskorps. Knottenbelt en twaalf anderen werden toegevoegd aan de Britse 1e Luchtlandingsdivisie. Ze landden op zondag 17 september in de buurt van Renkum in een zweefvliegtuig. Knottenbelt en commando Van Barneveld zwommen tijdens de gevechten meerdere keren de Rijn over om contact te maken met de in Driel in de Betuwe, gelande Poolse 1e Onafhankelijke Parachutistenbrigade.
Toen de Duitsers steeds verder oprukten nam Knottenbelt het bevel over een groep van ongeveer 25 Britse militairen op zich waarmee hij een huizengroep in Oosterbeek verdedigde. Zelf raakte Knottenbelt ook gewond. Hij zwom de Rijn over en keerde terug naar Londen.
Nadat hij van zijn verwondingen hersteld was meldde Knottenbelt zich met 7 andere commando’s waaronder sergeant Willem van der Veer, korporaal Raymond Westerling en commando Niek de Koning voor speciale opdrachten. Zij werden door het Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten (BBO), de Nederlandse tegenhanger van het Britse Special Operations Executive in Londen aangewezen om boven bezet Nederland te worden geparachuteerd. De geallieerde doorstoot naar Noord-Nederland werd spoedig verwacht en dit detachement moest door wapen- en sabotage-instructie de verzetsgroepen opleiden om de geallieerden te ondersteunen. De 8 commando’s kregen een korte paracursus bij de Special Training School (STS) 51 (No 1 Parachute Training School) van de SOE in Ringway.
Knottenbeld werd evenwel in november 1944 met commando Abraham van Creveld naar bevrijd Nederland gestuurd, waar ze ruim 100 vrijwilligers wierven om No. 2 Dutch Troop te versterken. 70 van hen wisten uiteindelijk het commandobrevet te bemachtigen.
In 1945 werd Knottenbelt met Carel Ruijsch van Dugteren door het BBO toegevoegd aan Operatie Jedburgh. Bij deze operatie werden speciale eenheden van in principe drie man (twee officieren, waarvan er één Brits of Amerikaans was terwijl de ander uit het land kwam waar het team actief was (Frankrijk, België of Nederland) en een onderofficier radiotelegrafist) in bezet gebied gedropt om het plaatselijk verzet te organiseren en ondersteunen.
In de nacht van 3 op 4 april 1945 werd het Jedburgh team Gambling dat bestond uit Knottenbelt en de Britse major Arthur Henry Clutton en sergeant Jim Menzies per parachute bij Appel ten noorden van Barneveld samen met een SAS-verkenningsteam dat bestond uit de Britse captain P.N. Stuart en verbindingsman sergeant Frank Herring-Sweet, en de Nederlandse luitenant Johan de Stoppelaar Blijdenstein gedropt ter ondersteuning van de geallieerde troepen. Knottenbelt trad op als commandant van een groep ongeoefende manschappen der Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten en liet daarmee tot tweemaal toe de Duitsers in een hinderlaag lopen en bracht hen zware verliezen toe. Daarmee hij het Canadese troepen mogelijk maakte om op 20 april 1945 het Apeldoorns Kanaal nabij Oene over te steken.
Knottenbelt werd op 10 juli 1946 eervol ontheven uit zijn functie en op 1 oktober 1960 eervol ontslagen uit de militaire dienst. Hij werd overtuigd pacifist en hield tot in de jaren ‘80 jaren lezingen om zijn denkbeelden te verspreiden. Zijn laatste levensjaren woonde hij in Den Haag.
Knottenbelt trouwde op 15 december 1954 in Londen met de Australische Evelyn Egerton Daly (1927-2006) van wie hij later scheidde, en op 12 mei 1981 met Lola Mees (Lola Rudolfine Margaretha Elisabeth Mees) een eveneens gescheiden violiste. Knottenbelt had geen kinderen. Source: Wikipedia.
Arie Dirk (Harry) Bestebreurtje, born 12-04-1916 Rotterdam, died 21-011983 Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Dropped 17-09-1944 near Groesbeek. Father, Anton D. Bestebreurtje moved the family to Zurich, Switzerland in the early 30's because of a job transfer.
Arie was an alternate on the Dutch speed skating team at the 1936 Olympics. He did not compete.
Arie graduated from the University of Zurich with a law degree in 1940. He married Gertrude M. Bersch, born in 1915 in Sydney, Australia, the same year.
With the start of World War II the family left Switzerland, and made it to England via Portugal. Anton, his wife, and their three daughters, continued on to New York.
Arie and his bride remained in England. He enlisted in the Dutch army, trained by the British army in Ontario. Because of his schooling, physical aptitude, and a command of several European languages, he volunteered for the OSS. He became a Jedburgh, a group of fewer than 300 men within the OSS. Their job was to drop in teams of 3 into occupied Europe, and later Asia. They coordinated with the local resistance to harass the enemy with a strength that far exceeded their number. Arie jumped three times into his native Holland. The first two were in the Nijmegen area, partially depicted in the movie 'The Bridge Too Far'. His final jump was near Assen. Bad weather forced his team into, rather than outside, a German camp for transporting Jews from Holland to the concentration camps. With his team all captured or killed, Arie, with a broken foot, was able to crawl under the fence after 4 days inside, where he was rescued by Mr. Schutten, who farmed the land adjoining the camp. Schutten risked his family's life to hide this Dutch paratrooper.
Having survived the war, Arie's exploits were recognized by the governments of the US, Britain, and France, each of whom awarded him the highest decoration given to a non-native. He also received the Dutch Medal of Honour.
In 1946 he came to New York, rejoining his wife and young daughter, who had been born in 1943 during the Blitz. More children followed - another daughter in 1948, a son in 1953, and another daughter in 1954.
By 1954 Arie could have been well on his way to a lucrative law career. A bona fide war hero with a top flight degree in International Law could have made a killing helping to rebuild Europe but he had enough of killing. The experiences of 5 years of war convinced him to take a different path. He entered union Theological Seminary in New York, becoming a Presbyterian minister in 1953. After a brief apprenticeship with a church in the New York area, he took over a new church in Louisville, Kentucky. Ten years later it was the largest Presbyterian Church in the state, whereupon he moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. He served as the head pastor there until his retirement 15 years later in 1981. One year after retirement, he drowned while ice skating. His wife Gertrude died in 2000.
In the U.S., he is survived by his 4 children, and two granddaughters. In Holland there are scores of family members on both sides of his family. His wife's immediate family is still in Switzerland with distant cousins in Australia and New Zealand.
***
Rescue Story - Holland, April 12 1945
We in Holland were occupied by the Germans for five long years. Many terrible things have taken place in that period of time. I cannot go into details, but one matter I would like to explain to you today if I may.
Hitler in WWII was a dictator who wanted to have complete control of the world, a world dictator. He won the election, and after that look out; he became an evil person who hated the Jews, Christians, Gypsies, and used the concentration camp to get rid of what he called 'the undesirables'.
Before the war, many Jews fled after Crystal Night to Holland. The Dutch government made a Jewish camp called Kamp Westerbork which was a good place to stay; and see what is going to happen in Germany; and many things did take place - Germany became too powerful..
During the war the Dutch with Radio Orange, operating from England became a resistance group who operated in secret. They helped the Jews and moved weapons and helped with airplane weapons droppings, they also killed and were killed if caught.
Our parents belonged to that and had dangerous work to do, especially during the last year of the war; it was called the hunger winter. They also kept people in hiding that had to go to Germany to avoid concentration camps, but Hitler killed millions just the same. This is an introduction but now I go to my rescue story of Captain A. Bestebreurtje. I will call him Capt. B. in my story which is a true story.
Capt. B. belonged to the American Army and had fought in Normandy. The Longest Day, and in the Market Gardening Attack, called in the film "A Bridge Too Far", and later on in the northern part of Holland to free Kamp Westerbork and to stop the last train load of Jews to be brought to the gas chamber. My father's farm was close to Kamp Westerbork and I brought food for the kitchen weekly, but daily Jews were collected in Holland and brought to the barracks, and weekly they were going with the train to the gas chambers in Germany. Kamp Westerbork was a collecting camp, before they were going to the killing gas chambers.
Via the resistance we knew that the Allies were coming to free Kamp Westerbork. The watch word for this operation was Utrecht. War is never tidy and very hard to understand sometimes. The night from April 9 1945 was a terrible night, a real war night, fighting on land and in the air.
But on April 11 1945 my dad said that we had to sort our potatoes to have seed potatoes for planting; because the Germans were coming and take all our potatoes to feed the Germans home. The war was getting more dangerous and in the afternoon of that day we went home early from the field, but my brother Herman took a longer way home for some reason, and came by a straw hut and heard somebody jell, and it turned out to be the parachute jumper Capt. B. who had a broken leg. He was in need of help, and he asked my brother for food and drink in Dutch.
Who would have even thought that was possible, asking in Dutch. (Capt. B. was born in Holland, his parents immigrated to the U.S.A. He studied and became a lawyer, he was a student in Berlin before the war. He even found his dear wife at the university in Berlin. Capt. B. spoke German, Dutch, English and when entered the army he was already an international lawyer. No small wonder that they made him Capt.).
At night after my brother told dad who he talked with, my dad went out and brought food and drink, but before they became friends my dad asked for a watch word, and after he said "Utrecht" they became real friends, and dad told him that "tomorrow we will pick you up, you need help, you cannot stay here".
April 12 1945. Our household was nervous, the war and fighting was getting worse, but we had a job to do, dad promised to pick up Capt. B. with his broken leg. We put a horse in front of a wagon and a box on the wagon, a pair of pitchforks, and away we went to the straw hut, pretending it was manure we were loading. When we saw a clear moment we put the wounded soldier in the box and kept on loading. He was in the box and could see the soldiers; the German soldiers must have for sure thought "that farmer is nuts". Good thing that they did not know what we had under the manure.
We had a precious load to take home, and to take care of. When we took Capt. B. in the house, we took his clothes and gun and put it in a box in the ground for safety's sake. We also had two R.N. nurses hiding in the house, and they took care of his broken leg. Capt. B. spoke good Dutch and he asked what is the date today, and my mother said April 12, 1945, and he replied: "Today is my birthday, and what a great present did I receive by being here". We had a double feast day for sure. He also said, "I prayed a lot for help, because I was worried". My mother replied, "We have to pray for God's guidance always, not only if we think we need help".
The next day however, the sirens went on and the Germans with their helpers came through the house, and took what they liked; but God saved Capt. B. and us all by not finding him. He was standing in the corner of a walk-in closet with some junk in front of him. That same night the war was far enough advanced that we would be free. Razzia in the morning and free in the evening. The same evening we went to town to celebrate, but also to give the Red Cross a note to help Capt. B. with his broken leg.
The following day we thought that the Germans were back because a German Red Cross tank had come in the yard. This was not the case; the captured German had to help pick up the wounded and the dead soldiers. To free our little town took five allied soldiers; and many German soldiers were killed, but the Red Cross tank also brought coffee, chocolate, candy, sugar, real bread and the works. We had not seen the real stuff for years, the Germans took everything for their so-called 'Homeland'.
My mother could finally make real coffee again, but she also said the German driver is not going to get any, but Capt. B.'s reply was: "He will have coffee too, because he did his duty".
Capt. B. left after many good-byes and farewells, and he promised he would write us sometime about his family in the U.S.A.
The day after his pick up another scare; and allied plane flew over the farm and dropped something. It turned out to be my Father's old slipper that had been on his broken leg still. The pilot made a waving move when he flew away to say a final good-bye.
This real story took place in Holland in April 1945, the last year of the war.
But the real part of the story is that we still have contact with the Bestebreurtje family in the U.S.A. Visits back and forth are still being made as of today; and the Bestebreurtje family visit Holland as well.
Source: https://pier21.ca/walls/Honour/Arie-Dirk-Bestebreurtje
Lykele Kaber, born 14-09-1919, Koudekerk, Zeeland, died 03-10-2009 Vernon, British Columbia, was a Dutch commando and radio operator during World War II. He took part in the Battle of Arnhem and helped organize the Dutch resistance. In recognition of his services, Faber was decorated with the Dutch Bronze Cross (1945) and Cross of Merit (1945) and the British King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom (1947), among others.
Faber was working for the Dutch postal service PTT in 1943 when he came into contact with the Dutch resistance movement through relatives of his fiancee. He joined the resistance and was tasked with carrying a map to London showing the German defenses along the Scheldt estuary. Faber successfully managed to find his way to London by way of Paris and Spain.
After Faber had been checked and approved by the Dutch and British secret service, he joined a group of Dutchmen being trained for Operation Jedburgh, which involved secret agents being parachuted behind enemy lines to conduct sabotage and guerrilla actions and organize local resistance groups. Faber received training in the Scottish Highlands as a communications specialist, and was also trained in parachute jumping, first from balloons and then from planes. He completed his training with the rank of sergeant.
Shortly after, on 17 September 1944, Faber landed near Son as the radio operator of Jedburgh team Daniel II. He used the assumed name of Lodewijck Fokker for this mission. Faber was in charge of maintaining the radio communications of the American 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of Arnhem. However, the radio equipment was lost during the landing. Following the Allied defeat at Arnhem, Faber returned to London by way of Brussels.
In November 1944, Lykele Faber and Peter Tazelaar were dropped by parachute near Haskerhorne in the Dutch province of Friesland as an agent for the Dutch intelligence agency Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten (BBO). Their mission, codenamed Necking, was to maintain radio contact with London, organize the Frisian resistance and help set up drop locations to supply the resistance fighters with arms and ammunition. Faber and Tazelaar installed themselves with radio equipment on board a yacht hidden in the reed along the edges of the Lytse Wiid and Nannewiid lakes.
In March 1945, Faber and Tazelaar were discovered by German troops, and their boat was sunk. However, they managed to escape arrest. Faber and Tazelaar remained in Friesland until the end of the war, joined for some time by stranded British radio operator Alfred C. Springate. On 21 April, they were liberated by Canadian troops.
Faber and Tazelaar's boat is now on display at the Fries Verzetsmuseum (Frisian Resistance Museum) in Leeuwarden.
After the end of the war, Faber was temporarily awarded the rank of reserve first lieutenant for general service. Faber emigrated to Canada and settled in Vernon, British Columbia, where he died in 2009 at the age of 90. HS9/493.
Source: Wikipedia.
SAS team FABIAN.
Gilbert-Sadi J.A. Kirschen , born 06-04-1916 Brussels, died 26-05-1991 Belgium. Dropped on the night of 15-16-09-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Operational code name CAPTAIN KING. Team commander. Mission: to gather information for operation Market-Garden, to locate V2 sites, to organise resistance groups. Mission accomplished and returned 13-03-1945. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Jean Moyse, born ?? Died 1990 Belgium. Dropped on the night of 15-16-09-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Mission accomplished and returned 00-03-1945. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Rene Pietquin, born ?? Died 1985 Belgium. Dropped on the night of 15-16-09-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Mission accomplished and returned 00-03-1945. Source: Frans Kluiters
Jules Regner, born ?? Died 02-03-2007. Dropped on the night of 15-16-09-1944 near Voorthuizen, Gelderland. Operational name HAM. Function: WT operator. Mission accomplished and returned 00-03-1945. Source: Frans Kluiters
Concurrent with this arnhem Airborne Operation, secret wireless messages were transmitted to the resistance by SOE and SIS. The text read:
"PARACHUTE TROOPS HAVE LANDED ON THE BRIDGES AT ARNHEM NIJMEGEN AND GRAVE STOP
REINFORCEMENT WILL FOLLOW QUICKLY STOP
GIVE EVERY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE TO THESE ALLIED TROOPS SO THAT THE BRIDGES OVER THE RHINE, NEDER RHINE AND THE MAAS CANAL ARE NOT RPT NOT DESTROYED STOP
RESISTANCE GROUPS INSIDE THE AREA SHOULD ONLY PROVIDE GUIDES GIVE INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION AND PROVIDE LABOUR STOP
RESISTANCE OUTSIDE THE AREA BUT WITHIN TWENTY KMS WILL GIVE THE SAME ASSISTANCE BUT ALSO TRY TO PREVENT ENEMY TROOPS APPROACHING THE AREA STOP
RESISTANCE OUTSIDE THE TWENTY KMS RADIUS SHOULD INTERFERE WITH ENEMY MOVEMENTS TOWARDS AND FROM THE AREA BUT PROTECT AND PRESERVE PETROL DUMPS STOP
PUT INTO ACTION IMMEDIATELY THE INTELLIGENCE PLAN WITH THE PASSWORD TELEPHONE AS PER OUR PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS STOP
SPECIAL TRAINED ALLIED RESISTANCE TEAMS IN UNIFORM HAVE LANDED IN THE AREA WITH PARACHUTE TROOPS AND CAN BE CONTACTED DAILY AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE OUDENHOF BETWEEN BESSEN AND BEMMEL AT ZERO NINE ZERO ZERO HOURS STOP
PASSWORD IS IK ZOEK JAN BLOM AND THE REPLY IS U WILT ZEGGEN VAN UTRECT STOP
GIVE THEM ALL THE HELP AND INFORMATION YOU CAN REGARDING THE NORTHERN AND NORTH EASTERN AND EASTERN PART OF HOLLAND STOP
The airborne operation itself, little more need to be told. Of the four Jedburgh teams, the team 'EDWARD' was the only one to maintain wireless contact with the UK. The first messgage was transmitted by them at 20:00 Hours on the 17th September. The teams put up an exceedingly good show and were able to act as liaisonbetween the Airborne Forces and the Dutch local resistance forces, arranging for labour for the building of airstrips, guids, guards and collection of intelligence. They were commended by the Airborne Forces Commander for their valuable work. It is unfornunate, however, that up to the time of the airborne landing no weapons had been dropped in the area and in fact, only some 700 weapons in all had been dropped to HOLLAND up to that time.
RAILWAY STRIKE.
Concurrent with the Arnhem operation and at the suggestion of the field, special wireless broadcasts were made to railway personnel in Holland, requesting them to go on strike and into hiding. This they promptly did and upset the whole of the railway traffic in Holland with the exception of such lines which the Germans put back in commission with their army personnel. The result of this strike, although not then apparent, not only impeded the Germans but eventually rebounded on the Dutch population themselves and prevented the transport of food from the better stocked larders of Eastern Holland to the poorer ones in Western Holland. This eventually lead up to the terrible famine in Central and Western Holland and the ultimate dropping of food in daylight to the stricken areas by the Allies.
RUSSIANS WORKING FOR WEHRMACHT.
Of some 50.000 Russian Georgians and Turkestans captured by the Germans on the Eastern Front, the bulk of whom were starved to death or murdered, about 2000 to 3000 were forced into submission and eventually put on German uniform and worked for the Germans as a labour corps in Holland. they were stationed on the West coast of Holland on general defence duties and being anti-German at heart, eventually came into contact with the Resistance Movements and expressed their willingness to mutiny and kill their German officers. A pre-arranged BBC message was broadcast to reassure them, but owing to subsequent events and international policy, the action message was never broadcast.
SPECIAL DAILY MEETING.
Although relations were extremely good with SIS and both the Dutch offices of the BBO and the BI, it was generally felt that, owing to the pressure of work and the need for prompt and collective action, a daily Conference should be held to study messages from the field and ensure complete unity vis-a-vis the field, the Dutch Government, Prince Bernhard's HQ and army requirements. This procedure was agreed to and from September 1944 until May 1945, a daily conference was held between the four services SIS, SOE, BBO and BI in Lt.Col. R.I. DOBSON's room ar Special Forces HQ.
AGENTS SENT TO THE FIELD.
T. BIALLOSTERSKI (@ DRAUGHTS I) and his wireless operator P. DE VOS (@ BACKGAMMON), were dropped on the night of the 8th September to build up resistance in the Amsterdam and North-Holland area. This was DRAUGHTS' second mission. The operation was successful and they put up a magnificent show. The whole of the central executive of the NBS, was build up through the DRAUGHTS liaison. Vast quantities of stores were dropped which found their way down to AMSTERDAM by a motor barge having a special constructed double bottom. DRAUGHTS was unfortunately arrested by chance on the 10th February when returning from a dropping operation. He was fatally wounded whilst trying to escape and died later in SCHEVINGEN prison. BACKGAMMON faithfully carried on his work with DR.X
- DRAUGHTS SUCCESSOR - until the German capitulation in May 1945. The ingenious methode he employed for transmitting his messages to the UK were instrumental in maintaining vital communications with DR.X and the CBS (Commander Binnenlandsche Strijdkrachten) appointed by by Prince Bernhard to lead the NBS in Holland.
Pieter de Vos, see Network second mission DRAUGHTS.
MAJOR BRINKGREVE (@ DUDLEY), MAJOR OLMSTED, US and their wireless operator SGT. AUSTIN, three Jedburgh trained man, were dropped in Eastern Holland on the night of the 8th September in order to build Resistance in the VELUWE area. Conditions there were unsatisfactory - DUDLEY and his team returned to the OVERIJSSEL area where they were able to build up a first class resistance movement under the command of the zone Commander EDUARD. A number of dropping operations took place in their area and its Resistance Forces put up a very good show when the Allies pushed the enemy back in April 1945 through OVERIJSSEL into the Northern provinces of DRENTHE, FRIESLAND and GRONINGEN. Sgt. Austin was unfortunately arrested in December 1944 and shot later together with other prisoners for the attack on RAUTER (not true). DUDLEY, however, maintained contact through the WT operator CHARADES (Jaap Beekman) and EDUARD's operator SQUEAK (Sjoerd Sjoerdsma), until he was shot whilst trying to escape from a house searched on March 5th 1945. See Network DUDLEY.
W.H. HOOGEWERFF (@ COURSING), P. POLAK (@ BOATING), M. CIEREMANS (@ CUBBING) and G. DE STOPPELAAR (@ MONOPOLY), three sabotage instructors and the wireless operator BOATING, were dropped to the ROTTERDAM area on the night of 15th September. At Their request they were dropped in uniform but had to revert to civilian clothing soon after their arrival. A number of containers were subsequently dropped to them through their reception committees. COURSING and MONOPOLY settled down in the area and did very good work. COURSING was however arrested in February 1945 and subsequently shot. CUBBING went to the UTRECHT area and linked up with SCULLING and carried on SCULLING's work after he was caught and executed. BOATING, at his own request, joined DRAUGHTS-1 and BACKGAMMON as a second wireless operator to the Amsterdam Group.
Willem Frederik (Wim) Hoogewerff, born 29-04-1921 Semarang, Java, Dutch East Indies, executed 08-03-1945 Waalsdorpervlakte, Wassenaar. Dropped on the night of 21/22-09-1944 near Berkel, Zuid-Holland, DZ Whiskey, H-99. Arrested 02-02-1945.
Sabotage instructor in the Rotterdam area. Code name operation COURSING. Also known as Wim Hendriks, FRITZ of Indische Wim.
HS9/739. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Maarten Cieremans, born 10-07-1922 Haarlem, died .. Wassenaar. Dropped on the night of 21/22-09-1944 near Berkel, Zuid-Holland, DZ Whiskey, H-99. Returned 00-05-1945. Training name Coenen. Code name operation CUBBING. Code name in the field BEN. Field name Maarten Coenders. HS9/317/8. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Gerardus (Gerard) de Stoppelaar, born 24-04-1916 Vlaardingen, died 24-05-1989 Wilmington, USA. Dropped on the night of 21/22-09-1944 near Berkel, Zuid-Holland, DZ Whiskey, H-99. Code name operation MONOPOLY. Code name in the field LUDO. HS9/1419/9. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Paul Polak, see network Paul Polak.
SAS PARTY 'REGAN'.
SAS wishing to liven up resistance activities dropped a party of four men in uniform in the DRENTHE area. As movement in allied uniforms was impossible they reverted to civilian clothing. They were instrumental in arranging the delivery of a few consignments of containers. The security of these SAS men and of the resistance members in the area was not good and eventually numerous arrests and the seizing of arms dumps took place. The party split up and eventually returned through the lines.
This is probably the story of team FABIAN the new name of team REGAN. They were dropped near Voorthuizen and were active in the western part of the province Gelderland. Returned through the lines in March 1945.
STORES SENT TO THE FIELD.
During the month of September there were 86 air sorties over Holland of which 42 were successful. In all some 765 containers and 71 packages were dropped.
COMMUNICATIONS.
See Appendix 'A' - WIRELESS COMMUNICATION WITH HOLLAND copies of daily summary on yellow sheets.
SABOTAGE ACTIVITIES.
Reports which came through were encouraging and the following activities were reported:
1. The KP effectively carried out sabotage on the railways as per SHAEF/17240/28/OPS.C Directive of 27th August 1944. This was confirmed by messages received by SIS reporting that the line ROOSENDAAL/BREDA/TILBURG/s' HERTOGENBOSCH was seriously affected - railway traffic in South and South-Eastern Holland was at a standstill and that lines in Eastern Holland were being cut nightly.
2. Lines out between VEENENDAAL & RHENEN, AMERSFOORT & APELDOORN AMERSFOORT to the South. Sabotage carried out on the railway bridges over the DEDEMSVAART & ZWOLLE-MEPPEL.
3. The three blockade ships the 'BORNEO', 'WESTERDIJK' and 'AXENFELS' had been sunk by Resistance in the port of ROTTERDAM.
4. Acting upon intelligence received from the field, some successful air attacks were carried out on rocket sites North of The Hague.
CASUALTIES. Capt. GROENEWOUD - Killed at Arnhem.
AGENTS RETURNED FROM THE FIELD. Nil.
AGENTS IN TRAINING. 16.
APPENDIX 'B' Map showing locations of Agents and Stores delivery as at September 17th 1944.
This was the last entry for 1944, however the dropping of agents went on.
On the night of 01-02-11-1944, Richard Barmé was dropped.
Richard Barmé, born 03-10-1924 Küllenhahn, Germany, executed 08-03-1945 Waalsdorpervlakte, Wassenaar. Dropped near Benthuizen, Zuid-Holland. DZ 'RITA' H-134. WT operator in Rotterdam. Detected by direction finding. Code name operation TRAPPING. Code name in the field EDU. Signal plan GRANTA. Field name Richard Bos. HS9/90/7. Source: Frans Kluiters.
On the night of 10/11-11-1944, Piet de Beer was dropped.
Pieter Jacobus (Piet) de Beer, born 28-09-1919 Rotterdam, died 28-09-2002. Dropped near Nieuwkoop, Zuid-Holland DZ 'BUTTERFLY' H-127. Returned in January 1945. Code name operation SNOOKER. Code name in the field WITTE PIET. HS9/114/5. Source: Frans Kluiters.
On the night of 18/19-11-1944, Tazelaar and Faber were dropped.
Pieter (Peter) Tazelaar, born 05-05-1920 Fort de Kock, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies. Died 06-06-1993 Hindeloopen. Dropped near Haskerhorne, Friesland. DZ 'INGRAM' H-124. Overrun 21-04-1945. Organiser. Code name operation NECKING. HS9/none. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Lykele Faber, born 14-09-1919 Koudekerke, Zeeland. Dropped near Haskerhorne, Friesland. DZ 'INGRAM' H-124. Overrun 21-04-1945. WT operator to Tazelaar and organiser. Code name operation BOBSLEIGH. HS9/493. Source: Frans Kluiters.
Click to Continue to HS7/159-1945.