Dutch Cities: Aalst to Breda

5 responses to “Dutch Cities: Aalst to Breda”

1. Peter Veenhuizen | October 9, 2016 at 12:49 pm | Reply

   I believe that my grandfather Dr. Jan Jacob Veenhuizen a local physician in Almelo offered medical assistance to British and Canadian airmen until September 1944. On September 24, 1944 the Gestapo came to arrest him at his home in Almelo and he escaped and went underground for the remainder of the war. He does not appear to be on you list. I am researching my father’s (P.A. Veenhuizen), and his father’s service with the Resistance is an indispensable part of this research. Can you tell me where I might find some information about his contribution to the Resistance effort.
   Thank you
   E. P. Veenhuizen
   Victoria, Australia

   Dear Mr. Veenhuizen,

   I would check both the British and American lists of helpers of Allied airmen, the American list at https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/helpers-of-allied-airmen/dutch-helper-list/u-s-national-archives-list-of-dutch-helpers/ on this website and the British list at https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/helpers-of-allied-airmen/dutch-helper-list/index-to-dutch-helpers-of-allied-personnel/. Also take a look at the FAQ on researching Dutch helpers of airmen at https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/faqs/faqs-resistance/ on this website for suggestions. Also search the Internet for historical societies (heemkundekring) for the town where he was active, in this case Amelo. There may be some persons particularly interested in WWII who can help you. I checked the list of persons who received the Dutch Resistance Memorial Cross (see https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/resistance-memorial-cross/ on this website) and found one Veenhuizen, Cornelis L.T., but that person may not be connected to your grandfather. I also checked the index to newspaper clippings at the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation at http://www.niod.knaw.nl/sites/niod.nl/files/KnipselcollectieNIOD.pdf and found one listing of a Veenhuizen but this was a Meijering (Veenhuizen) and may not be connected to your family.
   Best wishes,
   Bruce Bolinger

2. Teresa Carlson | July 5, 2019 at 2:43 pm | Reply

   My father joined the Dutch resistance in Groningen after he escaped from Berlin. He was born in 1921 Theodorus Dubois. He was 18 at the time. I know he received a certificate of thanks from the prince of Holland? at the time. I am travelling to Berlin and then Holland in October to retrace his footsteps during the war and don’t know where to get more information on this. Is there somewhere I can go in Holland? My journey will begin on Berlin. My father passed away in 2017. Any information will be so very much appreciated. Kind regards, Teresa

   Dear Teresa,

   I found a listing of a Theodorus Dubois at the following location: https://neerlandschverzetsmonument.nl/dourlein-dykstra. The homepage of the website is: https://neerlandschverzetsmonument.nl/. You can reach the webmaster, Dimitri Gazan, at
   info@neerlandschverzetsmonument.nl. I checked the list of Dutch helpers of Allied airmen but did not find your father’s name but that only suggests that the type of Resistance activities he was involved in did not involve aiding downed airmen. I also checked the index to newspaper clippings at NIOD, the Netherlands Institute for War Documentation, and found several Dubois but no Theodorus. There should be a historical society in Groningen which might be able to help you. I suggest you contact the Groningen tourist office (VVV) at https://www.visitgroningen.nl/nl/plan-je-bezoek/vvv. They should be able to put you in touch with someone familiar with the city’s WWII history. Also take a look at this page on my website: https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/faqs/faqs-resistance/ for further ideas.

   Best wishes,
   Bruce Bolinger

3. Linda Chapman | January 30, 2020 at 1:00 am | Reply

   My Opa was Cornelius A. Stoove, a member of the K.P Resisitancein Zeist and then in Apeldoorn.
   His code name was Groote Kees.
   He was a Translator for the Canadian Army at the end of the war.
   I would like to know anything more that you may have about him please.

   • wwiinetherlandsescapelines | February 13, 2021 at 7:46 pm | Reply

     Dear Ms. Chapman,

     I apologize for the long delay in replying to your request. On the day that you posted it I had just returned home from the hospital after major surgery and lost track of requests for help posted on the website. Today checked the lists of helpers on my website and found Cornelius Stoove listed with the Vossenweg 23, Doorn address on the Dutch pilot helper list of Dimitri Gazan on my website (https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/helpers-of-allied-airmen/dutch-helper-list/digitized-dutch-helper-list/) and under the heading of Award Grade 6 of the US National Archives List of Dutch Helpers (https://wwii-netherlands-escape-lines.com/helpers-of-allied-airmen/dutch-helper-list/u-s-national-archives-list-of-dutch-helpers/). I know that the US National Archives planned to scan and post on the Internet all their files of helpers of American airmen, beginning with the Dutch, but the virus prevented them from doing more than posting the index on the Internet (see the listing of his name at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/38979830). But you may be able to get a photocopy of his helper file by writing the National Archives at:

     National Archives at College Park – Textual Reference (RDT2)
     8601 Adelphi Road
     College Park, MD 20740-6001
     Phone: 301-837-3510
     Fax: 301-837-1752
     Email: Archives2reference@nara.gov
     Cite his National Archives Identifier: 38979830.

     Best wishes,
     Bruce Bolinger
     Webmaster

     • Linda Chapman | February 13, 2021 at 9:16 pm |

       Many thanks for replying. Sorry to hear health difficulties. We are going thru that too, out of the blue my husband has been diagnosed with throat cancer. We live on a Island thousands of miles from Australia across the seas. Have a Farm, so I could not go, plus problems with Covid and travelling. It is all uncertain times we live in, awful.

       My Grandfather would not know this world that they all fought so hard to make it better. Very sad.

       Many thanks. Linda Chapman

       I am the child of his youngest daughter Evelyn.

       On Sun, 14 Feb 2021, 7:46 am WWII Netherlands Escape Lines, wrote:

       > wwiinetherlandsescapelines commented: “Dear Ms. Chapman, I apologize for > the long delay in replying to your request. On the day that you posted it I > had just returned home from the hospital after major surgery and lost track > of requests for help posted on the website. Today checked the list” >