大象传媒

At the outbreak of war we were living in the Netherlands and had hoped we could remain neutral. May 1940 saw that hope fade, as the Germans simply marched in. Our home was in Amersfoort, and one morning Father noted that Dutch Artillery was being set up in the field behind our house. At exactly 8 am they commenced firing towards Barnevelt, but local authorities began evacuating our town. We were put on a train to Alkmaar in the north west of the Netherlands and stayed there until the fighting stopped. On returning to Amersfoort Father learned that the Dutch had hit their target in Barnevelt, a German HQ. Some six or seven German Generals had perished. He also learned that the Dutch guns had been supplied in 1894!

Mrs Twiss was the co-founder of the English Church in Utrecht and she asked my parents to become the caretakers of Holy Trinity Church. She forecast correctly that there would be no transport and would we 鈥済et into the parsonage, and keep the Germans out鈥�. Both parents, my two sisters and I all moved in and found that it had already been placed under American Protection. When the Americans joined in the war, Father bicycled to Amsterdam and asked the Swiss Embassy for their protection. They supplied a splendid certificate, but explained that as they were neutral, they could only apply diplomatic force, but might not achieve much if the Germans were feeling very determined.

It was all a very grey existence, often punctuated with a prank such as stealing a weapon, which got the Germans into trouble with their commanders. There were constant round-ups and searches for Jews, able-bodied Dutchmen for forced labour and people disappearing for weeks on end to avoid assisting the enemy. Mother kept up with the local Nurses and taught them English. She had been a VAD in England in the First War and knew that the Dutch Nurses wanted to treat any Allied soldiers in their language. Mother was keen to have news from England.

The battle of Arnhem produced many wounded men, and some were brought to Utrecht. Nurses advised that we could visit 9 men in the local eye hospital, who were on parole, and in the care of the Dutch surgeon, a Professor Niewboer. He would have been shot had a British soldier escaped. This did not stop my Mother giving instructions about reaching us if there was any chance to make a break. She chose Lt Mike Dauncey, Glider Pilot Regt, as he had only lost one eye, had a bullet round in one leg, and his chin had been split open by a stick grenade. The others were far worse off, including Ray Sherriff who was completely blinded in a mortar attack. (He has been in the news in recent times for jumping with an instructor at the commemorative occasions at Arnhem Military Cemetery.) Some weeks later Mike Dauncey and another officer, Major Gordon Cunninghame, Black Watch, did join us at the Parsonage and stayed for 8 weeks to complete their recovery. Christmas 1944 was a very festive occasion, but the day came when they had to leave. They cycled to the south and eventually surrendered to the Allies, as the war front passed over their heads. They returned to England on April 10th!

After Arnhem the Germans took all food stocks for themselves and the population existed (and often died) on a starvation diet. Surviving until the eventual surrender was a huge challenge. When the Germans finally surrendered (early on 5th May 1945) the whole of the Netherlands hung every flag and orange banner in their possession. Mother, (born in Congleton, Cheshire, 1899) hung the Dutch Flag from the first attic window, the Union Jack from the next attic window, and the flag of St George from the Church flag pole. Local Germans took exception to the Union Jack and blew up our front door at about 7.30 in the evening of May 5th. They then searched the house for the first time, and were satisfied when they found no weapons. The liberating forces arrived on the following Saturday afternoon and their first act was to give their own rations to the local population.

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