| The events of 23 September 1944 |
Coenraad Johan (Coen) Hilbrink (born June 25, 1915 in Almelo - died September 23, 1944) was a teacher from Twente who was active in the resistance against the German occupiers during World War II.
Hilbrink was born to Sietse Arnold Hilbrink and Lamberdina Johanna Stuldreher. The family lived in Zenderen in a villa on the Lidwina estate, where his parents were managers. His mother died after an illness on November 24, 1943, at the age of 58.
Coen Hilbrink became a teacher and, like his father Sietse and his brother Cor, joined the resistance. Lidwina estate became an important headquarters of the Twente resistance, from where the Zenderen resistance group operated. Many actions were prepared in the villa, including rescue operations for resistance fighters. In September 1944, the resistance group was betrayed. Dirk Ruiter and Sietse Hilbrink are arrested, as are two women: Minie ter Horst-Schreurs (Johannes ter Horst's wife) and Jo Krabbenbos. Minie had tried to escape during the SD raid, but her skirt got caught in the barbed wire. When Hilbrink - who was already safe - turned around to help her, he was shot by the Germans.
Some other resistance fighters manage to escape: Chiel Ploeger, who was picking up a car, is overlooked by the Germans. He then goes into hiding. Daan Hillenaar shot his pistol until it was empty and threw another hand grenade at the Germans. He then escapes across the meadow. Henk Michel (nicknamed "Koos") also escapes. Other members of the gang: Cor Hilbrink, Dries Kalter, and Dick van Harten are not present at the villa; they try to bribe a security service agent to release Johannes ter Horst, who had been arrested the night before.
Dirk Ruiter and Sietse Hilbrink were executed immediately after interrogation. The bodies were brought back to the villa, and the building was subsequently blown up. Minie Ter Horst-Schreurs and Jo Krabbenbos were released after an interrogation in which they were mistreated, because they were able to prove that they had nothing to do with the resistance group. One said she was a maid, the other that she was a laundress and had only come to collect the laundry.
After the deaths of father and son Hilbrink, the relatives placed an ad with the text-daring during the occupation-"...who were murdered by the enemy on September 23, 1944, in the house at Luidwina in Zenderen.".
The historian Coen Hilbrink is a son of Hilbrink, born 16 days before his father's death. |
| Dirk Cornelis Ruiter |
© Jolanda |
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Civilian
31 December 1918, Amsterdam
23 September 1944, Zenderen
26
Dutch resistance
Almelo General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands
Son of Jacob Johannes Ruiter and Catharina Geertruida Schot. |
Dirk Ruiter was originally a construction worker in Almelo. In 1940 he got a job at the distribution office in Almelo and participated in the resistance based on his beliefs.
He joined the resistance group of Johannes ter Horst. In that capacity he was involved in the sheltering and hiding of people and allied pilots. Ruiter was in hiding in Huize Lidwina in Zenderen, what was since 1944 the headquarters of KP-Twente under the leadership of Johannes ter Horst. Dirk Ruiter was arrested on 23 September 1944 during a raid by the Germans on Huize Lidwina and shot on the spot, together with the resident Sietse Hilbrink. |
| Bote van der Wal |
© Luca |
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Civilian
13 March 1921, Hellendoorn, Overijssel, Netherlands
24 Mar 1945
24
Dutch resistance
Hellendoorn General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands
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After refusing to join a German Labour program, Bote van der Wal went into hiding from the Nazis. In August 1944, a member of the Dutch Resistance brought the downed British Pilot Officer Gerald Hood to the house of his Mother, where he would join Bote in hiding. On the night of March 13-14, Dutch Nazi policemen, accompanied by the SS, raided the house after recieving a tip from a Neighbour about Bote van der Wal, and in the course of the search also discovered P/O Hood. Both of them were taken to the prison in Almelo, where they were interrogated by Oberfeldwebel Georg Sandrock, who conducted the interrogation on the instructions of SS-Untersturmführer Paul Hardegen, the division's senior officer. On March 21, 1945, Hardegen informed Sandrock that the British airman had been sentenced to death and that two men had to be sent to escort Sandrock to a forest on the outskirts of Almelo, where Hood was to be shot. Sandrock then gave Obergefreiter Ludwig Schweinberger and Oberscharführer Franz Hegemann their orders. They drove to the forest, where Pilot Officer Hood was ordered to get out of the car. Sandrock told him that he had been sentenced to death, and after a few steps, Schweinberger shot him in the head from behind, from a distance of about one meter. Hood was partially undressed by Schweinberger on Sandrock's orders, while Sandrock dug the grave. Hegemann stood next to the car. Schweinberger stole Hood's wristwatch, and they then buried him in the grave. On March 24, 1945, Bote van der Wal was murdered in the same way, except this time Hegemann was not present and Felwebel Helmut Wiegner was in his place. After the liberation of the Netherlands, the bodies of Hood and van der Wal were discovered and identified. Sandrock, Schweinberger, Hegemann and Wiegner were arrested by the British military and in June 1945 a case was opened against them for the murder of Gerald Hood. Sandrock and Schweinberger were sentenced to death and executed on 13 December 1945 in the prison of Hamelin by Albert Pierrepoint. |
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| Harold W. Paston-Williams |
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Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
05 September 1911, Penzance, Cornwall
25 December 1976, Gweek, Helston, Cornwall
65
Son of John Williams and Ada Maria Jane Williams, nee Rich.
Husband of Janet Paston-Williams, nee Lewis. |
A close family member posted following:
I grew up as part of this service family and although I flew with, worked with, often argued with (on the ground!) and helped nurse dad before his death on Christmas Day 1976 I had little knowledge of his early aviation career and in particular his World War II experiences. I was aware he had been shot down and survived thanks to the Dutch Resistance.
His evasion report, dated 8th May 1945, lists no less than 12 brave men and women of the resistance or helpers who risked betrayal, capture, torture and death for themselves and their families daily to help allied evaders and others. Dad stayed near the village until his wounds healed, on 17th August he was joined by his Flight Engineer Jock Downie and early in September for security reasons the resistance decided to move them, they were to walk down an isolated road until picked up, which they were in a biscuit van which took them to Almelo they then travelled on to Hengelo where they stayed, evading capture until liberated by The Hampshire Regiment on 5th April 1945.
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| Christopher Holland |
© Peter Hakze |
© Paul ten Broeke |
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Flight Lieutenant (2nd Pilot)
115325
29 September 1922
13 August 1944
21
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Hardenberg Protestant Cemetery, Overijssel Netherlands
Son of Godfrey and Violet Houssemayne Holland,
of Horsham, Sussex. |
Christopher Holland was born on 29 September 1922 and was baptised in the Church of St. Luke in Chelsea, Kensington, England on 05 December 1922.
Wills and Administrations, 1945
Holland, Christopher, of Plummers Plain House near Horsham, Sussex, died 13 August 1944 on war service. Probate Llandudno 26 June to Godfrey Holland, stock broler. Effects £5614 18s. 8d.
The obituary reads as follows:
HOLLAND. - Reported missing in August, 1944, on operations over Germany, now reported killed, F/L Christopher Holland, R. A. F. V. R., beloved only son of Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey Holland, Plummers Plain House, Horsham, aged 21. No letters, please.
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| Gerald Hood |
© Michel Beckers |
© Jolanda |
© Avro Lancaster LM658 |
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Pilot Officer (Navigator)
178869
25 February 1922, London, England
21 March 1945, Zenderen, Overijssel, Netherlands
23
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Almelo General Cemetery, Overijssel Netherlands
Son of Robert Washington Hood and Emily Ellen Hood, nee Bacon.
From Croydon, Surrey. |
Wills and Administrations, 1946
Hood, Gerald, of 300 Devonshire-road, Lewisham, Kent, died 21 March 1945 on war service. Administration London 13 September to Robert George Eric Hood, tannery departmental manager. Effects £471 9s. 4d.
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| Benjamin Ramsden |
© Rob Wethly |
© Paul ten Broeke |
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Pilot Officer (Bomb aimer)
55792
04 August 1913, Bradford, Yorkshire
13 August 1944
31
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force
Hardenberg Protestant Cemetery, Overijssel Netherlands
Son of Leonard and Annie Ramsden, nee Priestley,
of Bradford, Yorkshire.
Husband of Marjorie Ramsden, nee Coates, of Bradford. |
Benjamin Ramsden was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England on 04 August 1913. His marriage to Marjorie Coates was registered in Bradford, Yorkshire, England during the fourth quarter of 1939.
Wills and Administrations, 1945
Ramsden, Benjamin, of 5, Ransdale-drive, Little Horton, Bradford, died 13 August 1944 on was service. Administration Llandudno 07 September to Marjorie Ramsden, widow. Effects £1143 17s. 6d.
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| John Alexander Downie |
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Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
10 December 1912, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
abt. 1993, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland
81
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force
Son of Robert Alexander Downie and Hannah Graham Downie, nee Priestley.
Husband of Jabe Sim Downie, nee McCormick. |
John Alexander Downie was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland on 10 December 1912. He was marriged to Jane Sim McCormick at Holehouse Road in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland on 17 April 1936.
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| Laurence Roy Watts |
© Paul ten Broeke |
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Flight Sergeant (Wireless operator)
1316752
08 August 1921, Poplar, London, England
13 August 1944
23
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Hardenberg Protestant Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands
Son of Herbert Mark Watts and Florence Harriet Watts, nee Rand.
Resided at Fawler in Oxfordshire. |
The birth (08 August 1921)) was registered in Poplar, London, England during the third quarter of 1921.
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| Robert Stanley Williams |
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Flight Sergeant (Mid upper gunner)
1502966
abt. 1919
13 August 1944
25
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Hardenberg Protestant Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands
Son of Mary Ethel Williams.
Resided at Queensferry in Flintshire, Wales. |
| Bruce Arnold David |
© Judy Zinni |
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Pilot Officer (Rear gunner)
J/26845
09 August 1921, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada
abt. 1980
58
100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force (R. C. A. F.)
East Lawn Cemetary, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Son of Ambruise Louis David and Elizabeth Rose David, nee Palko.
Resided at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. |
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Bruce Arnold David was captured immediately after the crash of the Lancaster LM658 and was a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft 1 in Barth near Rostock until May 1945. |
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