Moments of Triumph DUTCH AIRCREW

Although few in numbers, a handful of Netherlanders injured or killed. Realising the who made their way to Britain a7 er escaping the Nazis odds were against them, the flying schools at Haamstede made a signifi cant mark in the air during World War and Vlissingen (both southwest Two. Graham Pitchfork recounts some of their stories of Rotterdam) fled for with their remaining machines he roll of honour for 42 strength – of which just 72 could be on May 15. Following soon after, TDutch airmen awarded considered modern. the nine Fokker T.VIII floatplanes the Distinguished Flying Although outnumbered, those of the Marineluchtvaartdienst Cross (DFC) in recognition of their aircraft and crews that survived ( Naval Aviation gallantry is impressive – two of the first onslaught fought valiantly Service), which had been used to them received it twice. While seven against the overwhelmingly patrol Dutch territorial waters, were given the Distinguished superior (see Brief were soon dispersed to France. Flying Medal (DFM), many more Candles in the March issue). With the situation in mainland were the recipients of Dutch and By the fifth day of skirmishes, Europe rapidly British non-operational honours however, few Dutch worsening, the such as the Order of the British combat types floatplanes Empire (OBE). remained airworthy, Many of these eminent airmen while many fliers had been had escaped to Britain early in the war, when the gaze of the Nazis had turned to the Netherlands. On May 10, 1940, the of the Luftwaffe’s Luftflotte 2 began their systematic destruction of Dutch airfields and they had one objective: obliterate the country’s military aircraft before they could strike back. At the time, the Netherlands’ Luchtvaartbrigade (Army Aviation Brigade) had 132 aircraft on

24 FlyPast May 2020 escaped across the English Channel January 18, 1941 under Lt Cdr W van In mid-March 1943, the squadron !"#$ "!&' A Fokker on May 25 where they formed Lier. While Dutch aircraft carried transferred to Command’s T-VIIIW fl oatplane 320 (Netherlands) Squadron as RAF markings and serial numbers, 2 Group and moved to RAF of 320 Squadron during a patrol from part of RAF Coastal Command. they were also adorned with their Methwold, Norfolk where it RAF . Based initially at Pembroke Dock home nation’s black-edged orange converted to the North American Lt Heye Schaper in southwest , it was joined triangle insignia. B-25 Mitchell Mk.II. Almost utilised this type by the newly formed 321 (Dutch) immediately the unit was assigned during his mission Squadron under the leadership of Hunters to Bombers to the Second Tactical Air Force. behind enemy lines in October 1940. Lt Cdr H Kolf in June 1940. With Settling into life at Leuchars, 320 During the build-up to D-Day (June KEY COLLECTION both units utilising the Squadron would be tasked with 6, 1944) 320 was instrumental in Mk.I in the coastal patrol and conducting anti-shipping patrols attacking railways, supply depots, anti-submarine role, they were and reconnaissance between construction works, V-1 flying soon guarding the Irish Sea and Scotland and the Norwegian bomb launch sites, airfields, gun southwestern approaches. Several coastline. With their conversion emplacements and bridges. aircraft and crews were lost during complete, the unit flew its first The unit moved to the continent these missions. That October, 320 Hudson operation on February 19, – to Melsbroek, northeast of the moved to RAF Leuchars in Fife, 1941. In April the following year Belgian capital Brussels initially Scotland and began to re-equip the squadron moved to – in October 1944 and continued with the much more capable RAF Bircham Newton in operating in the light bomber role Lockheed Hudson Mk.III. Due Norfolk to patrol the until Victory in Europe Day on to insufficient numbers of Dutch coast – but the May 8, 1945. Its final mission of personnel, 321 Squadron cost was high in both the war was flown from Achmer merged with 320 on lives and aircraft. airfield in western Germany with

May 2020 FlyPast 25 Moments of Triumph DUTCH AIRCREW

11 Mitchells striking the railway marshalling yards at Itzehoe, just over 125 miles (201km) to the northeast, on May 2. Remaining at Achmer, 320 Squadron was disbanded in August 1945. During its time operating the Mitchell, the unit flew 2,433 sorties and dropped more than 9,000,000lb (4,082 tonnes) of bombs. May 1940. Having joined the Rocket Chasers Marineluchtvaartdienst in 1926, he !"#$ Jacob t’Hart Established at RAF Woodvale was considered an ‘old hand’. receives his DFC in Merseyside on June 12, 1943, In October he was briefed for from AVM Donald 322 Squadron was a Dutch- a “special mission of the very ‘Pathfi nder’ Bennett at RAF , manned Spitfire Mk.V unit with greatest importance behind , in Fighter Command. Formed as an enemy lines”, which involved June 1944. ROB VIS amalgamation of Dutch personnel retrieving various key resistance members – including a friend and colleague – Lt Lodo van Hamel. Parachuted into the Netherlands in late August, Hamel had established “He attacked so low several resistance groups. With his mission complete, the plan called that he returned for a Fokker T.VIII to land on Lake home with part Tsjûkemar – the largest inland waterway in the Dutch province of of the front door Friesland – and pick up the group. Selecting another pilot, S Lt wedged in his Willem Ritte, and gunner/radio radiator” operator Cpl Klasinus van Tongeren to accompany him, Schaper’s first

,-./0 Plt Off Jacob from other squadrons, it began t’Hart (far left) flying operationally immediately. watches his crew Settling into a life of near constant climb aboard their 103 Squadron Avro scrambles and local patrols, in Lancaster for a raid January 1944 the unit was soon from RAF Elsham often tasked with bomber escort. Wolds. ROB VIS In June it started an intensive period of ‘anti-diver’ sorties against !"#$ A 322 Squadron Spitfi re V-1s launched against the south Mk.Vb is prepared of England and soon re-equipped for another sortie at with the more powerful Spitfire RAF Hawkinge, Kent Mk.XIV. On July 8, Fg Off Rudy on February 1, 1944. Burgwal destroyed five of the flying bombs in a single 90-minute sortie – he was killed less than a month later. Of the squadron total of 108 V-1 ‘kills’, Burgwal was credited with 19 as well as sharing in the miles (22km) west of Hanover, attempt to land on October 14 was annihilation of a further five. Germany, 322 Squadron was thwarted by fog. By autumn that year the squadron disbanded on October 7. Just under A second attempt was planned had reverted to flying ground- a year later, its number plate was for the following night. However attack sorties in support of the passed to the 322e Jachtvliegtuig not only had their first attempt allied armies advancing from Afdeling (Fighter Division) of the spooked the enemy into full alert, France; on December 31 it landed Royal Netherlands Army at Twente unknown to van Hamel and his on Dutch soil when it moved to Airbase, east Holland, in salute to men, they had been betrayed. Their Woensdrecht from Biggin Hill, its wartime record. arrest promptly followed. Kent. From then until the end of The Germans had posted 200 hostilities in 1945 it was heavily Gallantry and Masters soldiers and a myriad of machine involved with fighter sweeps, A pilot with 320 Squadron, Lt Heye guns around the area. Schaper dive bombing and armed recce. Schaper was among the original arrived over the lake in the middle Ending the war at Wunstorf, 13 few to arrive in England during of the night and received the

26 FlyPast May 2020 his machine (AV961) was badly in Canada, he was promoted to !"# In March 1943, damaged – the fuel tank had been pilot officer and posted to 103 320 squadron moved to RAF Methwold, hit, the plexiglass nose section Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds, Norfolk where it had been shattered and the flying north Lincolnshire, to fly the converted to the North controls were damaged. Taking the . He completed 25 American Mitchell shortest route back to England, operations during winter 1943-44, Mk.II. The unit fl ew he alighted on the River Orwell, 11 of which were against . 2,433 sorties with the type. ALL GRAHAM which flows into the at During one of these raids, the PITCHFORK COLLECTION Felixstowe, Suffolk – but not before target was obscured by cloud and UNLESS STATED being fired upon by an overzealous on the return flight his aircraft was correct signals. After touching local Home Guard patrol. The attacked and badly damaged by a 7! 89 Groundcrew down, he taxied towards a boat three men were decorated for their night-fighter. However, he managed service a 320 Squadron Lockheed visible on the glass-like water. gallantry. Schaper was appointed to return to Elsham where he made Hudson Mk.III – When just 150ft (45m) from the Knight in the Military William an expert landing. Volunteering for possibly at RAF craft, a machine gun opened fire Order of the Fourth Class and a second tour of duty, ‘t Hart joined Leuchars, Scotland – as searchlights illuminated the was awarded the DFC. The second Bomber Command’s Pathfinder post-October 1940. aeroplane. Realising the situation, pilot, Ritte, also received the DFC, Force with 156 Squadron. He van Tongeren immediately while van Tongeren was awarded was ranked as an acting flight returned fire as Schaper slammed the DFM. These men were the lieutenant and soon gained the throttles open and started first Netherlanders to receive the distinction of becoming zigzagging away. Managing to British flying gallantry awards. Lt a master bomber, directing crawl into the air, Schaper van Hamel was executed by the aircraft and raids over the discovered his Germans on June 16, 1941 – just target. Having been awarded crewmen days after his 26th birthday. the DFC on June 3, 1944, he was had been When war broke out in 1939, granted a Bar to that wounded Jacob t’Hart was studying at medal on February and Cambridge University. After 23, 1945 – completing his flying becoming training one of just two Dutchman to achieve this.

May 2020 FlyPast 27 Moments of Triumph DUTCH AIRCREW

!", %&' ! ()*+ Capt Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema fl ew 72 missions over Germany – including 25 to Berlin. He was awarded the DFC on July 3, 1945.

Robbert van Zinnicq Bergmann in the cockpit of his Typhoon – most likely Mk.Ib MN975/EL-B – some time in 1945.

The highest-scoring He emigrated to New Zealand time of the German invasion, the whole north tower and hardly Dutch night-fi ghter ace following the war. Robbert ‘Bergy’ van Zinnicq anything else was damaged. When Christiaan Vlotman Bergmann soon escaped to Spain via I met Queen Wilhelmina after the (left) and his navigator Nocturnal Horsemen and France. Managing to war, she was impressed but thought Sgt John Wood pose with their Fg Off Christiaan Vlotman was reach England in 1942 he, like many it a pity that the SS were not billeted ‘kill’ markings. another one of the lucky few of his countrymen, joined the Dutch in her palace in . She said who were in England when the Army in Exile before shifting to the it would have been a marvellous Posing with one of his Germans invaded their homeland. RAFVR in September that year. target and she was sorry that I did unit’s Spitfi res, 322 Born in The Hague on February Joining 181 Squadron and not attack it too, since she disliked Squadron CO Bob van der Stock was one of 12, 1915, he enlisted in the Dutch operating the Hawker Typhoon it so much!” the three escapees Army in Exile (Free Dutch Forces), Mk.Ib shortly after D-Day, he Bergmann also flew a low-level who evaded capture before joining the was soon flying operations from precision strike against the HQ following the ‘Great Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in hastily built airstrips in Normandy, of Germany’s Commissioner for Escape’ from Stalag August 1941. Once he’d completed France, providing essential close the Netherlands – Arthur Seyss- Luft III in 1944. his flying training in Canada, air support. He once commented: Inquart. He attacked so low that ,&%!- Avro Anson Vlotman returned to the UK and “For me, the Typhoon was love at he returned home with part of Mk.I K6285 of 321 was posted to 488 (NZ) Squadron first sight. Of everything I had seen the front door wedged in his Squadron RAF, fl ying with the night-fighting de Havilland in fighter aircraft up until then, it radiator. In March 1945 Bergmann northwest of Tenby in Mosquito NF Mk.VIII at RAF looked the most aggressive.” As the was posted to 182 Squadron and Wales. Note that the aircraft still bears the Bradwell Bay, Essex. Crewing with allied armies pushed forward so appointed a flight commander and unit code letters Sgt John Wood, he claimed his first did Bergmann and his colleagues. continued to target road and rail ‘MW’ from its ‘kill’ in February 1944 when he His aircraft was badly damaged on assets. The crossing of the Rhine previous owner – downed a Dornier Do 217 bomber. September 17, 1944 by flak, forcing provided a change of priorities 217 Squadron. Over the next four months he shot him to make an emergency landing. for the ‘Tiffie’ pilots as they were KEY COLLECTION down three more aircraft, making tasked with supporting the army by him the highest-scoring Dutch Low-level master obliterating gun positions. On May night-fighter pilot. He was awarded On November 4, 1944, 12 pilots – 4, Bergmann led an attack against the DFC on August 8, 1944, for which including ‘Bergy’ – were ordered to a large concentration of aircraft on permission to wear the decoration attack the north wing of the Dutch the airfield at Flensburg, Northern was granted by Royal Decree No 6, Royal Family’s summer palace at Germany. After a successful dated September 28, 1944. Following Apeldoorn, which was being used operation he received a radio the war, he returned to the by the German Waffen-SS as a message ordering them to return Netherlands and became a captain headquarters. Extreme accuracy was immediately – the war was over. with national carrier KLM. Vlotman essential, as evidence suggested that Bergmann was awarded the died in October 2011. members of the Royal Household DFC on May 15, 1945. At the end of Having served with the were still in residence. hostilities, he transferred to the Koninklijke Landmacht (Dutch The assault was a complete success. Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLU) and Army) as a cavalry officer at the Bergmann later said: “We flattened was immediately appointed as the

28 FlyPast May 2020 returned to the Netherlands on the country being overrun, van der March 13, 1945. He later emigrated Stock made numerous attempts to the US working initially as to escape to England and finally an actor and then a writer. His arrived in May 1941. wartime memoirs Soldat van He joined 41 Squadron flying Oranje () became Spitfires and over the coming a classic and was later made into a months claimed another six enemy film during the late 1970s. aircraft destroyed, ensuring ace status. However, in April 1942 he Great Escaper was shot down over northern For aircrew on the run in the France during an attack on the Netherlands their progress through railway marshalling yard at air aide-de-comp to Queen Wilhelmina. Capt Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema was studying law at University when the Germans invaded the Netherlands. Almost immediately he joined the , escaping to England by stowing away on the Swiss- registered freighter SS St. Cergue bound for New York in June 1941. Once in London, he became involved in a secret service group called The Mews, with which he led 15 dangerous clandestine the open, flat and heavily guarded Hazebrouck, dubbed operation !"#$ A Hawker missions to land agents on the terrain, bisected by countless Circus 122. Taken prisoner, van der Typhoon Mk.IIb Dutch coast by boat. For this he waterways, could be agonisingly Stock was incarcerated at the then heads for the runway at Volkel in was awarded the Military Order of slow. The post-war words of Fg Off newly built Stalag Luft III, 100 miles Holland. Dutchman William in June 1942. Charles Tapson, a Mosquito pilot (160km) southeast of Berlin. Robbert van Zinnicq Despite poor vision disqualifying shot down near Deventer in October Making two unsuccessful escape Bergmann fl ew him from mandatory service in 1944, summarised: “Our success was attempts, his third and final effort the type with great the Dutch reserves before the war, due entirely to the heroic efforts of came on the night of March 24-25, distinction with 181 and 182 Squadrons. Roelfzema joined the RAF and the Dutch Resistance.” 1944 during the mass breakout, trained as a fighter pilot in Canada. The story of one gallant Dutch which became known as the ‘Great !$%"& %$() In honour However, on returning to the UK evader provides a look at their Escape’ – he was the 18th of 76 men of Bram ‘Bob’ van he was ‘sidelined’ and unable to get initiative, determination and to exit from the tunnel. Making rapid der Stock, the posted to an operational squadron. gallantry. It also illustrates the progress, the Dutchman reached RNLAF named one of its Lockheed Bizarrely, a chance meeting with incredible bravery, resourcefulness, the town of Utrecht, just south of C-130H’s (serial Wg Cdr led to sacrifice and risk taken by their Amsterdam, where the Resistance G-781) after him. It him joining Bomber Command’s ‘helpers’ in sheltering those fighting sheltered him. With their help, he is seen here visiting Pathfinder Force flying Mosquitos for their liberty. travelled down one of the ‘escape RAF Waddington, with 139 Squadron. He completed In May 1940 Flt Lt Bram ‘Bob’ van lines’ to Spain and on to Gibraltar; Lincolnshire in 2013. JAMIE EWAN 72 missions over Germany – der Stock was a fighter pilot in the he was one of just three men to including 25 to Berlin – and was Luchtvaartbrigade. Battling valiantly successfully avoid capture. Of the awarded the DFC on July 3, 1945. during the German invasion, he total, 73 were recaptured – 50 of Like Bergmann, Roelfzema was claimed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 whom were executed by the Gestapo. appointed to Queen Wilhelmina’s while flying a Fokker D.XXI over Returning to operations with 41 staff as her adjutant when she De Kooy airfield. With Squadron’s Spitfire Mk.XIIs, van der Stock flew countless ground-attack operations and claimed seven V-1s, before taking command of 322 Squadron. As the most decorated airman in Dutch history, including being appointed to the Order of the Orange Nassau and an OBE, the Royal Netherlands Air Force named Lockheed C-130H Hercules G-781 in his honour during 2007. FP

The author wishes to thank Erwin van Loo for his help and advice.

May 2020 FlyPast 29