OCTOBER 2018 / NR 227 PUBLISHED EVERY THREE MONTHS Leo Hendrikx in his best uniform Maj Gen M Verbeek, Dep. Commander RNLAF, congratulates Leo Hendrikx The last remaining Dutch Spitfire Pilot of ww2 Earlier this year, our member, ming many more obstacles they eventually cally light and supple, and I couldn’t resist 95-year-old Leo Hendrikx, was boarded a ship at Bilbao, bound for Curacao. making a few rolls” presented with the “Draag Insigne From there a tramp steamer took them to Whilst at the bar of the “Brevet Flying Gewonden” (Insignia for the woun- New York, and eventually, a train to Ontario Club” in London, he met an English pilot who ded), the Dutch equivalent of a in Canada to join the Dutch Army there. told him he would be flying to Gilze-Rijen. Purple Heart. Leo sailed to England on board a pas- When Leo said he was from Horn, the pilot The Insignia was handed to Leo by Maj senger ship to join the ‘Princes Irene Brigade’ agreed to take him along. From Gilze-Rijen Gen M Verbeek, Dep. Commander RNLAF, but wasn’t happy there. After a visit to he hitched a lift to the recently liberated at a ceremony in Horn, Limburg. London, and tea with H.M Queen Eindhoven and the following day found a The Latin inscription on the in- Wilhelmina, he was tested for lift to Weert where, in his best uniform, he stood out from the troops in their combat signia is: “Vulneratus nee Victus”, service with the RAF and on 15 May gear. When he arrived at Horn, where there ‘Wounded but not beaten’. Leo 1943, he transferred to the RAFVR was still fighting going on, he crept through was not beaten and is still active, as trainee aircrew. a hedge to reach his home where his family often giving speeches to various In September he travelled back came out of their cellar to greet him. audiences. His story, below, ex- to Canada for Elementary Flying He stayed three days, then returned to plains why he is a familiar figure Training on Fairchild PT-19 Cornells Gilze-Rijen and later flew back to England in on the speech circuit and why he at De Winter, Alberta, where he a USAAF Dakota. was awarded the insignia. qualified top of his class. This was Continuation on page 3 On 14 May 1941, a year af- followed by training on the Harvard REGULAR ITEMS ter the Netherlands was occupied by German IIB, and on 21 April 1944 he was awarded Agenda Page 2 forces, Leo Hendrikx and three of his pals his wings. In May ’44 Leo sailed back to Announcements Page 3 began a journey to escape to England. For England for further training at No 5 A F U, more than a year they criss-crossed France RAF Tern Hill. Chairman’s Chat Page 3 where they faced dangerous hardships, in- On a quiet afternoon, his instructor took Coming Events Page 4 cluding arrests and imprisonment. Two of the him to one of the Spitfires on the platform. Looking Back Page 5-6 Group returned to Holland but Leo and his After checking Leo’s cockpit drill he told him Club Limburg News Page 7 pal Paul Bartens pressed on. After overco- to: ‘try it out’. Leo reported “It flew fantasti- 1 RAFA AMSTERDAM BRANCH THE BULLETIN OCTOBER 2018 The Royal Air Forces Association Announcements The Chairman’s Chat Welcome to new Associate Member Mr N Loveth Great news! The RAFA Amsterdam Branch has for the First time in her Membership In November we shall be sen- 65 year history its own RAFA Liaison Officer (RAFALO). He is Sqdn. Ldr. ding out reminders for subscription Graeme Bell RAF, who is stationed at the Dutch Air Force Base Eindhoven. We ex- payments. These reminders will also tend a warm welcome to Graeme and hope that our relationship will be fruitful. apply to anniversary members. Bingo An annual Branch event of which members may not be aware, is that each year As stated in the Chairman’s Chat, we send tulip and daffodil bulbs to Dame Vera Lynn, a Life member of the branch. we will no longer stage bingo eve- nings at the Drie Hoven Care Home. This tradition was started by bulb grower Pete Pryde, who would travel each year, The bingo evenings announced for with his son, to Sussexdown to plant bulbs in the gardens of the home. Pete would 11 October, 8 November and 13 also call in on Dame Vera to deliver flowers to her. Sadly, Pete is no longer with us, December are cancelled. but we have continued to ensure Dame Vera has the pleasure of some beautiful flowers coming in to bloom in her garden, at the time of her birthday. It is also a reminder to her of our appreciation for all the years she supported our branch at the Spring Charity Balls. For the past 15 years our branch has staged the monthly bingo evening at the Drie Are you interested in aviation, Hoven care home in Amsterdam West. The monies raised at the bingo evenings have time to spare and live within range between € 1200 to €1500 a year, most of which is donated to various causes. a 60 km radius of the Aviodrome Museum, Lelystad? The Aviodrome For example: last year 1,000 was sent to the RAF Benevolent Fund. Unfortuna- € museum is looking for volunteers as: tely, as the home will soon close and the numbers attending the monthly bingo stewards, engineers, and other tasks. If you want to find out more, email evenings have dropped considerably, making them no longer viable, we have Layenda Simmerman: therefore, with much regret, ended the bingo sessions. Our only source of income [email protected] henceforth will be, apart from the subscriptions, the monies from the raffles at the Text from page 1 continued BBQ and Christmas Lunch – all the more reason for members to attend. In December1944 he was posted to 34 The branch committee is concerned about the future of the branch and we are O.T.U. RAF Kirton in Lindsey for final training on the Spitfire as a fighter pilot. His next very much aware that unless any other present (younger) members come forward move was in March 1945 when he was pos- to take over the reins, we may have to cease operating as a RAFA branch. What ted to 322 (Dutch) Squadron operating from could happen after that, we do not know; but early next year the committee hope an airstrip near Schijndel. On 1 April 1945, Easter Sunday, Leo was to meet with our Branch President Air Commodore Chris Lorraine, together with shot down whilst flying as number 2 for RAFALO S/L Graeme Bell, and Limburg Club Chairman S/L Rex Thompson to discuss ‘Peuter’ Janssen, one of the best pilots on the squadron. Leo crash landed and escaped the issue. Meanwhile we shall, once again be responsible for the organisation of from his burning aircraft. ‘Peuter’ Janssen the Remembrance Ceremony on 10 November as well as the Christmas Lunch at was also hit but managed to escape capture. the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam West on 16 December. I hope we can rely on your Leo, however, was arrested by the Germans and hospitalised, eventually ending up at presence at both events. Apeldoorn where he was liberated by the Finally, as this will be the last bulletin for this year and although rather early, we Canadians. They moved him to the Canadian Hospital in Nijmegen, after which he was wish all members and their families a wonderful transferred to hospital at Cosford, and so Christmas and a Happy New Year. ended the war for Leo. On 26 June 1946, after treatments at various establishments, Leo was declared medically fit. To be concluded Source and photos Wikepedia and NLMOD 3 RAFA AMSTERDAM BRANCH THE BULLETIN OCOBER 2018 Greetings from your new Coming Events RAFALO! 10 November Remembrance Ceremony As in previous years, we are again responsible for the organisation of this annual ceremony at De Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Kruislaan 126, 1097 GA Amsterdam. The ceremony is attended by various civil dignitaries and uniformed representatives of the na- tionalities of the buried airmen, as well as a choir from the British School of Amsterdam, and also Polish and Dutch school children. Branch members are encouraged to join us to remember all who died in all conflicts across the globe. We assemble from 10.00 hours at the reception building and walk in procession to the 322 war graves at the Common- wealth War Graves Commission site, at 10.45 hours. Refreshment are served afterwards. 12 November Remembrance Sunday The branch will be represented at the service in the beautiful English Reformed Church at the Begijnhof in Amsterdam. Branch members are welcome to attend the service. 16 December Christmas Lunch The event will again take place in the Mercure Amsterdam West, Oude Haagseweg 20, 1066 BW Amsterdam, where you will be welcomed with a drink at 13.00. Lunch is at 13.30 hours when soup will be served, this will be followed by an extensive warm and I am Squadron Leader Graeme cold buffet. Despite rising costs we have managed to keep the price to € 35 per person Bell and I will be taking on the which must be paid before 15th December into our account number: serving RAFALO role for the Amster- NL81 INGB 0002 4773 00 in the name of The Royal Air Forces Association, quoting dam branch.