Commemoration on Friday afternoon, April 11, 2025 – Middenmeer

On Friday afternoon, April 11, 2025, our foundation will hold a commemoration at the remembrance post on the Molenweg in Middenmeer. We will pause to remember the crash of the Vickers Wellington bomber, registration Z8838 KX-Z, which occurred 83 years ago on the land of the Bakker family.

The crew of this aircraft, originating from the former Czechoslovakia, lost their lives during the night of April 11, 1942, after their plane was shot down by a German night fighter. This commemoration is held in memory of these six young men, in coordination with the embassies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the municipality of Hollands Kroon.

Everyone is welcome to attend the commemoration.

Programme – Friday afternoon, April 11, 2025

14:00: Gathering and reception at De Cultuurschuur, Loggersplein 1, Wieringerwerf
14:45: Departure to the remembrance post at Molenweg 2, Middenmeer
(Parking available at Schagerweg 17)

15:00: Start of the commemoration at the remembrance post

Background information

In the early morning of April 11, 1942, the Wellington bomber of 311 Squadron was shot down during a mission to the German city of Essen. All six crew members lost their lives. After the war, they were reburied at the British Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery near Bergen op Zoom.

Click here for more information about this crash

Attention to Crashed German Aircraft in Hollands Kroon

The Stichting Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon (Foundation for Remembrance Posts Hollands Kroon) has been active for five years. During this time, we have placed 29 remembrance posts in our municipality to honor the crew members of aircraft that crashed in Hollands Kroon during the Second World War. Until now, these were allied aircraft with crew members of various nationalities. For example, crew members from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States lost their lives in Hollands Kroon. Some crew members survived the crashes. Additionally, aircraft from the Netherlands also crashed here, such as a Fokker C.V., for which we placed a remembrance post along the Schelpenbolweg in the Wieringermeer.

In addition to allied aircraft, German planes also crashed in Hollands Kroon during the war. As a foundation, in collaboration with the municipality of Hollands Kroon, we want to draw attention to these crashes as well. These incidents also involved young men who lost their lives, leaving families behind in grief. For relatives, the uncertainty about what exactly happened often remains an open wound that does not heal. Questions haunt them, such as: What happened to the aircraft that day? What was the fate of the crew? Why did the plane crash? Was it due to allied actions, a Dutch aircraft, or friendly fire? This lack of answers can complicate the grieving process and leave a sense of incompleteness.

Do You Have Information About German Aircraft That Crashed in Hollands Kroon?

If you have information and are willing to share it with us, please email the foundation at info@shhk.nl.

29th remembrance post unveiled on October 5, 2024

On Saturday, October 5, 2024, the 29th remembrance post was unveiled, in memory of 23-year-old American pilot Benjamin Pollard. Pollard died more than 80 years ago when his P51-B Mustang crashed into the Wadden Sea due to engine failure. The ceremony was organized by the Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon Foundation (SHHK) and was the last unveiling of this year, concluding a series of impressive commemorative moments.

Reception and Welcome

The ceremony started at 2:00 PM with a reception at the NUBO Motor Museum in Hippolytushoef, where owner Gerard Numeijer acted as host. It was the second time that his museum served as a reception area on an unveiling day, and the collection of historic motorcycles and a huge collection of items related to aircraft from the Second World War provided an atmospheric and fitting environment.

After the reception, Mark Hakvoort, chairman of our foundation, opened the ceremony. In his opening speech, he spoke about what happened on April 9, 1944 above the Wadden Sea. He also reflected on the recently deceased veteran Dick Doornik with stories and anecdotes. Doornik had been a regular presence since the very first unveiling on September 14, 2019. Trumpeter Dirk Bak, who died earlier this year, was also remembered and their involvement over the past five years was remembered with gratitude.

The Ceremony

Around 2:45 PM, the group left for the location of the remembrance post, a spot with a view over the Wadden Sea where Pollard crashed more than 80 years ago.

Although the presence of veterans is always a permanent part of SHHK ceremonies, it was special that no fewer than 12 veterans were present this time, which made the ceremony extra impressive. Trumpeter Hans Elling played "The Last Post" during the ceremony, and a minute's silence was observed. Hans also blew the American national anthem.

Mayor Rian van Dam gave an impressive speech for the unveiling. She expressed her respect for the young American pilot Benjamin Pollard, who lost his life in a foreign country, fighting for the freedom of others. She also praised the SHHK board for their work. Thanks to this commitment, with the 29th memorial pole already, the stories of all those young men who risked their lives, and sometimes lost them, for our freedom are kept alive.

After the speech, Mayor Rian van Dam and Juris L. Jansons, Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, jointly unveiled the remembrance post, after which they also laid a wreath together.

With this 29th unveiling, SHHK concluded this year of commemoration. The foundation is looking forward to the coming year, in which new unveilings will take place.

Report of this day by Regio Noordkop

Overview crashed planes and unveiling of our remembrance posts