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

Passing of Dick Doornik

We received the sad news that Dick Doornik, chairman of the Veterans Contact Group Wieringen / Hollands Kroon, passed away on September 24, 2024.

Dick was of great value to the Stichting Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon in organizing the ceremonies and unveilings. At our first unveiling on September 14, 2019, Dick was already present, and with "his" veterans, he added extra prestige to our ceremonies. Over the years that followed, Dick missed hardly any of the unveilings.

The board will miss Dick as the chairman of the Veterans Contact Group, but above all as a person. We wish Lia and the family much strength in coping with this loss.

The board of Stichting Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon

Mark Hakvoort, Chris Dijkshoorn, and Martin Blaauw

Visit Doris and Richard Tjepkema to crash site of pilot David W. Gaunt

On Friday afternoon, September 13, 2024, Doris Tjepkema-Gaunt and her husband Richard visited the crash site and the remembrance post of Doris' father, pilot David W. Gaunt. In July 2023, her two brothers were already present at the unveiling of the remembrance post, but Doris was unfortunately unable to attend. This year, she and Richard decided to travel to the place where her father had to make an emergency landing during the Second World War.

David W. Gaunt, pilot of a Beaufighter, was forced to make an emergency landing on January 17, 1945 after an attack on a German convoy near Den Helder. He landed on the land between Walingsweg, Kruisweg, Barsingerweg and Poolland. On that day, five other Beaufighters crashed in the area, two of which near Wieringerwaard.

Chris, our treasurer, accompanied Doris and Richard during their visit. They started at the Water Tower and the General Cemetery in Wieringerwaard, after which they visited the crash sites of the two other Beaufighters. Then they went to Bert Kooij's farm, which is close to the place where David W. Gaunt's plane crashed. Harry Kooij, Bert's brother, was also present. While enjoying coffee and tea, they talked about the history, after which they walked to the crash site.

David W. Gaunt and his navigator managed to survive the crash at the time. With the help of an old photo of the remains of the plane, Doris and Richard were able to capture the exact same spot where her father's plane crashed in 1945.

Doris and Richard expressed their great appreciation for the work of our foundation. They are grateful that we keep the story of crashed planes and their crew members alive through research and the placement of remembrance posts.

An interesting addition: although Richard has the Frisian surname Tjepkema, he still feels like a true Canadian. His parents emigrated to Canada as children, and Richard himself speaks little Dutch, except for a few familiar words.

Click here for more information about this crash and the unveiling of the post on July 15, 2023

27th and 28th remembrance post unveiled: A day of tribute.

Five years ago, on September 14, 2019, our very first remembrance post was unveiled on the Wagenpad in Middenmeer. That moment marked the beginning of a special initiative, in which we keep alive the memory of the allied crews of aircraft that crashed in our municipality during the Second World War.

On September 7, 2024, five years later, two new remembrance posts were unveiled: the 27th and 28th in our series. These posts were placed in the northern part of the Municipality of Hollands Kroon, near the Amstelmeer.

The day started with a warm welcome in the garden of Jetty Bak, a location that gained extra meaning through memories of Dirk Bak, "our" trumpet player, whom we had to say goodbye to at the beginning of this year. There were volunteers, guests and other interested parties who came together for this special day with a full program.

Our treasurer, Chris Dijkshoorn, opened the day with a word of welcome in which he thanked everyone for coming. A special welcome for special guests including Mr Greg French, the Australian ambassador to the Netherlands. He had come from The Hague to pay tribute to the Australian crew members who gave their lives during the war. We were also able to welcome some direct family members of William Dudley Winward, the pilot of a Beaufighter who we would commemorate later in the day. His grandson Paul Spurgeon had come to North Holland especially for this occasion, together with family members such as nephew Roy Fisher and second cousin Philip Roberts, with his daughters Helen Roberts and Angela Cox. The fact that the relatives had made the journey to the Netherlands emphasised the importance of commemorating these crews. As usual, the veterans were also well represented and mayor Rian van Dam of the Municipality of Hollands Kroon was also present.

Chris Dijkshoorn also expressed his special thanks to Nanneke Barends, who is closely involved with our foundation within the Municipality of Hollands Kroon. Her support has proven invaluable in organising days like this.

The first unveiling: Commemoration of the crew of Vickers Wellington X9667

At around 14:15 the group set off for the location of the first remembrance post, in honour of the crew of Vickers Wellington X9667. This aircraft crashed in the Wadden Sea after being shot down by a German fighter. On board were seven crew members, from both England and Australia. Sadly, only one crew member, John Morgan, survived the crash; the other six were killed. Chris Dijkshoorn told the story of this tragic event and explained that the crew should not have been in that area at all. They had drifted off course with practice bombs on board, and their lost route brought them into the sights of the German fighters, who shot them down. This fact made the crash even more sad.

Before the unveiling of the memorial post, the Australian ambassador gave a short speech. He expressed his respect for the efforts of our foundation and the importance of continuing to commemorate these heroes. After that, the veterans' tribute took place, led by veteran Dick Doornik. Trumpeter Hans Elling played the national anthems of both Australia and the United Kingdom. After this, Mayor Rian van Dam laid a wreath at the remembrance post on behalf of the Municipality of Hollands Kroon. This was followed by Mr. Greg French, who also laid a wreath on behalf of the Australian Embassy.

A visit to the grave of navigator Eric Hector Tucker

After the unveiling of the remembrance post for the crew of the Vickers Wellington X9667, the group went to the Westerland cemetery. This is where Eric Hector Tucker, the navigator of the plane that crashed in the Wadden Sea, is buried. The group gathered at his grave, where another ceremony took place. Trumpeter Hans Elling played The Last Post, a tribute to Tucker and the other crew members who gave their lives for our freedom. Mayor Rian van Dam and Ambassador Greg French both laid flowers at the grave.

The second unveiling: The story of the Beaufighter in the Amstelmeer

After visiting the cemetery, the group left for the marina of De Haukes, where the second remembrance post was unveiled. This pole commemorates the crash of a Beaufighter on 18 February 1943. The plane crashed in the Amstelmeer, involving two crew members: pilot William Dudley Winward and his colleague Charles Kenneth Wood. Winward managed to leave the plane after it had hit the bottom of the lake, but Wood was less fortunate and did not survive the crash. The tragedy of this story was aptly expressed by mayor Rian van Dam in her speech. She spoke about the confusion and fear the pilot must have felt when he surfaced after the crash, unconscious from the impact. "You have no idea where you are, what does that do to you? How?", she wondered out loud.

Paul Spurgeon, grandson of William Dudley Winward, unveiled the remembrance post and then said in his speech that he never really knew his grandfather, as he died when Paul was only three years old. However, he had immersed himself in the events of over 80 years ago and had brought photos to share with those present. He expressed his thanks to everyone involved in organising this day and emphasised how important it is that stories like these continue to live on.

Hans Elling once again played the national anthems of the United Kingdom and The Last Post, after which wreaths were laid at the unveiled memorial post.

After the formal part, photos and stories were exchanged at the Marine Watersportvereniging while enjoying a drink.

Two remembrance posts unveiled on june 15, 2024

On June 15, we unveiled two remembrance posts under great public interest. Guests and other interested parties gathered at the Cultuurschuur in Wieringerwerf, where our chairman, Mark Hakvoort, began with a welcome speech. A special welcome was extended to Sgt. Nicole Mitchell, who represented the Canadian Embassy. The United Kingdom was represented by Ms. Kate Burrows. Mayor Rian van Dam was present on behalf of the municipality of Hollands Kroon, and nine veterans also came to Wieringerwerf. We were once again pleased with the coffee, tea, and hospitality provided by the Wieringermeer Historical Society.

After our chairman's words, the group departed for the location of the first unveiling at Zuiderdijkweg. Here, on April 21, 1943, the Mosquito DZ386 crashed just outside the dike, resulting in the deaths of crew members Shand and Handley. Before the remembrance post was unveiled, there were speeches from Mayor Rian van Dam and Ms. Kate Burrows, after which they performed the official unveiling together. Trumpeter Hans Elling played The Last Post and the national anthem of the United Kingdom. The veterans were once again well represented, adding a fitting touch to this official ceremony. Wreaths and flowers were laid on behalf of the municipality of Hollands Kroon, the British Embassy, and the Wieringermeer Historical Society.

The second unveiling took place at Koggenrandweg near Lambertschaag. This remembrance post was erected to commemorate the crash of the Wellington BK340. The five Canadian crew members survived the crash by timely parachuting out of the aircraft. In her speech, Sgt. Mitchell expressed her admiration for the way World War II is commemorated in the Netherlands. In Canada, they do not have this tradition, especially since Canada was never occupied. The weather was not favorable during this unveiling; in the pouring rain, the remembrance post was unveiled by Sgt. Nicole Mitchell and Mayor Rian van Dam. Both then laid a wreath at the remembrance post. There were also flowers from the Wieringermeer Historical Society. The veterans, led by Dick Doornik, also provided a beautiful ceremonial contribution here. Hans Elling played the national anthem of Canada.

First Unveiling 2024

On May 25, 2024, the first remembrance post of the year was unveiled. This post keeps alive the memory of the crew of the Consolidated B24 Liberator bomber 44-49972 that crashed on March 31, 1945. All 12 crew members survived the crash. Two men eventually made it to the liberated city of Stavoren with help. The other ten crew members were taken as prisoners of war.

On the day of the unveiling, interested parties gathered at the village hall in Kolhorn, where coffee and cake were served. In the village hall, there were three propellers from the crashed bomber, one of which was in almost new condition. Remarkably, there were visible bullet holes from their own machine gun, which, during a weapons test, fired into their own engine, ultimately causing the crash.

Our treasurer, Chris Dijkshoorn, welcomed everyone. The Municipality of Hollands Kroon was represented by Deputy Mayor Mark Versteeg. Mr. Ran, who witnessed the crash, received a special welcome. Veterans were also present, and it was the first unveiling without Dirk Bak, whom we had to say goodbye to earlier this year. Jetty and her son John, who feel connected to our foundation, were also present.

After Chris's welcome speech, everyone went to the Kolhornerkade for the unveiling of the remembrance post. Deputy Mayor Mark Versteeg spoke about the events of the crash day and how extraordinary it must have been for those young soldiers to fight in an unknown place, far from home, uncertain if they would return safely. Twelve young men fought for our freedom and were lucky to survive this crash. Many others were not so fortunate. Chris read out the names and ages of the crew members. All the boys, whose ages were known, were between 19 and 21 years old.

The official unveiling of the remembrance post was carried out by Mr. Ran and Mark Versteeg. Trumpeter Martien Keppel played the United States national anthem, with the veterans saluting. After the official ceremony, wreaths were laid by Mark Versteeg on behalf of the Municipality of Hollands Kroon and by Petra Borst-Koorn on behalf of the May 4th foundation.

Click here for more information about the crash of the 44-49972

Overview crashed planes and unveiling of our remembrance posts