Commemoration of the Wellington R1226 crew – Breezand, 7 July 2025

On the afternoon of Monday 7 July 2025, a commemoration took place at the remembrance post on Zandvaart in Breezand, in memory of the crew of the Vickers Wellington R1226. This aircraft crashed in the bulb fields of Breezand during the night of 8 to 9 May 1941.

The occasion for this commemoration was the visit of Denis Kirkcaldie and his wife Jane, who had travelled from New Zealand. Denis is a nephew of the second pilot, Norman Mervyn Kebbell Kirkcaldie, who died in the crash at the age of 23. During their visit, Denis and Jane also paid their respects at Kebbell's grave in Bergen op Zoom.

The gathering began at Museum Oud Anna Paulowna, where Chris Dijkshoorn spoke on behalf of our foundation. He read an excerpt from the diary of Annie van den Berg, in which she described how she woke up to the sound of an aircraft and machine gun fire, and how relieved she was that the burning plane had not crashed into her house.

Afterward, the attendees moved outside to the remembrance post. Mayor Rian van Dam reflected on the young age of the crew members and spoke about what it must be like to be sent to war as a young man, far from home, in an unfamiliar country. Together with Denis, she laid flowers at the post.

Denis also addressed those present. He expressed his appreciation for the ceremony and said that he and Jane felt honoured to be there.

Theo Kloosterman, an eyewitness to the crash, was also present. He is now 96 years old. In addition, twelve veterans attended, led by Frans van Zwam, and the May 4th Committee of Anna Paulowna was also represented. Trumpeter Hans Elling played The Last Post, followed by the national anthems of the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

At the close of the ceremony, the names of the six crew members who lost their lives were read aloud:

• Frank Leslie Herbert Eddison, age 30 – United Kingdom

• Norman Mervyn Kebbell Kirkcaldie, age 23 – New Zealand

• John Holt, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Kennedy Tait, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Cyril Paton, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Arnot Flaws Wilson, age 19 – United Kingdom

They were originally buried in Huisduinen and later reburied in Bergen op Zoom.

Commemoration of Pilot James Juntilla – Middenmeer, 21 June 2025

On Saturday afternoon, 21 June 2025, the 30th remembrance post of the Stichting Herdenkingspalen Hollands Kroon (SHHK) was unveiled. The ceremony, held at the Oudelanderweg in Middenmeer, commemorated American pilot James Oliver Juntilla, who crashed his P-51 Mustang at this location on 5 October 1944.

Reception at the Cultuurschuur

The afternoon began at the Cultuurschuur in Wieringerwerf, home of the Wieringermeer Historical Society. Following coffee, tea, and biscuits, chairman Jan Wouts opened the program. A welcome address was then given by Mark Hakvoort on behalf of SHHK.

Special mention was made of:

• Larry and Rebecca Tanenbaum, friends of the Juntilla family, who took time from their holiday in Europe to attend the ceremony

• Colonel Heide Plummer, Air Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague

• Mary van Gent, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Hollands Kroon

• Mrs. Kranenburg-Bouthoorn, eyewitness to the crash

• The veterans, led by Frans van Zwam, who once again attended in large and respectful numbers

Colonel Heide Plummer addressed the audience at the Cultuurschuur, thanking the foundation and all involved for their dedication to commemorating those who fought for our freedom. She emphasized the importance of keeping these stories alive for future generations.

The Story of James Juntilla

James Juntilla was just twenty years old when his aircraft was hit over the Wieringermeer. According to his daughter Karen Juntilla, he bailed out using his parachute after oil from the damaged engine covered the windshield, making it impossible to see. He survived the descent but was soon captured by enemy forces.

Following his arrest, he was interrogated harshly. His daughter recalled, “They beat him up.”Later, he was moved between various prison camps and, like many Allied prisoners, was forced to march long distances through the snow during the harsh winter of 1944–45. These experiences left lasting scars. In later years, he spoke openly about the trauma he had endured.

Reinier Kleis, from Slootdorp, played an important role in re-establishing contact with the Juntilla family. He reached out to David, one of James’s adopted children, who in turn informed his sister Karen. Through this connection, SHHK came into contact with Larry Tanenbaum, who had been close to the Juntilla family for many years.

After the war, James Juntilla built a new life. He studied law, became a lawyer, and later served as a senior official at the Federal Communications Commission. He was a father of four (two biological and two adopted), a talented painter, an art lover, and a man who meant a great deal to those around him.

Ceremony at the Oudelanderweg

After the program in Wieringerwerf, the group made its way to the remembrance post at the Oudelanderweg. There, Mark Hakvoort recounted the story of the crash. He then invited Mrs. Kranenburg-Bouthoorn, who had witnessed the crash in 1944, to point out the direction in which she remembered seeing the aircraft go down.

Larry Tanenbaum then addressed the attendees on behalf of the Juntilla family.
He shared how he has been connected to the family since high school, having known Karen and Steve Juntilla for many years. He only recently learned about the ceremony, and since Karen and Steve were unable to attend, Larry and his wife Becky offered to represent them. Their planned stay in Amsterdam happened to coincide with the date of the commemoration, a fortunate coincidence, as Larry described it. During the ceremony, he read a personal message from Karen and Steve in which they reflected on the life of their father, as a pilot, prisoner of war, devoted family man and engaged citizen. They expressed their deep appreciation for the way his story is remembered and honored in the Netherlands. While they could not be there in person, it meant a great deal to them to be included from afar, and for Larry it was an honor to represent them.

The American national anthem was then performed on trumpet by Martin Keppel, during which the attending veterans offered a formal salute.

Larry Tanenbaum was invited to officially unveil the remembrance post.

Following this, Deputy Mayor Mary van Gent spoke to those gathered. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of remembrance, even more than eighty years after the events. She described the story of James Juntilla as a powerful example of courage and international cooperation during dark times, and thanked everyone who contributed to keeping this history visible and alive.

To conclude, wreaths and flowers were laid by the Municipality of Hollands Kroon and the Wieringermeer Historical Society.

Click here for more information and photos

Looking back: Commemoration on Friday afternoon, 11 April 2025 – Middenmeer

On Friday afternoon, 11 April 2025, the fourth commemoration was held at the remembrance post on the Molenweg in Middenmeer. We paused to remember the crash of the Vickers Wellington bomber Z8838 KX-Z, which went down during the night of 11 April 1942 on the farmland of the Bakker family. All six crew members from the former Czechoslovakia lost their lives in the crash.

This annual commemoration is organized in coordination with the municipality of Hollands Kroon. The wish to honour this crew every year is shared by the embassies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Once again, the ceremony was well attended.

Attendees

Among those present were:

• Mayor Rian van Dam

• Cenek Hajny, representative of the Czech Embassy

• Peter Klanduc and Silvia Swan, representatives of the Slovak Embassy

• Willy de Bruin-Bakker, representing the family who farmed the land at the time of the crash

• Jakub Dostál, great-grandson of Marie, sister of pilot Josef Kalenský

• Eleven veterans, whose presence gave the event extra significance

The commemoration

The afternoon began at De Cultuurschuur in Wieringerwerf, where Jan Wouts of the Wieringermeer Historical Society welcomed all guests. Coffee, tea and biscuits were provided. Short speeches were given by representatives of the Czech and Slovak embassies, who expressed their gratitude to the municipality of Hollands Kroon and to our foundation for continuing to organise these annual commemorations. They also reflected on the importance of peace — especially relevant in light of the ongoing war on the European continent.

Afterwards, the group travelled to the remembrance post on the Molenweg. The weather was beautifully spring-like. Hans Elling played the Last Post and the national anthems of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The attending veterans rendered a salute.

Mayor Van Dam spoke on behalf of the municipality, offering warm and personal words. She emphasised that we come together not only to remember, but also to continue learning from the past. She expressed her appreciation for the deep connection between our countries, and underlined the importance of remembrance in a world where peace can no longer be taken for granted.

Jakub Dostál, who had travelled from the Czech Republic especially for the occasion, addressed the gathering. He laid a wreath on behalf of the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association (FCAFA). This organisation is dedicated worldwide to preserving the memory of the service and sacrifice of Czechoslovak airmen during the Second World War.

Wreath-laying

Wreaths and flowers were laid on behalf of:

• Municipality of Hollands Kroon(by Mayor Van Dam)

• The Czech Embassy(by Cenek Hajny)

• The Slovak Embassy(by Peter Klanduc)

• Wieringermeer Historical Society(by Jan Wouts)

• The Bakker family(by Willy de Bruin-Bakker)

• The Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association (FCAFA)(by Jakub Dostál)

More information

Read more about the crash of Z8838 KX-Z:
Crash info Z8838 – Middenmeer

Click here for all photos of the commemoration 

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