First allied troops in Delft

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Pieter F, Oct 27, 2014.

  1. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    A couple of then and nows I took whilst in Delft in early May:-

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    Last edited: Jul 15, 2017
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  2. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    VE Day in Delft 8 May 2015, which was also the 70th Anniversary of the town. At the War Memorial in the Jaffa Cemetery. I laid the poppy cross on behalf of relatives of the liberators and the liberated.

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    Last edited: Jul 15, 2017
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  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    And finally, in memory of my OverGroet Moeder (Great Grand Mother) who fell in the canal and drowned on the Molslaan close to her house during WW2 in March 1941.

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    With Vanessa Brussee, my charming city guide (Via Vanessa) and resident of Delft. She helped me find places I had not seen for over 40 years and enabled me to reconnect to my childhood memories. Her postings of my personal pilgrimage enabled me to meet for the first time, Maria Adriana Sluis, a distant cousin, who also had the same Great Grand Mother. The location where she fell and drowned.

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    The 2nd Cousin I had never met before, Maria Sluis.

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    Last edited: Oct 12, 2017
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  4. Pieter F

    Pieter F Very Senior Member

    Great photos Rob!
     
  5. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Thanks Pieter. I visited the Delft Archives and gave them copies of the war diaries of the units who Liberated the town. They kindly gave me DVD's of film shot the day of Liberation and a great one of food drops by Ypenburg. Just been watching them tonight and they are really great.
     
  6. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Wonderful thread.

    With thanks to Pieter and Rob.

    Superb!
     
  7. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Found these photos in an exhibition about Delft at the National War Museum, Overloon, Netherlands in May 2015.

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    Last edited: Jul 15, 2017
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  8. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    It's difficult to find a Dutch face in those photos without a grin or broad smile! Happy times.
     
  9. 17thDYRCH

    17thDYRCH Senior Member

    Rob,
    Great stuff. Must brought back many memories from 4 decades back.

    Sorry I missed this trip. I head over in September.
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Another amazing coincidence today, due to Stolpi having found and posted a Youtube Video on a thread about 3 Canadian Division.

    In the video, are two sections about a Major George Beal, MC and letters to his wife Ruth. George Beal was with the 48 Highlanders of Canada. Coincidentally, I have been corresponding with his son Geordie and I laid a wreath in Delft from the two of us on 8 May 2015.

    The first piece about George is at 4 minutes 08 to 5 minutes 40. The second piece is from 6 minutes 55 to 7 36 seconds and quotes from a airmail letter to his wife Ruth about his drive to Delft on 8 May 1944. I was flabbergasted to hear the words read out, as his son had sent me this transcription of the same airmail letter last month. As the film scrolls down the letter, you can see the word Delft.



    His Father is sitting in the front of the jeep.

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    "Today we drove into occupied Holland. We traveled eighty miles and are going a shorter distance tomorrow. We are right now in a small city called Delft, about six miles from The Hague and midway between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In fact we could see Rotterdam in the distance.

    Darling, you couldn’t possibly have any idea just what kind of a reception it has been and still is. The people go simply mad and I had the honor darling of being the leading vehicle – my jeep. Any town we went through the people crowded the roads and we had a most difficult time getting past them. They all want to touch your hand or even kiss you and they simply pelted us with flowers. My jeep looked like a florist shop. There were flags and bunting and decorations everywhere. Everyone cheering and smiling and when a vehicle stopped they climbed all over it. I suppose tomorrow will be much worse but it does make all the hardships worthwhile when you see the joy of these liberated people

    The Germans are all concentrated in big camps except for the odd one or two who doesn’t know where to go. The Germans left this town this morning for the first time in over five years and we arrived about two hours later. The people couldn’t seem to realize it."
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2017
  11. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Another great post Rob, to an already wonderful thread. It's amazing what you find when you dig deep enough.
    Thanks for sharing, especially your family's life.
     
  12. VDBos

    VDBos Member

    Did Any read this topic?
    My name is Pim and i have lived in Delft.
    I knows Some things about Delft in the ww2.
    Maybe i have more info about this very intresting topic.
    Please leave a massage if this topic life and kicking :)
     
  13. VDBos

    VDBos Member

    Did any read this topic?
    My name is Pim and i have lived in Delft.
    I knows Some things about Delft in the ww2.
    Maybe i have more info about this very intresting topic.
    Please leave a massage if this topic life and kicking :)
     
  14. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Hi Pim,

    I have received your Private Message.

    Rob
     
  15. Pieter F

    Pieter F Very Senior Member

    Good to see the topic has stirred the interest of a local. It would be great if you could add more info to this thread.
     
  16. 17thDYRCH

    17thDYRCH Senior Member

    Pieter
    Welcome back.
    It has been a couple of years.
     
  17. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Welcome Pim

    Please post any additional information you may have on some of the great brefore and after pictures in this thread. Very interesting
     
  18. VDBos

    VDBos Member

    Hello Guys,

    I've spot a nice video on youtube.
    I think thats the same video, that Ramacal means.

    In the video you see some allied airplanes (Operation Manna).
    And Delft market square with a lot of people and some Canadian troops.



    I post more information later.

    Greetz,

    Pim
     
    Buteman likes this.
  19. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    It gives me goosebumps to think my Opa & Oma would have seen the aircraft flying over. Their house was only a short distance from the food drop zone. Mum was not in Delft, having been in Breda when it was Liberated, so she was not able to pass on that memory.
     
  20. VDBos

    VDBos Member

    Hello,

    About the T-force in Delft.
    In the war-diary of the 8th of may 1945 make a notice:

    21:15 uur: T-force HQ now located at the Cornelius Simius school at the Simonstraat in Delft.
    The school excist the name is Cornelis Musiusschool.

    In the Niod picture database i saw two pictures of a T-force vehicle at Delft.

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    About the HQ location in the Cornelis Musiusschool:
    On this picture:
    The entrance of the school you see some people of the Binnenlandse strijdkrachten.

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    The school now by google streetview.

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    Another picutre of the school, at the background the tower and building, like the pictures of the canadian tanks.
    The location is near the TU (Technical University) buildings.

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    Last edited: Aug 15, 2016
    Buteman likes this.

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