Commando Veterans Forum

This message was edited 11 times. Last update was at 05/04/2013 18:34:03

In 1943, No 2 (Dutch) Troop was assigned to be deployed against the Japanese in the Far East. In the event, only five Dutchmen were actually deployed behind enemy lines in Burma.

Lt M J Knottenbelt, Sgt Wim van der Veer, Cpl G Ubels, Nick J de Koning & Rudy A Blatt.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/10IA/Dutch/ref+A6a+1944+India.jpg.html

Lt Knottenbelt & Sgt van der Veer were attached to 44 RM Cdo and Cpl Ubels, Pte de Koning and Pte Blatt attached to No5 Cdo.

Here is Rudy Blatt's detailed account of fleeing German occupied Nederlands, his time in The Commandos and action in Burma with No5.

http://resources21.kb.nl/gvn/EVDO01/pdf/EVDO01_JHM01_KBN006000004.pdf

http://resources21.kb.nl/gvn/EVDO01/pdf/EVDO01_JHM01_KBN006000005.pdf

http://resources21.kb.nl/gvn/EVDO01/pdf/EVDO01_JHM01_KBN006000006.pdf

http://resources21.kb.nl/gvn/EVDO01/pdf/EVDO01_JHM01_KBN006000007.pdf

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/01/2011 04:11:11

Four of the five Dutch Commandos mentioned above went on to serve in SAS or Jedburgh Teams dropped into Holland

Jedburgh team ?Claude?, dropped near Arnhem, September 17, 1944
1. Capt. Jacobus Groenewoud (Dutch)
2. Lt. Maarten Knottenbelt (Dutch)
3. Lt. Harvey Todd (US)
4. Sgt. Scott (US)

SAS team ?Gobbe?, dropped near Westerbork, September 26, 1944
1. Lt. Emile Defefve (Belgium)
2. Sgt. Siffert (Begium)
3. Corp. Demoor (Belgium)
4. Lt. Levaux (Belgium)
5. Sgt. Rudy Blatt (Dutch)

SAS team ?Portia? dropped near Veenhuizen, October 11, 1944
1. C. Michels (Dutch)
2. W. v.d. Veer (Dutch)
3. N. de Koning (Dutch)
4. Sgt. R. Greenwood (Belgium)

Jedburgh team ?Gambling?, dropped near Barneveld, april 3, 1945
1. Major A.H. Clutton
2. Capt. M.J. Knottenbelt
3. Sgt. J.S.S. Menzies

Nick

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 11/01/2011 03:54:05

Nic, sorry do barge in on your thread, could you please add these to your photo album? They photos of the wedding of Albert and Eileen? at Porthmadog with a group photo of Dutch Commando in the background, Willem Timmer is seated next to Albert (photo outside church). Some other photos but some names unknown. These were courtesy of Willem Timmers son Jan, (will try and get more photos)?

Kevin

[Moderator's note: The first set of photos refered to by Kevin asking for them to be uploaded into the gallery are now in the 2 Troop sub-album in the No10(IA) Album, Nick

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/10IA/Dutch/Marriage+of+Albert+and+Eileen.jpg.html]

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 12/01/2011 00:21:24

Name of seated Commando not known?

[Moderator's note: I have inserted a slightly enhanced copy of this photo in the hope that the commando can be more readily identified.
Please contact me (or any of my fellow Moderators if you can recognise the dutch commando so that we can annotate his photo accordingly. Nick

Kev,
Yes of course I'll add them to the Gallery.
What a great picture and piece of social history the large wedding group is - and I think I can put a name to a couple of the commandos on the photo too.

Nick

Kevin,

I have sent you an email with the names of some of the Dutch Commandos on the photos you posted. I will forward that mail to Pete so that he can put the names with the photos in the gallery.

Cheers,

Jack

Jack Bakker wrote:Kevin,

I have sent you an email with the names of some of the Dutch Commandos on the photos you posted. I will forward that mail to Pete so that he can put the names with the photos in the gallery.

Cheers,

Jack

Hi Jack,
Can you send me the names as I'll be posting the photos for Kevin.

Cheers,
Nick

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 11/01/2011 15:35:43

It is known that at least 4 members of 2 troop married local Porthmadog girls and Kevin has provided photos of four happy couples.

Bill Timmer and Mair Eluned Williams, Albert and Eileen and Cees de Ruiter & Eileen Rowland are all identified.
I have also discovered that another Dutch Commando who was lucky enough to marry a Welsh bride was Kees de Graaf, so is it possible that the couple in fourth photo is Kees and his bride, Kathleen Rowlands?

Nick

With the help of Jack Bakker and his friends, we have now identified the fourth happy commando as Pte van Barneveld and not de Graaf as I thought...

Great photos Kevin, please thank Jan Timmer for them - I know Jack (and friends in the Commando Museum) are equally as excited as I am.

Nick