Early September 1941 Ab Homburg and Cor Sporre were parachuted into occupied Holland, as the first Dutch SOE agents. Earlier they had tried to re-enter Holland via a trawler, that was to land them at the 'Engelsmanplaat', North of Ameland. But several attempts had failed. Therefore Homburg and Sporre had to be trained as parachutists. Their mission was to find Dutchmen prepared to enter into the field of sabotage. Unfortunately, Homburg needed dental care. He trusted the dentist visited, and told him about his mission. However, this dentist had become a member of the NSB. This compromised Homburg, and he was arrested by the Dutch. Homburg managed to escape, but plans were made to liquidate him. It was evident that Homburg had to go to London again, to defend his case. Ahead of him, agents Schrage and Sporre departed to the UK. Both drowned in the North Sea. Homburg planned his second Engelandvaart, to be undertaken together with two friends, J.J.C. Buizer and J.H.M. de Haas. Halfway February 1942 they managed to board the IJmuiden trawler 'Beatrice', in which they hid themselves until the vessel reached open sea. Then, using the force of revolvers, they ordered the crew to sail to England. After that, Homburg joined the RAF.

Source: Dr L. de Jong, 'Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Deel 5, 2e helft, Den Haag, 1974, page 870-872

2. Crash site data

Map 123. A meadow North of the Oude Veenweg, Azelo, Overijssel, NL, North of Delden, crash site where A.A. Homburg lost his life on 1/4/1945

The meadow in which A.A. Homburg crashed on 1/4/1945. Picture taken from the dirt road extension of the Oude Veenweg, looking East. The A1 motorway is directly left, invisible in this picture. Azelo 060113-1

Directly NNW of the crash site, there is a small forest, the Nijreesbos. At the end of 1944, the Germans had built a V-1 launching site here. This may well have been A.A. Homburg's target.

Road sign at the Arkmansweg, corner Schievenweg, commemorating weapons droppings in this area for resistance groups Hilbrink from Zenderen and Visser from Wierden. No mention of the Homburg crash, which took place about 1.300 meters NW of this road junction.

Courtesy Leonie Reupert June 2025

• Reference to Aart Homburg