Forward

When Rob Philips asked me to write a few words to introduce this Monumental work of his, I had mixed feelings and they made me hesitate, unsure whether I could find the right words. Beside honour and pride I had to convince myself that I should do it, if only for the memory of those splendid Dutch young men who gave their lives for a better world. They reached the shores of England in spite of many dangers, to join similar young men from all over the world, wishing to fight the enemy. This book covers a unique episode in the history of The Netherlands, an episode that unfortunately is not well known.

Imagine a group of young men setting up in less than one month an operational Squadron which was immediately accepted and incorporated into the Royal Air Force! The author wished to produce a detailed file providing the necessary information of those who lost their lives in the line of duty over foreign countries; many were hurriedly buried locally by friendly inhabitants, others by the enemy

Consequently the fate of some of them was unknown, but is now clearer thanks to Philips. We must be grateful for the work and devotion this represents, I know, because, as a survivor, I tried to help as much as possible and I regret that owing to old age and worn memory, I could do no more.

I do not agree with the old saying 'Old soldiers never die, they only fade away'... they continue to live in our memories and this book will help us remember them!

March 2006 Jan P. Kloos ex 320 (Dutch) Squadron – RAF

Forward By Author

In this study all Dutchmen are mentioned who

- served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) or the Fleet Air Arm (FAA),

- in the period 22/5/1940 up to and including 9/5/1945,

- who died or went missing-in-action,

- in Europe and its coastal seas.

All scraps of information found in archives and literature have been screened in a critical way, by means that included a lot of field research. This has led to many corrections on, and additions to, statements found in the rather small volume of literature on the subject, and in the casualty databases of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Dutch Oorlogsgravenstichting.

The object is to recount the story of the Dutch RAF or FAA aviators, who gave their lives, as correctly as possible. Author believes that it does not do to report that these men died in some place for some reason. After sixty years, the least we can do in the memory of these men is to get the facts right.

A secondary object materialized during the investigations: finding back the men who went missing-in-action, and who remained so to this day. This object is highly ambitious, but author believes that things can still be done, and results can still be achieved. This study reports on results achieved at the time of writing. The efforts are not concluded with this publication.

Author is indebted to over two hundred people and organisations worldwide, who helped to obtain, check, and refine the data. All are mentioned in the Acknowledgements chapter. All have contributed what they could, and all were driven by the notion that this is the moral thing to do, in the memory of those who lost their lives.

Author hopes to have presented the case in a logically structured manner. This study may not always be easy to read. It is a study, not a novel.

Rob Philips,Twente, Netherlands 2010-10-14 (Document started October 2004)