Titus Brandsma was born, as Anno Sjoerd Brandsma, on 23 February 1881, in Oegeklooster, near Hartwerd, Freisland Provicnce. His parents, Titus Brandsma and Tjitsje Postma, were committed Catholics. With the exception of one daughter, all the children entered religious orders. In 1892, Anno (age 11) entered the Franciscan Minor Seminary for boys in Megen. After… Continue reading Titus Brandsma
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Nijmegen
Nijmegen originated as the Roman settlement of Noviomagusand is the oldest town in The Netherlands. Often an imperial residencein the Carolingian period, it became a free city and later joined the Hanseatic League. In 1579 it subscribed to the Union of Utrecht against Spain. It was taken by the French (1672) in the third of… Continue reading Nijmegen
Jonkerbos War Cemetery
Jonkerbos is a wooded area, approximately 2 miles, from the centre of Nijmegen; the largest city in the Gelderland province. There are two military cemeteries in the area: Jonkerbos War Cemetery and Dutch War Graves Cemetery. JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY Nijmegen was a front line town from 17 September 1944 until February 1945. An initial temporary… Continue reading Jonkerbos War Cemetery
Eindhoven
Eindhoven (North Brabant Province) lies along the Dommel River, 68 miles southeast of Rotterdam. Eindhoven was chartered in 1232 by Henry I, Duke of Brabant. It developed after 1900 from a small village into one of the largest industrial centres of The Netherlands. In 1920 five adjoining municipalities were annexed, thereby increasing Eindhoven’s population from… Continue reading Eindhoven
Dutch Op. Market Graves
There are three Dutch servicemen buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery: Jacob Groenewoud, August Bakhuis Roozeboom and S. Swarts. JACOB GROENEWOUD Jacob Groenewoud was born on 8 November 1916 in Amsterdam. Upon being called up for military service in 1935, he was medically discharged due to poor eye-sight. Whilst working in South Africa, Germany invaded… Continue reading Dutch Op. Market Graves
Schurch & The Times
There were members of the press present during the court-martial of Theodore John William Schurch. The Times Thursday 13 September 1945 SOLDIER ACCUSED OF AIDING ENEMY Private Theodore John William Schurch, of the Royal Army Service Corps, appeared at a Chelsea court-martial yesterday on charges of aiding the enemy while serving as a member of… Continue reading Schurch & The Times
Lieu. Hardy Statement
The following statement was taken from Lieutenant George Gordon Hardy, RNVR, and used at the court-martial of Theodore Schurch. Statement of Lietenant George Gordon Hardy, RNVR, of Buxton, Derbyshire. I was the Navigator Officer on H.M. Submarine “Splendid” which was sunk off Naples on 20th or 21st April 1943. I was picked up by an… Continue reading Lieu. Hardy Statement
Schurch Petition
This post contains the text of Theodore Schurch‘s Petition against the death sentence passed upon him, after his conviction for treachery and desertion. The information is extracted from Schurch’s Security Service file, KV 2/77, held at the National Archive, Kew, London. Subject: General Court-Martial. No. T/61711 Private Schurch, Theodore John William. To: Commander, Royal Army… Continue reading Schurch Petition
Oosterbeek Walk
Walking around Oosterbeek, you will pass numerous sites of interest to anyone interested in in the Market component of the Market-Garden operation. These sites will also be familiar to anyone who has seen the 1946 British film “Theirs is the Glory” directed by Brian Desmond Hurst. For anyone visiting the Operation Market-Garden area, you will… Continue reading Oosterbeek Walk
Oosterbeek
This article is concerned with the Arnhem Oosterbeek Military Cemetery and the nine war graves located in the Renkum (Oosterbeek) General Cemetery. Both of these cemeteries are located in Oosterbeek, which is a quiet village located in the Gelderland Province. This article also mentions other points of interest in the area concerned with Operation Market… Continue reading Oosterbeek