Verification of Dutch resistance work/downed airmen aid, call for help

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

On behalf of a collegue of mine, I was asked to post this call for help. Anyone with information, please contact Jean-Emile Veth directly.

My name is Jean-Emile Veth. I am a researcher of the 1940-1945 Foundation in Diemen, the Netherlands. The foundation handles applications from Dutch former resistance participants and their descendants in WWII. For a current application I am looking for confirmation of the resistance activities of a Dutch citizen, who brought British (and other allied) airmen of crashed aircraft in the vicinity of Venray, Limburg (The Netherlands) to safety in the years 1941-1944. It concerns Adrianus Cornelis Antonius (Ad) van Schendel, born on 12 July 1910 in Breda. He was head of the voluntary fire brigade of Venray during WWII. Do you know a person with this name, he was probably rewarded (with a Tedder certificate?) for his resistance activities/airmen's aid. Is there a possibility to get confirmation of his work in helping downed Allied airmen in WWII, possibly in the form of an award certificate from the British and/or American Government postwar?
Any help much appreciated.

Jean-Emile Veth
Stichting Pelita/Stichting 1940-1945
Tel.nr.: + 31 88-3305135/+ 33 (0)6-13518702
Email: J.E.Veth@pelita.nl

[edwest2]

Hello,

It is very difficult to locate an individual among the many who were involved. I hope the following is helpful:

https://wwii-netherlands-escape-line...h-helper-list/

Best,
Ed West

[RSwank]

On the site Ed linked above, Schendel's name does appear on the Breda page here:

https://wwii-netherlands-escape-line...t-breda/breda/

His name thus appears in the British Records as a helper.

His name also appears on this page: https://wwiinetherlandsescapelines.f...2012/05/s4.jpg


The number in parenthesis is an "Award Grade". 5 was the most common number given. An award grade of 1 would be given to someone who ran a large escape line according to this link: https://airforceescape.org/contacts/ (Search for award on the page.)

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks Ed and Richard -I will pass these useful links to my collegue.

Cheers, Theo

[RSwank]

The American records for Dutch citizens proposed for awards (the records are not on-line) has a file folder for an A C A van Schendal (different spelling of last name) here:
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/38981644

"Possibly" the same man.

Rolland

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks a lot Rolland for this additional info -I will pass this onto my collegue as well.

Cheers, Theo