Engelandvaarder

Engelandvaarder, (literally translated as "England paddler") was the term given to men and women who, during the World War II, escaped from occupied territory to England (or another Allied territory) to join the Allied forces so as to continue to fight against the Axis countries (Germany, Italy and Japan). The period covered is between the capitulation of the Dutch armed forces on 15 May 1940 and the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 (D-Day).

In July 1940 three Dutchmen escaped from the occupied Netherlands and crossed the North Sea to England in a twelve foot boat. They were called "Engelandvaarders". Subsequently, more Dutch were able to reach England not only directly by sea or air, but also overland through neutral countries like Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Over 1,700 Dutch men and women overcame many difficulties to travel to England or another allied territory; 332 of them joined the Army, 118 the Air Force, 397 the Navy, 176 the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL), 164 the merchant navy, 111 were secret agents and 129 served with the Dutch government-in-exile in London.

A large number of men and women, however, were killed or arrested on their way to England. Some were shot, most were deported to concentration camps. Some escaped from detention, such as Bram van der Stok, the most successful Dutch fighter pilot in World War II, who escaped with Bodo Sandberg and four other Engelandvaarders from the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III, in a car stolen from the camp commander. Many others were taken to death camps, of which only a few returned to the Netherlands after the liberation.