Hello,
My name is Hank Homburg, I live in Santa Barbara California. My Uncle (Father's
brother) was in the 322 RAF/ Dutch Spitfire Squadron during WWII. Unfortunately,
he was shot down over Holland in April of 1945, one month before the end of the
war.
Your group might be interested in his WWII experience.
He started off in the Dutch Underground. He supplied English intelligence with
information about German movements in and out of the harbor in Ijmuiden, The
Netherlands. He was turned in by a Dutchman (dentist), who was a German sympathizer and
was subsequently captured by the Germans. He was interrogated for 3 weeks in an
Amsterdam prison and was slated to be executed. He managed an escape and made
contact with the Dutch Underground in his hometown of Ijmuiden. He and another
Underground agent then had to leave Holland as their cover was compromised.
They obtained a small rubber raft and drifted out of the Harbor in Ijmuiden near
the Steel Plant. Four days later they were captured by the English Coast Guard
and debriefed.
The English decided to use him again as an "agent" and he was "dropped" into
North Holland once again. It is unclear what his mission was, but when it was
completed, the Dutch Underground , along with the British Coast Guard picked him
up several miles off the Dutch Coast in a small patrol boat.
Once in England, he was again debriefed. He then met with the Queen of Holland
and her husband who were in exile in England. He was then trained to fly
Spitfires and was attatched to the RAF- Dutch 322 Squadron, where he flew
numerous sortes over Europe.
During his assignment with the RAF, he met an English woman who he married and
had a son (My Cousin, Clive Homburg). Unfortunately, one month before the end
of the war, he was shot down in Southern Holland.
It is a remarkable story and one of thousands that show the courageous will and
fight that Europeans once had. Our family is still very proud of his service and
contribution.
My name is Hank Homburg, I live in Santa Barbara California. My Uncle (Father's
brother) was in the 322 RAF/ Dutch Spitfire Squadron during WWII. Unfortunately,
he was shot down over Holland in April of 1945, one month before the end of the
war.
Your group might be interested in his WWII experience.
He started off in the Dutch Underground. He supplied English intelligence with
information about German movements in and out of the harbor in Ijmuiden, The
Netherlands. He was turned in by a Dutchman (dentist), who was a German sympathizer and
was subsequently captured by the Germans. He was interrogated for 3 weeks in an
Amsterdam prison and was slated to be executed. He managed an escape and made
contact with the Dutch Underground in his hometown of Ijmuiden. He and another
Underground agent then had to leave Holland as their cover was compromised.
They obtained a small rubber raft and drifted out of the Harbor in Ijmuiden near
the Steel Plant. Four days later they were captured by the English Coast Guard
and debriefed.
The English decided to use him again as an "agent" and he was "dropped" into
North Holland once again. It is unclear what his mission was, but when it was
completed, the Dutch Underground , along with the British Coast Guard picked him
up several miles off the Dutch Coast in a small patrol boat.
Once in England, he was again debriefed. He then met with the Queen of Holland
and her husband who were in exile in England. He was then trained to fly
Spitfires and was attatched to the RAF- Dutch 322 Squadron, where he flew
numerous sortes over Europe.
During his assignment with the RAF, he met an English woman who he married and
had a son (My Cousin, Clive Homburg). Unfortunately, one month before the end
of the war, he was shot down in Southern Holland.
It is a remarkable story and one of thousands that show the courageous will and
fight that Europeans once had. Our family is still very proud of his service and
contribution.