1.22.2007
Help Given from West Van
I am very grateful to Sharron Bliss and West Vancouver Legion for their suggestions of how I can look for Perry from Abbotsford. Look for my notices in the Sun and other BC papers. I'll keep you posted. Thanks Sharron!
1.15.2007
Canadian Heros website helps out!
A special thank you to Pat F, creator of Canadian Heros website. He has kindly posted a note in the MIA section, plus under the story section of the website here. Thanks Pat!
Update 2023/06/02: Google flagged this page that it viloates Blogger Community Guidelines, referencing malware. Not sure why, I checked the links to www.cndheros.com and see no malware there. Happy reading!
1.08.2007
The Battle Of Arnhem
By Willy Dirks, Thornloe, Ontario, Canada
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpts from her book she wrote of her life.
War makes animals out of people. We gossiped about the Germans. Rumours were flying all the time. They say ..... and it was repeated immediately. Oh, how we laughed with glee, when we heard some Germans had been pushed in the canals and drowned.
The battle of Arnhem made things worse. Even in Utrecht rather far away, we knew something was going on. We heard the exploding of bombs and saw the planes going towards the East. After the Germans came out the victors of that battle, life became really bad. Our part of the country was completely cut off from the South and East. No food supplies could come in.
It became necessary to do what many others did, jump on your bike and visit the farmers to beg if they could spare some food or exchange bed linens for food. Since Art could not show his face outside, I was the one who had to do it. Rubber tires on bicycles had long since disappeared. They were used to make shoe soles. The tires were replaced by wooden ones or not replaced at all.
Art would look after the children while I rode away on my bike. According to the neighbours he did a terrific job. By 10 o'clock in the morning the kids were clean and dressed and Art was playing the piano and singing to them.
On the three big trips I made I have been extremely fortunate.
My first trip was Southward to Wijk bij Duurstede on the river Lek. At the first farm I stopped, the farmer was red in the face and shaking a fist at a man, riding away towards the road. "Oops, wrong place" was my first reaction, then shyly I approached him. He told me why he was so mad. The man, who just rode off, had demanded part of the farmer's pea crop. No please or thank you, only rude talk. He looked me over and handed me a large bag of dried peas. if the previous beggar (and that was what we were) would have been polite, the bag would have been his.
The bag was so big and heavy, I had to walk home, balancing the bag on my bike. Also I did not have to bother to go to other farms. What loot!
The second time I went eastward towards the Ysel river. Art had baked and packed me some pancakes, at that time a delicacy even when baked in linseed oil. At about 6 o'clock I went to an abbey, recommended by one of Art's agents, to ask if I could stay for the night. They made me fee 1 most we 1 come and the next morning I received, again, a large bag. This time filled with rye. The brothers had been harvesting for a R.C. school and this was extra. Again it was not easy to drag the bag home, but it was sure worth the trouble. I t meant many pots of porridge.
My third trip led me to Apeldoorn. It was bitterly cold. The wind was so sharp, that I decided to wa1k beside the canal to Dieren instead of riding. I was freezing to death, when I came to a small cafe. I walked in just to get warm. It was full of German soldiers in the best of mood. They had decorated a large Christmas tree with phoney Mark bills. They offered me a cup of hot chocolate. Could you imagine chocolate? Then they wished me good hunting. I saw no problem with that. The problems were the Dutch Nazis, who usually took away, what a hungry person had gathered. At one f arm I got a piece of bacon, from another farmer some vegetables. Happy with what I had, I went homewards. My feet were terribly sore and blistered. Therefore I decided to take a short cut through the woods. I did not meet a single person and felt quite ill at ease. Suddenly I saw 5 German soldiers carrying a dead body. Now I was sure I was where I was not supposed to be. I hid behind a tree, put my bike down in the ferns, and waited. The only thing I heard was my heart beating. When the soldiers were out of sight, I raced to where I saw light and some houses, only to surprise a startled guard, who could not imagine how I had ended up in "No man's" land. Well, I did not know either. I showed him my painful feet and he let me go.
At home that night we had a feast of bacon and red cabbage, shared with tante Dien, oom Age and Jenny.
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpts from her book she wrote of her life.
War makes animals out of people. We gossiped about the Germans. Rumours were flying all the time. They say ..... and it was repeated immediately. Oh, how we laughed with glee, when we heard some Germans had been pushed in the canals and drowned.
The battle of Arnhem made things worse. Even in Utrecht rather far away, we knew something was going on. We heard the exploding of bombs and saw the planes going towards the East. After the Germans came out the victors of that battle, life became really bad. Our part of the country was completely cut off from the South and East. No food supplies could come in.
It became necessary to do what many others did, jump on your bike and visit the farmers to beg if they could spare some food or exchange bed linens for food. Since Art could not show his face outside, I was the one who had to do it. Rubber tires on bicycles had long since disappeared. They were used to make shoe soles. The tires were replaced by wooden ones or not replaced at all.
Art would look after the children while I rode away on my bike. According to the neighbours he did a terrific job. By 10 o'clock in the morning the kids were clean and dressed and Art was playing the piano and singing to them.
On the three big trips I made I have been extremely fortunate.
My first trip was Southward to Wijk bij Duurstede on the river Lek. At the first farm I stopped, the farmer was red in the face and shaking a fist at a man, riding away towards the road. "Oops, wrong place" was my first reaction, then shyly I approached him. He told me why he was so mad. The man, who just rode off, had demanded part of the farmer's pea crop. No please or thank you, only rude talk. He looked me over and handed me a large bag of dried peas. if the previous beggar (and that was what we were) would have been polite, the bag would have been his.
The bag was so big and heavy, I had to walk home, balancing the bag on my bike. Also I did not have to bother to go to other farms. What loot!
The second time I went eastward towards the Ysel river. Art had baked and packed me some pancakes, at that time a delicacy even when baked in linseed oil. At about 6 o'clock I went to an abbey, recommended by one of Art's agents, to ask if I could stay for the night. They made me fee 1 most we 1 come and the next morning I received, again, a large bag. This time filled with rye. The brothers had been harvesting for a R.C. school and this was extra. Again it was not easy to drag the bag home, but it was sure worth the trouble. I t meant many pots of porridge.
My third trip led me to Apeldoorn. It was bitterly cold. The wind was so sharp, that I decided to wa1k beside the canal to Dieren instead of riding. I was freezing to death, when I came to a small cafe. I walked in just to get warm. It was full of German soldiers in the best of mood. They had decorated a large Christmas tree with phoney Mark bills. They offered me a cup of hot chocolate. Could you imagine chocolate? Then they wished me good hunting. I saw no problem with that. The problems were the Dutch Nazis, who usually took away, what a hungry person had gathered. At one f arm I got a piece of bacon, from another farmer some vegetables. Happy with what I had, I went homewards. My feet were terribly sore and blistered. Therefore I decided to take a short cut through the woods. I did not meet a single person and felt quite ill at ease. Suddenly I saw 5 German soldiers carrying a dead body. Now I was sure I was where I was not supposed to be. I hid behind a tree, put my bike down in the ferns, and waited. The only thing I heard was my heart beating. When the soldiers were out of sight, I raced to where I saw light and some houses, only to surprise a startled guard, who could not imagine how I had ended up in "No man's" land. Well, I did not know either. I showed him my painful feet and he let me go.
At home that night we had a feast of bacon and red cabbage, shared with tante Dien, oom Age and Jenny.
The Hunger Winter
By Willy Dirks, Thornloe, Ontario, Canada
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpt from her book she wrote of her life.
During the hunger winter, on February 8, 1944, our little Luke (Lucy) made her entrance into the cold world. She took a long time in coming.
Anne and Liz (Elsje) were thrilled about their new sister. Liz’s first words, while petting the little baby, were: "That has no hair!", and indeed Lucy was bald like an eagle.
She was such a cute baby in her pink and white cradle, however the poor little tyke could not get enough food. She became the most pitiful little baby, always crying, always hungry and her little arms and legs looked like purple sausages from the cold. She had big blue eyes, that always showed fear and her hair did not
One time Elsje was ill and we had to call the doctor. Our doctor was not home so a strange doctor came. Lucy was crying in the playpen. She was 8 months old and did not even make an attempt to sit up. The doctor looked after Elsje, and then looked into the playpen. One look and this total strange doctor said: "I have kept one bottle of cod liver oil for an emergency. This is an emergency!"
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpt from her book she wrote of her life.
During the hunger winter, on February 8, 1944, our little Luke (Lucy) made her entrance into the cold world. She took a long time in coming.
Anne and Liz (Elsje) were thrilled about their new sister. Liz’s first words, while petting the little baby, were: "That has no hair!", and indeed Lucy was bald like an eagle.
She was such a cute baby in her pink and white cradle, however the poor little tyke could not get enough food. She became the most pitiful little baby, always crying, always hungry and her little arms and legs looked like purple sausages from the cold. She had big blue eyes, that always showed fear and her hair did not
One time Elsje was ill and we had to call the doctor. Our doctor was not home so a strange doctor came. Lucy was crying in the playpen. She was 8 months old and did not even make an attempt to sit up. The doctor looked after Elsje, and then looked into the playpen. One look and this total strange doctor said: "I have kept one bottle of cod liver oil for an emergency. This is an emergency!"
Andy and Perry
By Willy Dirks, Thornloe, Ontario, Canada
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpts from her book she wrote of her life.
ANDY AND PERRY
The first Canadians we ever met became fast friends. Art (Dirks) came home one day and had met these two fellows, who asked him if he knew somebody willing to se 11 them his or her camera. "Of course," Art had said. "Come to my home tonight and I will have a camera for you." Where to get one was now his problem. He talked my uncle into selling his camera.
Would they come? Promptly at 7.00 p.m. 2 Canadian soldiers arrived on 1 bicycle. I invited them in for tea. Tea??? It was dried linden leaf tea without milk or sugar. We chatted for a while and learned their names and where they came from. Andy from Medicine Hat and Perry from Abbotsford B.C. They politely declined the tea.
With the camera they disappeared together on the one bike. Imagine our surprise when they returned an hour or so later, carrying a large bag with .... Real tea, canned milk, sugar, jam and real coffee. We could not believe it.
They both worked in the army kitchens. From that moment on I would receive a call on Friday mornings. "Willy, what do you need this week?" They delivered my order promptly on Friday night and stayed for the weekend. We introduced them to the neighbours and had many a nice evening.
One weekend they went to Brussels for a change of scenery and came back with a doll for each of the girls, a bottle of cognac for Art and a box of chocolates for me.
They stayed in the area for about four months, and then were allowed to go home to Canada. For a long time we stayed in touch with them. They were the nicest young men to meet.
Life was getting normal again. We had gas and electricity again and heat for the winter. Our only worry was: "No word from Indonesia yet".
Date mid 1980’s
Excerpts from her book she wrote of her life.
ANDY AND PERRY
The first Canadians we ever met became fast friends. Art (Dirks) came home one day and had met these two fellows, who asked him if he knew somebody willing to se 11 them his or her camera. "Of course," Art had said. "Come to my home tonight and I will have a camera for you." Where to get one was now his problem. He talked my uncle into selling his camera.
Would they come? Promptly at 7.00 p.m. 2 Canadian soldiers arrived on 1 bicycle. I invited them in for tea. Tea??? It was dried linden leaf tea without milk or sugar. We chatted for a while and learned their names and where they came from. Andy from Medicine Hat and Perry from Abbotsford B.C. They politely declined the tea.
With the camera they disappeared together on the one bike. Imagine our surprise when they returned an hour or so later, carrying a large bag with .... Real tea, canned milk, sugar, jam and real coffee. We could not believe it.
They both worked in the army kitchens. From that moment on I would receive a call on Friday mornings. "Willy, what do you need this week?" They delivered my order promptly on Friday night and stayed for the weekend. We introduced them to the neighbours and had many a nice evening.
One weekend they went to Brussels for a change of scenery and came back with a doll for each of the girls, a bottle of cognac for Art and a box of chocolates for me.
They stayed in the area for about four months, and then were allowed to go home to Canada. For a long time we stayed in touch with them. They were the nicest young men to meet.
Life was getting normal again. We had gas and electricity again and heat for the winter. Our only worry was: "No word from Indonesia yet".
Starting the Search for Two Canadian Soldiers
I am looking for two Canadian WWII soldiers who saved the life of my mom and her family. The parents were Ad [Adriaan] and Wilhelmina [Willy] Dirks. They had 3 very young girls, Anke, Elsje, and Luke. Canadian soldiers saved them from starvation during World War II. Chris Duke [me, the grand child] is trying to find the identity of these two Canadians to thank them personally. Their names were Perry and Andy. Andy was from Medicine Hat and Perry was from Abbotsford, B.C. They worked in a Canadian mess tent in Utrecht we think. They brought food to the family. They were looking for a camera and my Opa Ad brought them to their house.
What would I like to do if I find them? If they are willing, I'd like to make a documentary about it. I'd like to bring them to meet my Oma and her family in Thornloe, Ontario. A story, maybe a short book, and maybe on film.
This blog is the story and resource I am using for this search.
If you have any information, please contact Chris Duke here.
Email Chris Duke!
What would I like to do if I find them? If they are willing, I'd like to make a documentary about it. I'd like to bring them to meet my Oma and her family in Thornloe, Ontario. A story, maybe a short book, and maybe on film.
This blog is the story and resource I am using for this search.
If you have any information, please contact Chris Duke here.
Email Chris Duke!
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