Elshoek/Grevink area, Dale
On 8 February 1945, a mistake bombing took place in the Aalten rural district of Dale, in which eleven people were killed. In memory of these victims, a monument was unveiled in 1988 on the corner of Aladnaweg and Grevinkweg.
Less than three months before the end of the war, on February 8, 1945, American B-26 Marauder bombers took off from their base in Cambrai in northern France. Their primary target was the area around Kleve, and if that was not possible, they had an alternative target at Groenlo. At Kleve it was too cloudy and so they flew on, but also in the Achterhoek the visibility was poor. Just after 11:00 a.m., they dropped 528 fragmentation bombs.
Two hours later, the aircraft returned safely to Cambrai. Their mission report stated: “Impossible to determine further damage or to locate pattern accurately due to 80% cloud cover”.
Death and destruction
The deadly cargo ended up in the vicinity of the Elshoek and the Grevink in Dale, with terrible consequences. The hundreds of splinter bombs caused death and destruction. The shards flew horizontally across the ground and affected both people and animals. Everywhere lay dismembered horses, cows, sheep, chickens and geese. Some farms suffered direct hits.
All doctors, nurses and emergency services were sent to the crash site. In the mud and among the rubble, they provided first aid to the wounded. These were transported on stretchers and ladders to Huize Avondvrede on the Hogestraat. From there, the seriously injured were transferred to the emergency hospital in Harreveld.
The bombing eventually claimed eleven lives and left several people permanently disabled.
Thes laughter offerings
In the kitchen of the Neerhof family’s farm ‘t Olde Nooitgedacht , Joop de Roon from Rotterdam was found dead. At the Glieuwe farm, where the Hogenkamp family lived, daughter Anna and sons Herman and Jozef were killed. The Bekerhuis farm of the Te Grotenhuis family was completely destroyed. There were four victims here: the children Arie and Teun te Grotenhuis and the brothers Hendrik and Gerrit Stronks, who were in hiding there.
Mink van der Harst, from Scheveningen and in hiding with the Eppink family of farm ‘t Nooitgedacht, was fatally hit by shrapnel outside. Brus’ farm was also hit. Gerrit Brus died on the spot, and his wife Sientje Brus-Stronks died a few days later in the emergency hospital in Harreveld.
In addition, bombs also fell in the Haartsestraat. Clarel Smit, who had just left Van Lente’s house, was so injured in his feet and legs that he died four months later in the emergency hospital in Harreveld.
The monument
The monument in memory of the victims consists of four stones, from the remains of the house of the Te Grotenhuis family. Mr. Te Grotenhuis piled up these stones at the place in question after the bombing. For years, the stones functioned as an unofficial memorial. In 1988, at the insistence of the local population, they were recognized as an official monument.
The names of the victims are inscribed on the memorial stone:
- G.J. BRUS 62 YEARS OLD
- G.A. BRUS-STRONKS 63 YEARS OLD
- A.J. TE GROOTENHUIS 12 YEARS OLD
- A. TE GROOTENHUIS 10 YEARS
- M. VAN DER HARST 25 YEARS OLD
- J.M. HOGENKAMP 22 YEARS OLD
- H.J. HOGENKAMP 15 YEARS OLD
- J.B.A. HOGENKAMP 6 YEARS OLD
- J. DE ROON 18 YEARS OLD
- H.W. STRONKS 33 YEARS OLD
- G.W. STRONKS 26 YEARS OLD
Sources
- Aalten in wartime, J.G. ter Horst
- If only I could see them again, the bombing of Dale 8 February 1945, H. de Beukelaer
- On or under, Aalten, the land of the people in hiding and of illegality, G.W. Vaags
- Interview with Karel Aversteeg (Louis Veldhuis and Gerrit Nijman)
- National Committee 4 and 5 May
- National Hiding Museum, Aalten
- Speech by Mayor Stapelkamp, 8 February 2020
