Idea

The Island 1944 -1945, 

Schoonderlogt 2019

Hi!


Each sunday my dad and I went to my grandmother's house, where the family gathered.
We, little children, were thought to be playing. We were, but our little ears were large enough to hear lots of stories we didn't understand, but still remember.

Our family was large, and because of that was a complete resistance group during WW2.
When the Germans were planning to imprison my father, he went away.

After arrival in England he joined the RAF.
25 years after the war we both went to one of the families he stayed with.
With his RAF friend we travelled through Scotland, England and Wales, which made me fall in love with the UK and feel at home. This was accentuated when we stayed in London.
A year later we went back with my mother and sister. They didn't share my feelings.

I planned to return as soon as possible, but it took 50 years to find out that I feel more at home in the UK than anywhere else. In the meantime I discovered two Scottish ancestors in my family line and the bonds with the RAF increased.

Because of my gram I became aware that women played a far more active role in WW2 than the schoolbooks taught. We,, women, didn't only take the jobs of the men to keep the country running, we also played a significant role in the Warmachine.
It was known women were an important part of the resistance, and worked the land and in the factories. And we knew women worked in some parts of the army.
But I've lived in the time that it was told women didn't jump behind the lines, didn't fly, didn't.... a lot of things.

The past years there is more known about women in the army.
Yes, women jumped behind the lines. Yes, women were pilots.
I'm sure the coming years will bring even more knowledge.

To honor all those women I dress as a female pilot near re-enactors, and I collect stories of females who played an important part in WW2.
I intend to tell those stories at schools and public events.

As I think that more women want to join me,
I would like to start a foundation to collect those stories, tell them, re-enact them and write down stories we hear.

Who wants to join me?


Update:

We've started: click here


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