(Oostellingwerf, 1914)

Acting Commander of the 2nd Company DNB

A Soldier Heart and Soul

Douwe Jilderda was born on 14 June 1914 in Ooststellingwerf, Friesland. In May 1940, he fought against the German invasion as a sergeant in the 9th Infantry Regiment. He was taken as a prisoner of war but was eventually released. Working as a police sergeant, he moved with his family to Velp in 1941 and later to Varsseveld, where he joined the resistance. In his capacity as a police officer, he worked closely with resistance leader Wim Helmink.

In April 1943, when former military personnel were ordered to report for duty in Germany, Douwe went into hiding with his family. They found shelter with resistance families in Westendorp and Noorderbroek. During this time, he lived under the alias “The son of farmer Jansen.” In secret, he trained with weapons and prepared for further resistance operations.

Following the liberation of Varsseveld, Douwe and his comrades set out to capture German soldiers and hand them over to the Military Authority (Militair Gezag). In April, he joined the second company of the Dutch National Battalion (DNB), becoming its acting commander in early July. His unit was tasked with the perilous work of mine-clearing—a duty he later continued within the Royal Netherlands Army.

In 1947, Douwe departed for the Dutch East Indies as a First Lieutenant, stationed in East Borneo.

He returned to Halle in the Netherlands in late 1949 and later moved to Amersfoort. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel but passed away suddenly from a heart attack on 4 March 1969. He was buried with full military honours in Velsen.

Douwe Jilderda