(Joure, 1921)

Commander of the 2nd Platoon, 1st Company

Acting as flank protection for the Canadian Army, this ‘Achterhoek army’ liberates villages on the Veluwe from remaining Germans and Dutch Nazi (NSB) collaborators

Feitze was born in Joure (Friesland) on 10 April 1921, the son of Yntze de Vries (a farmer) and Grietje Speelmans. In 1932, in the midst of the economic crisis, his father passed away. Feitze was eleven years old at the time. His mother was left alone with seven children. To help her, Feitze started working in a bakery at the age of fourteen. When he was eighteen, he became a professional soldier in the Marine Corps. He consistently gave 75% of his pay to his mother.

As a marine in Den Helder, he experienced the German invasion and, after the capitulation, joined the Reconstruction Service (Opbouwdienst). By signing the so-called Declaration of Honour, he was allowed to remain at liberty. Meanwhile, he performed work for the secret Intelligence Service and joined a resistance group in Amsterdam. He wanted to fight the Germans from England, but due to betrayal, the crossing—which was to take place by aircraft—did not go ahead. Documents from aircraft manufacturer Fokker were also to be taken along. Feitze was convicted of breaking his Declaration of Honour and spent a year and a half in prisons with a gruesome regime, (concentration) camps, and reformatories in the Netherlands and Germany. His health was severely undermined.

The Aalten Resistance Strike Force

After his release, he soon had to report as a professional soldier. He decided to go into hiding, first in Hummelo, then in Aalten. He stayed with the Heersink farming family on the Kriegerdijk in the Haart area. In Aalten, he co-founded the Aalten Assault Group (Knokploeg) with Cornelis Ruizendaal, Jan Ket, and Jaap Allersma, under the supervision of LO leader ‘Ome Jan’ Wikkerink. His resistance alias was Gerrit. He committed many acts of resistance, such as raids on distribution offices.

On 20 April 1944, the Assault Group was betrayed by SD spy Willy Markus. Feitze managed to escape by picking his handcuffs with a nail he had hidden in his hair. Once back in Aalten, he continued his work. He was a member of the Interior Forces. As such, he took part in weapons droppings, hid Allied pilots, and liquidated a dangerous member of the Landwacht (paramilitary collaborator).

As liberation approached, he gave military training to the Barlo resistance group (in Jan Ligterink’s clog-making workshop). In mid-April 1945, he became platoon commander of the 2nd Platoon of the 1st Company of the Dutch National Battalion. Acting as flank protection for the Canadian Army, this ‘Achterhoek army’ liberated villages on the Veluwe from remaining Germans and NSB members. The company moved further toward Scherpenzeel and Amersfoort.

After the war

When the DNB ceased to exist in July 1945, Feitze signed on for another year. He completed mine-clearing training and worked for the Mine Disposal Service. After that, he worked as an officer in the Royal Netherlands Army. In 1946, he was called up to go to the former Dutch East Indies. Due to the hardships during his imprisonment, his health was too weak, and he was therefore declared unfit for service. After a period as a reserve officer, he went to work for the engine manufacturer DMF in Driebergen. He lived in Utrecht at the time.

In 1950, he married Hendrika Norbart, and in 1952, they became parents to a son, Ronald. In the same year, he received the Bronze Cross from Prince Bernhard for courageous conduct against the enemy. Later, he received the Eisenhower Certificate and the War Mobilisation Cross. In 1957, Feitze de Vries entered the service of the Civil Protection (Bescherming Bevolking) in Utrecht. On 29 October 1965, at the age of 44, he died due to poor health resulting from his imprisonment during the occupation.

Feitze de Vries