(Lichtenvoorde, 1919)

Commander of the 3rd Platoon, 3rd Company DNB

Solidarity within his platoon

Henk Hulshof was born in Lichtenvoorde on 20 January 1919. He aspired to become a teacher and, in 1938, began teaching at his old primary school. Following the mobilisation, he returned to Lichtenvoorde.

His neighbour Joep ter Haar, alias ‘Piloten Joep’ (Pilot Joep), involved him in the resistance work of the Lichtenvoorde ‘pilot line’. He assisted in sheltering downed pilots and prisoners of war who had escaped from Germany, helping them on their way to Brabant or Limburg. French and Belgian men escaping from the camps were also aided by Henk Hulshof and his resistance comrades, and he was involved in resistance operations and nocturnal weapons drops. In May 1944, when Ter Haar was forced to go into hiding, Hulshof continued the pilot assistance work alongside Gert Reinders and Hendrik Leemreize.

In early 1945, he helped RAF pilot Stan Hanson go into hiding with the Te Lindert family in Barlo. The two remained lifelong friends.

After the liberation, Hulshof joined the Dutch National Battalion. Serving as a platoon commander and interpreter, he assisted the Canadians during the liberation of the Veluwe (including Apeldoorn and Harderwijk) and in blocking the retreating occupying forces. He left the battalion in July 1945 and returned to Lichtenvoorde. He maintained contact with Hanson throughout his life and contributed to publications regarding the DNB.

Henk Hulshof passed away on 7 July 2000 in Lichtenvoorde.

Henk Hulshof