(Overveen, 1922)

platoon commander 1st company Dutch National Battalion

Henk van ’t Lam, alias ‘Lange Henk’, a natural leader with charisma

Hendricus Theodorus Ignatius (Henk) van ’t Lam was born in Overveen on January 22, 1922. His father was a physical education teacher at the Kennemer Lyceum and was appointed inspector for physical education by the ministry in April 1941. Henk attended the Nautical College in Den Helder. At the beginning of the war, he attempted to escape to England, but the attempt failed. In mid-1943, through the National Organisation for People in Hiding, he went into hiding with the Duthler family in Varsseveld. Later, he stayed at various addresses on the Heelweg and in Zieuwent.

Resistance work and leadership

Henk was part of the resistance in Varsseveld, Aalten, and Zieuwent. He became friends with two local resistance leaders: Riep Knottnerus (the minister’s son) and the administrative official Maarten van Prooijen. This trio operated independently and cautiously to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Henk was known as a charismatic and natural leader, fully committed to his mission.

In September 1944, he became a member of the Home Forces (BS) under the alias ‘Lange Henk’. He formed his own armed platoon of six people in hiding and farmers’ sons. At the request of Jan Ket of the Aalten combat group, this group was merged with other resistance groups from Aalten and Zieuwent. This resulted in the formation of an assault platoon stationed in farms around the Somsenhuis in IJzerlo. Lange Henk trained here intensively with weapons for three weeks, together with Wim van der Veen and the Allied pilots Frank Dell and Joe Davis.

When this became too dangerous, the group moved to the condemned farmhouse ‘De Bark’ in IJzerlo. The group grew to 35 people, consisting of former military personnel, seven Allied pilots, two Poles, one Frenchman, and two Alsatians (German deserters). Jan Ket (alias ‘Zwarte Jan’) was in command, with Lange Henk as his deputy. The military training of the ‘Barkianen’ group was extremely strict. Zwarte Jan and Henk warned the Barkianen: if you are captured, you will find yourself in a situation where you will betray others. Remember, the last bullet is for yourself!

When the first Allied weapon drop took place in the Aaltense Goor at the end of October 1944, Lange Henk received instructions from the pilots in hiding on the use of the dropped weapons and assisted in recovering these weapons at various addresses.

The tragedy of De Bark

At the end of February 1945, the tragedy of ‘De Bark’ took place. Three German officers and their driver were captured and asked to desert. They refused, after which they were hanged. Three Barkianen transported the bodies in a German staff car to the border of Aalten and Varsseveld. Explosive charges were set, matches applied, and then there was one minute to get away. The intention was for everything to be incinerated, but that failed. The occupier’s retaliation was horrific: on March 2, 1945, 46 resistance members from De Kruisberg prison were executed by firing squad at Rademakersbroek.

De Bark had already been evacuated. The sections dispersed to various locations. Lange Henk left with his section for the Te Lindert farm on the Heelweg. Weapons were still stored there, and the training of the Varsseveld resistance took place. When German assault guns were billeted nearby, he asked GP Brinkman for a declaration of infectious disease around the farm. This allowed the group to continue training.

Liberation and later years

On March 29, Zwarte Jan’s courier came to him with orders to return to IJzerlo because the Allied army was approaching. On the eve of the liberation, Lange Henk fought with ten combatants in the vicinity of the Slingebeek. During this action, he was wounded in an arm and a knee. He was treated for six weeks in the emergency hospital in Aalten. On May 4, 1945, having more or less recovered from his injuries, he reported to the Dutch National Battalion; that same evening, news of the capitulation reached the army.

After the war, he married Antoinette van der Zijden. They settled in Overveen, where three daughters were born. Henk van ’t Lam became the director of a sports company that was part of De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam. He joined the RAF Escaping Society in England and helped establish its own Dutch branch, which also maintained contact with Prince Bernhard.

In the 1980s, he looked back on his resistance past during an interview. He wondered if the tragedy of De Bark had been necessary and deeply regretted the victims and the chaos, although he simultaneously realized that it had also saved the lives of Allied pilots and many residents of the Achterhoek. Van ’t Lam maintained contact with his comrades until an advanced age, particularly with Jan Ket and Frank Dell. Around 1990, he attended a Vera Lynn show in London together with Frank Dell.

Vera Lynn, Frank Dell, Henk van ‘t Lam (1990)