(Leeuwarden, 1914)

Commander of the 1st Company DNB

A Brave and Decisive Leader

Jan Ket, known by the alias “Zwarte Jan” (Black Jan), served in the Royal Netherlands Navy before working as a customs officer in Aalten from 1940. In 1943, he went into hiding and co-founded the Aalten “Knokploeg” (Assault Group) with Cees Ruizendaal (alias “Zwarte Kees”). The group raided distribution offices to obtain ration cards for those in hiding. In April 1944, a weapons transaction turned fatal; Ruizendaal was killed, and Ket was captured. He managed to escape during transport to Vught concentration camp alongside Feitze de Vries (alias “Gerrit“), after which he formed a new armed resistance group in Aalten.

In the summer of 1944, Ket was ordered by Bob Krul to form a 40-man storm platoon. Together with Henk van ’t Lam, he trained the group at the “De Bark” farm in IJzerlo. They prepared for the liberation by carrying out parachute weapon drops and sabotage operations. Ket later took full responsibility for the events that led to the reprisal execution of 46 men at “Rademakersbroek.”

In March 1945, Ket gathered intelligence on German troop movements and travelled with Allied pilots to Prince Bernhard’s headquarters. He returned on 30 March for the liberation of Aalten. His resistance group formed the 1st Company of the Dutch National Battalion (DNB), which contributed to the liberation of Twello, Apeldoorn, Kootwijkerbroek, Nijkerkerveen, Bunschoten, and Spakenburg.

Following the German capitulation, Ket led his company in mine-clearing operations and joined the Royal Netherlands Army. He served in East Java and eventually attained the rank of Major.

He was honourably discharged in 1970. His comrade-in-arms Henk van ’t Lam described him as a brave leader who always led by example. Jan Ket passed away in 1985 in Amersfoort.

Jan Ket