(Den Haag, 1923)

Member of the 3rd Company DNB

Humour, warmth, and helpfulness

Jos Zewald was born in The Hague on 11 February 1923; the following year the family moved to Amsterdam. Jos went into hiding in Lichtenvoorde/Zieuwent in 1943 and was later involved there with the Interior Forces, Combat Section. Immediately after the liberation, he joined the DNB under the leadership of Commander Jan Tinge and Platoon Commander Henk Hulshof. Zewald served as an administrator and interpreter for the staff, which consisted of six people. They advanced together with the 47th Regiment, 1st Division of the First Canadian Army.

On 12 May 1945, he signed on for another six months. The army then moved across the Veluwe via Apeldoorn. The third company went to Dodewaard. On 7 June, the company departed for Tiel, where they bivouacked in a school. They had two tasks: guarding several hundred German prisoners of war with horses and burning German military goods and war booty. Dutch Nazi (NSB) collaborators were deployed for the heavy lifting.

He describes the company’s journey; the supplies were enormous. Thousands of rifles, binoculars, saddles, blankets, uniforms, underwear, complete field kitchens, and telephone equipment.

At the end of August 1945, the company departed for Bergen op Zoom, stationed at Roermond, with the task of clearing mines and guarding German prisoners of war, who had to do the heavy labour. Subsequently, they were stationed in Oss for some time. Zewald was discharged on 6 May 1946 in Utrecht. Together with Henk Hulshof and others, he organised the DNB reunion on 18 September 1976 in Groenlo.

Jos Zewald married Mieke Smits, and they had four sons. Jos passed away in Velp on 5 April 1997. His memorial card stated: “His humour, warmth, and helpfulness were qualities that his family and friends valued greatly in him.”

Jos Zewald