(Velsen, 1915)

Member of the 2nd Company DNB

Spy and resistance fighter under German rule

Jacobus (Koos) van der Hoorn grew up in Velsen and was fluent in German, English, and French. During the war, he worked as a customs officer in Netterden, on the German border. Although he wore a German uniform and possessed a pistol, he was secretly active in the resistance. It was through this work that he met Douwe Jilderda. He gathered intelligence, helped downed Allied pilots escape, and passed valuable data to the Allies. When an English aircraft crashed in Megchelen, he quickly seized a map containing military information before the Germans could find it.

Following a weapons drop in the Aaltense Goor, his resistance group obtained twelve weapons. Meanwhile, Koos had access to German battalion information through his supervisor, an SS officer. He forwarded this data to the Allies, who were near Nijmegen at the time.

After the liberation, he joined the Dutch National Battalion. He possessed a wealth of knowledge to assist in the further liberation of the Netherlands. He served in the 2nd Company under the command of Cees van Beem. On 6 May 1946, he received a certificate and a commemorative medal for his contribution to the liberation.

On 5 March 1947, Koos married Betsy van Dielen in Gendringen. Together they had four children. He passed away on 21 October 1984, but his courageous actions remain a testament to his role in the resistance.

Koos van der Hoorn