(Amsterdam, 1916)

Member of the 1st Company DNB

At the forefront of the resistance as ‘Rooie Ton’

Ton van Maanenberg fought against the German invasion in May 1940 as a sergeant with the 7th Infantry Regiment. As a customs officer in Aalten, he subsequently became involved in the resistance. In April 1943, he went into hiding following the occupier’s summons for Dutch officers to work in the German war industry.

The Aalten Resistance Strike Force

Known by his codename ‘Rooie Ton’, he joined the Aalten Knokploeg (Assault Group), which carried out sabotage actions and assisted people-in-hiding. Under the leadership of ‘Ome Jan’ Wikkerink, he worked closely with comrades such as Jan Ket, Henk van ’t Lam, Ben te Brinke, and Feitze de Vries.

Weapon Drops and the NBS

In September 1944, he became a member of the Netherlands Forces of the Interior (NBS), District 5, under the command of Bob Krul, the later commander of the Dutch National Battalion (DNB). Van Maanenberg organised Allied weapon drops and provided training to resistance groups in preparation for the approaching liberation.

The DNB and Departure for Australia

Following the liberation of Aalten, Ton joined the Dutch National Battalion. On 16 April 1945, he stood at the front of the parade on the Market Square in Aalten. He later assisted with the guarding of prisoners of war and mine clearance. In 1952, he was awarded the Bronze Cross for his courage and leadership. Later that year, he emigrated with his family to Australia. He rarely spoke about his resistance activities afterwards.

Ton van Maanenberg passed away on 13 January 1995 in Melbourne, Australia.

Ton van Maanenberg