The man was P.H. de Winde at 19 year old he was an operator with the Dutch Resistance from Breskins, Holland. This group and its members had been working on a plan to assist the Allies in breaking the German defences in the West Zeeland Flanders area of the Scheldt Estuary in 1944. Peter De Winde held the code name "Gentil" and knew the exact strength and location of the German Forces in this area. In addition the resistance was able to gain information from the German Headquarters in Oostburg of the exact location where they had constructed a radar and radio site at the entrance of the Breskens harbour in 1943.
By the middle of September 1944 the resistance's biggest problem was to survive with the remainder of the Dutch people in the enclosed enemy area of the Scheldt Pocket. This area was under continual artillery and air attacks by the Allied Forces from the south. Imagine the feeling of these people when Typhoon Aircraft of the Allied Tactical Air Force subjected the town of Groede, which had been declared a Red Cross Casualty District, to an air raid.
By this time the Resistance had made contact with the Allied Forces in Schoondyke by means of an underground radio. Their aim at this point was to inform the Allied Forces of the existence of Fort Fredrik Hendriks in Breskens. This fort and its many defences were well known to the Resistance as they had made a study of it with the intention of passing this information on to the Liberators.
As it became more difficult for the Alleys to break into the Breskens Area from the south, due to the flooding and the stiff German defences. A new plan must be developed to approach Breskens by water from the north. For this someone had to make it through to the Allies with the information on hand to assist in solving the current problem holding up the allied advance.
For this reason on the night of the 27th and 28th September Peter de Winde, dressed in the uniform of a Canadian Airmen who was shot down and killed in the Breskens area (Flight Lieutenant Gordon), swam out into the Scheldt in the direction of Terneuzen, Belgium. At the beginning he had taken a rubber dingy from the downed aircraft. Unfortunately it soon sprang a leak and he had to swim. The water was very cold but he pressed on past the mouth of the Braakman Inlet. After a gruelling eight hour struggle he finally arrived at the Terneuzen Breakwater that was in Allied occupied territory.
From here he made his way up to the Local Allied Commander who sent him on to Eeklo, Belgium where the Headquarters of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division was located. At this period of the War 4 Div. H.Q. was located 1.5 km from Eeklo at the Vervierkasteel Dam 44 in the District of Waarschoot. Capt. Surluck the Division Intelligence Officer met Peter de Winde. The Captains first comment was "Peter this is your big day"!
With the information provided by the Resistance to the Canadians it was decided by the middle of October the 4th Division would drive on toward Antwerp. The 9th Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Division would attempt the sea landing at Hoofdplaat in the Breskens Area.
Peter de Winde was referred to as "The Dutch Expert" or at times "Peter the Dutch Representative". He was brought by jeep to the 9th Brigade Headquarters in Sas van Ghent. Here he met with Major General J.M. Rockingham DSO. He was questioned at great length about the German Forces, defences, tank traps, dykes, outposts, bunkers etc. etc. in the Breskens Areas.
After this Peter de Winde continued to serve with the Canadian Brigade during the landing at Hoofdplaat and the cleaning of the Breskins Pocket including the liberation of Knokke-Heist and the capture of General Eberding.
Later Peter de Winde joined the Netherlands Navy as a Lieutenant serving in Korea, New Guinea and Indonesia. He also served with the NATO as Convoy Commander of the Royal Dutch Navy until his retirement.
Peter de Winde was awarded the decoration of "The Dutch Bronze Lion" by Queen Juliana on 6 October 1952 for his action in the West Zeeland Flanders Liberation.
He was also a holder of:
"The War Remembrance Cross" (Lan K) (OHK-1)
"The Resistance Cross" (VKH)
"The Justice & Freedom Cross" (KRV)
"Service Cross Naval Officers" (25 Years)
"The UN Service Medal PUC (Korea)"
Peter had also been awarded the following certificates:
"Certificate of Appreciation from Air Chief Marshal Tedder"
"Certificate of appreciation from Dwight D. Eisenhower,
for the rescue and escape of Allied Airmen"
Peter de Winde was sworn in as a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Benson & Harper Branch 002 during a ceremony at the 45th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands on 05 May 1990.
In the early spring of 1992 Peter was awarded the Royal Canadian Legion Friendship Award by the Zone Commander, Thomas J. Andrews at a ceremony held at the Legion Branch 002 in Lahr Germany.
Peter will forever remains in our memory following his death in the late 1990's.