Royal Canadian Legion

Frans Verhulst

Frank as he likes to be called was born in 1927 and at the age of 13 the Germans had occupied Belgium. It was a very difficult time for a young boy growing up at that time. One evening Frank was walking home, he had a geography book under his arm, the Germans who were suspicious of everyone stopped him and Frank was rifle butted by one of the soldiers which instilled in him a greater hatred for the German occupation. As the two German soldiers left Frank yelled at them “when I grow up I will fight you”… he did not wait that long.

At the age of 14 Frank rebelled against his father who was actually pro German. His relationship with his family grew steadily worse and his home life became impossible. Due mostly to his situation at home Frank would drop out of school to get a job. After various jobs he ended up working for a company at Chievre in Belgium . This company was hired by the Germany to build airfields in northern France . Frank and a friend decided to go to France and ended up working on a German Airfield in Javencourt. Frank as a driver with horse and wagon transported food and materials to the workers. Frank who is fluent in four languages soon gained the confidence of the Germans and was given a job as a courier delivering messages from the Airfield to other headquarters in the area. He also delivered personal letters from the German soldiers too local French girls.

In 1942 at the age of 15 when visiting his family in Belgium Frank had considered working with the Belgium Underground but the Belgium underground at that time was extremely unsafe and infiltrated with German supporters.

Secretary Frank also got involved with the French Underground and was given the code name #14 in the FFI. During assignments given to him by the Germans Frank was also supplying weapons and passed written messages for the French Underground. In March of 1944 Frank was involved with a sabotage operation against the Germans in disabling the communications network between the Airfield and the German headquarters and Command Posts located in the town of Corbeny. Frank was also involved with the transporting to safety of Wing Commander Beatley when his aircraft was shot down by flack.

In July of 1944 Frank set fire and destroyed a German Storage Depot. On 1 August the firm Frank was working for decided to return to Belgium. The Germans were becoming suspicious of Frank noting that he had used his access pass to the Airfield on days he was not scheduled for work.

Fortunately Frank found out about the suspicion and decided to escape. The escape was preformed with the assistance of a friend that was moving his sister to another town. Frank hid in a closet that was part of the furniture being moved. Following his escape Frank decided to return to Belgium which he did on his own. In May or 1944 Frank became a member Belgium AS-AB underground organization. In September 1944 Frank was back in his home town area where secretly the New Belgium Army was being formed. From 2 September Frank and his underground companions were involved in the liberation of his hometown area.

In early September 1944 the Canadians arrived in Belgium and on 18 September Frank was enlisted with the Algonquin Regiment as a scout on a Brencarrier. He was given the uniform of a Canadian soldier L/Cpl Lionel Dent age 24 from Cochrane, Ontario who had been shot in the head. L/Cpl Dent is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery at Adegen, Belgium. The uniform had been washed in kerosene to try and get rid of the blood stains so he didn’t smell that good for awhile but was extremely proud to be in a Canadian uniform. Frank was given Canadian identification papers by Padre Valentine in case he would be captured. The Canadians who could not pronounce his last name gave him the name of Frank Farrow from Baytown River (Woodhill). On his pay book was the number PT 54321 BA. Frank being fluent in English and with his knowledge of the area was able to provide valuable information to the Regiment.

By mid October the Algonquin Regiment prepared to leave the area for Antwerp and Frank was transferred to C Company of the Queens Own Rifles. On 17 October 1944 in an operation in the area of IJzendijke, the Netherlands Frank was wounded (shot in the leg) and taken to the Field Hospital in Eeklo and later moved to the hospital near Brugge.

Following his release from the hospital at the age of 17 Frank joined the newly formed Belgium Army on 9 November 1944 as a volunteer GN/IG21. The Belgium Army came under the British 98th Provost Command and Frank continued to campaign through to Stadt on the Elbe in Germany and the end of the war in Europe. Frank demobilized in 1945 at the age of 18.

Frank has fond memories of the time he spent with his Canadian Liberators. It was the first time in his young life he felt he had a real home. His friends Edward and Ronnie who he was with on the Brencarrier treated him as their son and brother. They taught him what he needed to know in life and looked after him in danger which instilled a great sense of comradeship within him that he will never forget.

Ever since that time Frank has felt partly Canadian. He became a member of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1990 and the modest man he is claims that the most important “Medal of Honour” is his Royal Canadian Legion Membership Pin.

I had the pleasure of visiting Frank at his home recently and was able to view the honours and awards that have been bestowed upon him over the years including a certificate from Field Marshal Montgomery:

MILITAIRE ERETEKENS MET BREVET (Military medals of honour with certificate)

Ridder in Orde van Leopold II

Erkend gewapend Weerstander

Erkend gewapend Partisaan

Oorlogsvrijwilliger 1ste Bataljon (met pugnator)

Oorlogsvrijwilliger strijder

Ridder van het Belgische Kruis

Wereldoorlog 1940-1945 met zwaarden

Bezetting van Duitsland

Medaille van verdienste

Bevrijding van Holland

Gouden medaille van de weerstand

Veteraan van Leopold III met palmen

INTERNATIONALE MILITAIRE ORGANISTATIE (International military organisations)

Distinguished Service Cross

Ridder van het I.M.O.S

Vredes medaille

Medaille van Eisenhower

Kruis van Commandeur

Kruis Groot Officier

BURGELIJKE ERETEKENS (Civilian medals of honour)

Brons-Zilver-Goud Laureaat van de Arbeid

Arbeidsereteken 1ste en 2de klas

Gouden Medaille in de Kroonorde

Brons-Zilver-Goud A.C.V

“Quite a Guy”