Neil Pronk’s first taste of freedom came in the form of a chocolate bar.
“It was during the liberation, the Canadian army came in and started handing out all of these goodies to children,” Pronk recalled. “They brought chocolate bars, chewing gum, and other treats. We hadn’t had any of these luxuries for four or five years.”
Pronk was just eight years old when the war ended and the Nazis began their occupation of Holland. Born in The Hague, he and his family lived there until 1942, when the Nazis believed that if the Allied forces were to invade Europe, it would begin at The Hague. Families, including Pronk’s, were relocated inland. His family was sent to Rijssen, near the German border.
“This area was primarily farmland, and we were fortunate because the farmers there were able to feed us. Not in luxury, but with the basic necessities,” Neil said. “We didn’t suffer from hunger.”
However, the war still left its mark on the family. One day, Neil’s father was riding his bike into town when he saw a large group of men in the city square. Recognizing the danger, Neil’s father wisely turned back. The German authorities had rounded up 40 men to execute in retaliation for the Dutch underground killing a collaborator.
“There were many close calls,” Pronk recalled. “One day, my father was arrested and sent to a labor camp. We had no idea what was happening to him until one day, I saw someone coming home from a distance. I thought it was a beggar at first, but as he came closer, I realized it was my dad. I was overjoyed that he had returned.”
There was also the terrifying memory of Neil and his father watching German and British planes engage in aerial combat. Neil’s father quickly took him to a ditch, protecting him from the bullets as best as he could.
When Canadian soldiers arrived to liberate the country, the streets filled with jubilant people. Women jumped onto tanks, embracing the soldiers, and the soldiers distributed treats to everyone.
“It was a wonderful day,” Pronk said.
Neil’s wife, Ricky, also lived through the occupation and liberation, though her experience was different. Growing up on a farm, Ricky was somewhat sheltered from the harsh conditions in the cities. “We had a big garden on the farm, and people who were hungry would come by,” she recalled. “I remember one young man who had escaped a labor camp and found refuge with my parents.”
Ricky’s family had connections to the Dutch underground, which helped them know when German soldiers would be searching for young men to send to labor camps. “We would send the young men to hide in the woods,” she said.
Like Neil, Ricky remembers the arrival of Canadian soldiers. “We were told not to go to the soldiers at first, but we did, and they were so generous,” she said, laughing. “My mother would joke that we couldn’t visit the Canadians anymore because we were getting too much chocolate.”
The couple met in church after both families moved to Canada from Holland.
The late Robert and Margaret Anes of Brantford also experienced the hardships of the Nazi occupation and the subsequent liberation by Canadian soldiers. Robert passed away in 2020, and Margaret in 2021, but they shared their story with The Expositor in 2005, marking the 60th anniversary of Holland’s liberation.
Robert recalled the Hunger Winter of 1944-45. “We survived by eating sugar beets and tulip bulbs, which didn’t do much for nutrition but filled our stomachs,” he said. “Many people starved to death during that time.”
When the liberation came, the Dutch people poured into the streets, waving flags and celebrating their freedom. “The nightmare was over,” Robert said. “A few days later, we stood at the edge of town to greet the Canadians, who arrived in jeeps, trucks, and weapons carriers. We greeted them with cheers, flowers, and hugs.”
Private Walter Littell, one of over 100,000 Canadian soldiers who helped liberate Holland, never spoke much about his experiences during the war. His son, Mark Littell, said, “They came home, got married, had families, and moved on with their lives.”
Walter was initially sent to Italy, then moved to Holland as part of the push to liberate the country. He later met Hendrikje Blaauw, whom he married. The Littell family later moved to Burford, Ontario.
Walter’s son, Frank, was 17 when he traveled with his father to Italy and Holland, where they visited people Walter had met during the war. “The Dutch people were incredibly appreciative of the Canadians who had liberated them,” Frank said.
The Dutch remember the sacrifices of the Canadian soldiers, and their gratitude remains strong to this day. The stories of Neil, Ricky, Robert, Margaret, and others highlight the deep bond between Canada and the Netherlands, forged during a time of great hardship and sacrifice.
