IJlst, commemorative window in the town hall

Location
IJlst, Friesland

Year of unveiling
1948

Designer
Julie Kropholler (design), W.E. Vahrenkamp (production)

Commemorated group(s)
Dutch resistance, Dutch civilians, Soldiers in the service of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 1940-1945, Allied Forces

Description
The commemorative window in the town hall of IJlst (municipality of Wymbritseradiel) is a stained glass lattice window. The left part of the triptych depicts a sailor at the helm against the background of a wild sea. The right part shows a member of the Dutch Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (the war-time domestic forces in the Netherlands) with a stengun against the background of a Frisian landscape with flooded lands in the distance. In the middle the coats of arms of Canada, The Netherlands and IJlst are depicted underneath passing airplanes.

Text in the center of the window
‘R.M. BULL . J.E. LEACH OFFICERS R.C.A.F. [cross] 10-4-1943
RINNERT GERRIT ANEMA [cross] 17-4-1945
JURJEN HOOMANS [cross] 6-4-1945
HENDRIK HUIZINGA [cross] 6-4-1945
JAN NOOITGEDAGT [cross] 14-5-1940
1948’.

Background
The commemorative window in the town hall of IJlst has been erected to the memory of four inhabitants and two Canadian officers who were killed in acts of war during the years of the occupation.

Rinnert Gerrit Anema was born on 24 February 1921 in Witmarsum. He lived in Niezijl near IJlst and worked as an upholsterer. He was buried on the Roman Catholic cemetery in Sneek, where a street has been named after him.
Schelte Bruinsma was born on 8 September 1912 in the village of Pingjum. He was a potato trader and was buried on the Dutch Reformed cemetery in his native village.
Roelof van der Meer was born on 28 November 1918 in Parrega. The 26-year old shopkeeper was buried on the Dutch Reformed cemetery in Parrega.
Hendrik Postma was born on 15 September 1918 in Bolsward. He was a farm labourer in Exmorra and was buried on the Dutch Reformed cemetery.
Simon Klaas Sipma was born on 19 December 1905 in Vrouwenparochie. He was a market gardener in Kimswerd and was buried there on the Dutch Reformed cemetery.
Jurjen Hoomans was born on 5 April 1913 in Eppinghoven (Germany). He worked as a farm labourer in IJlst.
Hendrik Huizinga was born on 26 November 1909 in IJlst. This fisherman was a member of the National Organisation for Aid to Persons in Hiding under the pseudonym Taeke.
Both men were betrayed and arrested on 5 April 1945 when transporting arms for the Knokploeg (‘Fighting Group’). The next day they were executed on the Zandvoorderhoek near the IJsselmeer south of Nijemirdum, together with Herre Winja, Durk Dijkstra and Gerrit Vlietstra. Hoomans en Huizinga were later reburied on the general cemetery in IJlst. The town has named two streets after them.
Jan Nooitgedagt was born on 5 July 1921 in IJlst. He was a boilerman on Her Majesty’s gunboat ‘Johan Maurits van Nassau’. The ship was ordered to set sail for England after having attacked the German artillery on the IJsselmeer Dam. The ship was sunk by bomber airplanes near Callantsoog. Jan Nooitgedagt was reported missing in action. A street in IJlst has been named after him.

On 10 April 1943 the RCAF Mosquito night fighter DZ 743, belonging to the 410th Squadron, was patrolling the south-west of Friesland. The pilot, Flying Officer J.E. Leach and the navigator, Flying Officer R.M. Bull, spotted a train near the railway station of IJlst and opened fire. The enemy returned fire. The Mosquito turned sharply and flew from Oosthem toward IJlst at a low altitude. While they were firing, the right wingtip of their aircraft touched a treetop, careered to the right and headed for the town in flames. The pilot turned his airplane to the left, hit the trees in the Stadslaan and crashed his airplane. Both members of the crew were killed.

Memorial services
None known

The monument was unveiled in the autumn of 1948. The window was originally part of the town hall in IJlst. When this town was incorporated in the municipality of Wymbritseradiel, it was moved to the new town hall.

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