Extract from the book On to Victory from Mark Zuehlke:
Captain Robert H. Parkinson's platoon from 1st Canadian Armoured Brigad, Royal Canadian Army Service Courps, was first to enter hte German lines. Each truck had a white flag mounted on the front fender, but the drivers all had a weapon discreetly hidden in the cab and were under instructions not to get out of the truck for any reason. "We knew we were taking food to the Dutch people. It was interesting and somewhat scary as we passed German soldiers who were fully armed and probably the were as interested or frightened as we were... We offloaded the food at the side of the road and turned it over to some kind of Dutch authorities... They took charge of the food and we didn't at any time have ... contact with the Germans." The twelve platoons continued moving food into Holland even after the war ended, delivering the last thousand-ton allotment on May 10.

Friesch Daglad Friday 4 May 1945

Richly loaded trucks drive into Holland - Prelude to Victory

English and American bombers have again dropped another 2700 tons of food over occupied Holland since Wednesday. The ships that carry food will from this moment on go directly to Amsterdam. Trucks are now bringing in supplies as well. A place has been assigned within the German lines, where every truck can drop off ten tons of supplies. Every convoy is accompanied by a jeep carrying a white flag. Canadian MP's were posted on several places while further up the road German SS-men were posted. The convoy were greeted by cheering crowds: Dutch people helped to unload the trucks. It was clearly noticeable that the hunger had weakened the people. Some took the liberty to taste a biscuit in advance. The transport-system worked smoothly. Dutch policemen were present at the supply dumps. The Canadian Army has provided 200 trucks for the transport of the food to the different places. The river ships will also be called upon for aid. The Germans have agreed to make the rivers accessible again. Food from Switzerland will be brought through the Zuiderzee directly to Amsterdam. The transport though the air can provide 30 million rations.

The New York Tribune writes that the remarkable agreement on which the port of Rotterdam and certain roads have been opened, might be a sign that the end of German occupation is coming near.

<< BACK     FORWARD >>