Author: Hans Onderwater This book by Hans Onderwater is the standard work about the food drop missions over Occupied Holland with a bundle of information, photos and first hand accounts of the hunger winter and the food drop missions.Jim Murphy
When we were told that we were to drop food, a big cheer
went up in the Briefing room, every member of our Squadron was delighted and we
eagerly went on this mission. After we took off from our Airfield in Witchford
we first had to get used to flying much lower than normal. Once over Holland I
remember seeing people, people and more people. They were everywhere. The
streets were crowded, some were on the roofs, holding on to chimneys, leaning
out of windows and all were waving with handkerchiefs and sheets. Then suddenly I saw a railway station and to my astonishment I was able to read the name ROTTERDAM MAAS. That was the moment that I realized how low we were flying. Next thing was the drop area; to me it looked very much like a racecourse. We came lower still so the food would not be damaged too much. I could not believe my eyes when I saw people running onto the field at the same moment we were dropping the bags. They just did not think of the danger. They must have been very hungry.
When all the bags had been released we circled to clear the
drop area. I then saw a message in white sheets, it just said "GOD BLESS
YOU R.A.F". My eyes had been teary throughout this mission but that
message made the tears flow. When we got back to our Sqd. all seven guys in our
crew were red eyed.
