Rouwenhorst Jan, born on 20-10-1915, in Zelhem, 
Netherlands, the son of Hendrik Jan Rouwenhorst and Hendrika, born Arendsen. Jan had two brothers and a sister: Herman, Hendrik (Henne), and Reina. After elementary school, he went to trade school where he earned his diploma after three years. After this, he worked as a blacksmith-bank worker at the Harmsen blacksmith shop in Hengelo, Gelderland.
On 19-08-1935, Jan was drafted as a regular conscript of the 1935 intake from Hengelo, Gelderland into the 11th Infantry Regiment. After his training, he was granted leave on 01-02-1936, and returned to service on 11-04-1939.
Jan Rouwenhorst was a soldier in the 2nd company of the 1st battalion of the 35th Infantry Regiment (2-I-35 RI) during the mobilization. 
Jan above on the right. This regiment defended the sector on the west side of the IJssel River near Wilp. The 35th Infantry Regiment (35th RI) was a Dutch army unit established in 1939 during mobilization, originating from the 11th Infantry Regiment, and participated in the defense of the Netherlands along the IJssel in May 1940; 
after the war, it merged with other regiments and eventually became part of the Regiment Limburgse Jagers, which continues its traditions. 2-I-35 on a groin on the IJssel River. In the middle is Sergeant Constantinus Petrus Hendriles Dietvorst
and on the far right is Jan Rouwenhorst sitting. Dietvorst born on 05-03-1909, in Nijmegen, in the family of Constantinus Petrus Hendrikus Dietvors and Anna Johanna Maria Kempen. In the ensuing fight at “Het Soerhuis,” he died along with soldier Jan Rouwenhorst, age 24. Four hours later, the situation in Wilp had become untenable, and Major Tromp decided to surrender after all. 
2-I-35 RI: Sergeant Dietvors, age 31, standing on the left and Private Jan Rouwenhorst kneeling on the right.
Sergeant Dietvors was temporarily buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery in Bussloo, municipality of Voorst. In 1976, he was reburied at the military cemetery on the Grebbeberg in Rhenen, Row 10, Grave 1.
Death anf burial ground of Rouwenhorst Jan.
Jan sitting on the right.
On 17-05-1940, Jan Rouwenhorst, aged 24, was buried with great interest in Hengelo, Gelderland. His neigbor is Hendrik Enzerink 
Hendrik was the second Hengelo military man to die in those early days of the war: Jan Rouwenhorst, a great-nephew of Hendrik, died on May 11th near Wilp. In 1941, Jan Rouwenhorst and Hendrik Enzerink were reburied in Hengelo. This happened very early in the morning, at half past six, so the Germans wouldn’t notice anything. Only immediate family was present. The Van de Weer sisters (Jo Michels and Riek) later secretly laid wreaths on the two graves on Queen’s Day.
War graves fall under the care of the War Graves Foundation. The maintenance is funded by this foundation. When it was noted during an inspection in 1985 that the grave was slightly deteriorating, it was proposed to have the remains of soldier Rouwenhorst transferred to the military cemetery on the Grebbeberg in Rhenen. This was also often done for cost reasons. But in a conversation with the foundation, the mayor of Hengelo indicated that this was not desirable because the grave served a binding function for the local population in relation to commemorating the victims of World War II.
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