Brinkgreve, Hendrik “Henk”.

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Brinkgreve, Hendrik “Henk”, born 06-06-1915, in Utrecht, Netherlands. His grandfather Martinus Brinkgreve was a journalist and editor of the Utrechts Dagblad newspaper. His father Marius Brinkgreve was director of the medal department at Begeers Zilverfabriek in Voorschoten, and his mother was Antoinette, born Bosman. His aunt Willy Brinkgreve was a doctor but also wrote two children’s books. His brother Geurt Brinkgreve was an artist. Henk was a reserve officer in the Dutch armed forces and was mobilized during the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. After the German occupation, he fled to England. As an officer in an Allied commando unit, the Small Scale Raiding Force (code name No. 62 Commando), he carried out a successful raid on the Casquets lighthouse. Brinkgreve was put in charge of a mission in the Netherlands by a so-called Jedburgh team from the Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten (Special Assignments Bureau), the Dutch counterpart of the Special Operations Executive. He was given the temporary rank of reserve major in the Artillery. On the night of September 11-12, 1944, this Jedburgh team, codenamed Dudley, parachuted into Wierden, Overijssel. Lancker and the sabotage groups from Nijverdal and Daarle were responsible for receiving the paratroopers. The Jedburgh team consisted of Dutch Major Henk Brinkgreve (code name Dudley), American Major John Malcolm Olmsted , and British Sergeant John Patrick Austin (nickname Bunny).

From the moment he arrived in Twente, Brinkgreve put a lot of energy into coordinating the Council of Resistance (RVV) and the Knokploegen (hit squads) in Twente, one of the most important of which was led by Johannes ter Horst. The American Olmsted was an agent of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Henk was mainly involved in gathering military intelligence. Through radio operator Austin, he was in direct radio contact with the military intelligence organizations in on and with the Wensun radio station operating behind the advancing Allied armies. Among other things, Austin was given a hiding place and signal address in Daarle. From there, he worked closely with his colleague, radio operator Jacob “Jaap” Beekman of the BBO. Jaap survived the war and a eventually passed away at the age of almost 91, 15-11-2010..

Death and burial ground of Brinkgreve, Hendrik “Henk”.

On 05-03-1945, he was discovered in Losser by a Landwachter and a Dutch SS officer. He resisted arrest and was shot. On 18-04-1946, he was appointed Knight of the Fourth Class in the Military Order of William. In 2013, a monument in his memory was unveiled on Deppenbroekweg in Losser.

Brinkgreve, Hendrik “Henk” is buried at the Enschede Ooster Cemetery in Enschede, Enschede Municipality, Overijssel, Netherlands, Perceel Graf 27A.

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