Groenwoud, Jacobus “Jaap”.

Groenwoud, Jacobus “Jaap”, born 08-11-1916, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Jacobus Groenewoud, who was 30 and his mother, Hendrika Wilhelmina, born de Klerk, who was 27. Groenewoud was an atypical soldier. Groenewoud was an adventurer who loved drink and women. Jacobus grew up in the Indische Buurt neighborhood in Amsterdam-Oost, where he successfully completed both the 3-year and 5-year HBS (Hogere Burger School, or higher civic school). In February 1934, Jacobus joined the Holland Africa Line Agency in Amsterdam. He was a small, fragile man with poor eyesight. He wore glasses with thick lenses. For this reason, he was rejected for military service in the 1930s.

In 1935, he was rejected for military service because of his poor eyesight. In July 1938, before the war broke out, he emigrated to South Africa, where he worked for the Holland Africa Line Agency until March 1940. After the German invasion on 10-05-1940, he reported to the Dutch envoy in Pretoria for military service with the KNIL, The Royal Dutch East Indies Army ,in the Dutch East Indies. In September 1941, “Jaap” was finally approved for military service. In January 1942, he left for Great Britain with other South Africans of Dutch descent to undergo military training. Upon arrival in England, they were assigned to the first battalion of the Princess Irene Brigade. The Royal Netherlands Brigade ‘Princess Irene’ (PIB) under command of Lieutenant Colonel Albert Cornelis de Ruyter van Steveninck,

was a Dutch army unit that originated from Dutch troops who managed to escape to England in May 1940 and further consisted of England sailors and Dutch nationals from abroad who fulfilled their military service with the Brigade or voluntarily joined the Brigade.

The South Africans were known there as the “South African” or “Springbok” company.  Under the Dutch lion, they were allowed to wear an orange springbok emblem.

Jacob Groenewoud was soon selected for training as a reserve officer and was seconded as a lieutenant to various British units. He then volunteered for special assignments in occupied territory and, together with Lieutenants Hendrik “Henk” Brinkgreve,   Arie Dirk “Harry” Bestebreurtje, and Jaap Staal, was trained by the SOE and the OSS as a “Jedburgh officer.” Operation Jedburgh was an Allied operation during the final years of World War II. Special units were dropped by parachute or glider behind enemy lines in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands to carry out sabotage and guerrilla actions.

Groenewoud was assigned to the British 1st Airborne Division, which was scheduled to land near Arnhem on September 17, 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden. He was commander of the Jedburgh team ‘Claude’, which also included American Captain Harvey Allan Todd and Sergeant Carl Alden Scott. In connection with this mission, he was promoted to temporary captain on September 14, and the Jedburgh team ‘Claude’ was added to the staff of the first parachute brigade that would land on the first day.

Death and burial ground of Groenwoud, Jacobus “Jaap”.

The team would come under the command of city commander Colonel Hilaro N. Barlow once Arnhem was completely occupied. Colonel Barlow left the Hartenstein Hotel by jeep during the morning of 19 September with the task of coordinating the attack on Arnhem. He was reported to have been killed in the Utrechtseweg/Onderlangs area together with his batman, L/Cpl Raymond Singer.

On September 17, Groenewoud landed with the rest of the 1st Parachute Brigade at Wolfheze. Together with the brigade staff, he followed Lieutenant Colonel John Dutton “Johnny” Frost‘s  2nd Parachute Battalion and reached the Rhine bridge at Arnhem in the evening.  On September 18, the British units at the bridge found themselves cut off from the rest of the division, and their radios were not working properly. On 19-09-1944, Jacobus Groenewoud was killed while attempting to break through the encirclement to make contact with the rest of the division. After the war, British Major James Anthony “Tony” Hibbert of the 1st Parachute Brigade wrote a report, after which Jacob Groenewoud was nominated for a posthumous award.

Jacob Groenewoud, age 43, is buried at the Airborne War Cemetery in Oosterbeek, Plot XX (B), Grave 12. A  section of the Rijnkade, opposite the John Frost Bridge, was renamed Jacob Groenewoudplantsoen years ago.

Part of the Rijnkade, opposite the John Frost Bridge, was renamed Jacob Groenewoudplantsoen years ago. There is an information center about the Battle of Arnhem at this location. Visitors can view objects and listen to stories related to the Battle of Arnhem free of charge.

Message(s), tips or interesting graves for the webmaster:    robhopmans@outlook.com