My family was a resistance-group during WW2.
They lived in an area where many parachutists landed (Operation Market Garden). The town most of them lived in was front city for a relatively long time.

In 1942 one of the members was caught by the Nazis.
He was a priest and his activities consisted (among others) of hiding aircrews and bringing them to people who transported them across the border.
The Nazis interrogated him, but he said nothing. At last they executed him.

I don't know if this was the reason my father left home. The Arbeitseinsatz might have been a reason too.
My father went to England and joined the RAF.
In spring 1943 he went to Canada (disembarked in Nova Scotia) for training and education.

We still don't know much about his time during the war.

He worked for the RAF during the war. He was registered 15 march 1945 because he became of age then His service number was 2795320.

After 25 year he returned to the people he stayed with during WW2 in Wolverhampton. He took me with him.
One of the WW2 girls Cathy, probably nee Ball, had married in the meantime. So we stayed with Family Brotherton. (They had 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys)
His friend Ron drove us around the UK and took us to many important places: like the Lake District, and told many stories, among them about the Dambusters.
It not only created my love for the UK, but also my interest in the RAF.

My fathers army chaplain: Richard Stoffels SJ, lived near us.
He was a dear family friend and when I married he visited not only my parents, but also my home often, until his death.
He taught me everything he knew about Veterans Care, expecting me to have an active role in the RAF. That I got a few children with special needs prevented this.

I wanted to become a parachutist, but my dad was firmly against it. He told me he jumped once and would never do it again.

To my surprise my second son told me many years later that he wanted to become a parachutist.
He now is one. Jumps with a round canopy commemoration jumps.

I joined his parachutist group as a volunteer and that was the start of meeting my now English friends. They invited us over to Remembrance Day and 50 years after my first visit to the UK I entered English soil again.

We are a small group now visiting Remembrance services in The Netherlands and the UK, some are part of a parachute group and jump at historical places, including Normandy.

Even though I am not working for the RAF, I support veterans with PTSD.

We have good friendships with veterans of the AAC.