In memory of the thirty-two young Dutchmen
who tried to escape to England by kayak
during World War II to join the Allied Forces.
Eight of them reached the English coast.

The last living survivor dedicated this memorial
to his brothers in arms who were less fortunate
he reached England – and freedom -
on this beach on 21 september 1941.

During World War II, some 1700 Dutch men & women escaped Nazi-occupied Holland by crossing the North Sea from the Netherlands to the UK in every sort of craft. They were called the Engelandvaaders. In August of this year three British paddlers, Alec Greenwell, Ed Cooper & Henry Franks, will attempt this hazardous crossing in their memory. The paddlers will be following a route that brothers, Henri and William Peteri took some 70 years earlier; launching from Katwijk, just north of The Hague and heading west across the channel to land on the beach at Sizewell in Suffolk, UK. It took the Peteri brothers about 56 hours to make the crossing, the 2011 team hopes to cover the 118 mile route in about 30 hours.  What makes this historic crossing so challenging is that they will be padding against a constant natural current through some of the busiest shipping lanes on earth.  This will certainly be one to watch.  Continue reading →