Hi, I’m Lilian van Mourik. I live and work in Almere, in the Netherlands. For the past several years, I’ve been the project manager for the recovery of the WWII bomber Short Stirling BK716, which was found in Lake Markermeer and recovered in 2020. 

This recovery was part of the Dutch National Programme for Aircraft Recoveries, launched by the government in 2019. Over a ten-year period, about 30 WWII aircraft will be recovered across the country—especially those where there’s a strong chance that crew members are still missing. The goal is to help families find closure and finally lay their loved ones to rest.

BK716 was the third aircraft recovered under this programme. It crashed in 1943 during a mission, carrying seven crew members—five British and two Canadian. During the recovery, we found human remains. In 2021, we held a ceremony in Almere with the families, where we unveiled a monument called Rise in honour of the crew. A year later, the men were buried with full military honours at Jonkerbos War Cemetery in Nijmegen.

Since then, I’ve continued to be involved—not just as a project manager, but also as an advisor for the National Programme itself. It’s incredibly meaningful work, and I’m proud to help guide future recoveries and remembrance efforts across the country.

Meeting the relatives was one of the most meaningful parts of the journey. The pain of not knowing what happened to a loved one—even after 80 years—is hard to imagine. Being able to give families answers and a place to remember their father, uncle, or brother has been a true honour.

The story of BK716 is much bigger than just one plane. It reminds us that freedom has a price. By remembering these stories, we keep their legacy alive and can learn from the past to build a better future.

That’s why I teamed up with 12 students from different countries to create BK716’s E-Magazine. And one thing led to another. I worked with the British production company North One on Guy Martin’s Lost WW2 Bomber, which tells the story of the Lancaster E603. I also joined the Unconventional Soldier podcast to talk about BK716, Dutch remembrance culture, and the food drops that saved millions during the war.

Through all of this, I’ve learned how powerful stories can be. Even though different countries share the same history, the way we tell and understand those stories can vary. That inspired me to create this website—to share Dutch history, stories about our Dutch and Allied heroes, who helped shape the free country we live in today.

I also launched the Holland’s Hidden Heroes podcast for kids and families worldwide, co-hosted by 11-year-old Colin. What better way to pass on stories than through the next generation?

I hope these stories remind us all—young and old—that freedom may never been taken for granted.