Stories – Their Story

Coming soon: Ida’s story

2nd story of the KLM-series
During WW2 approximately 2,150 Dutch managed to escape the occupied Netherlands with the intention to go the England or another allied country, to join the allied forces to the fight against the enemy. They took different escape routes, over sea, land and air. They were the so called Engelandvaarders (England Voyagers). They carried out different jobs for the Dutch government or the allied.

Only 68 of the Engelandvaarders were women. They usually ended up in an office job as a host, secretary or work in administration. But there was one woman, a KLM hostess, who would not settle for a desk job and had her mind set on working for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) for the RAF. The only Dutch girl to have ever worked for ATA.

3 March 2025

The remarkable life of Trix Terwindt

1st story of the KLM-series

Trix’s story is not an ordinary one. She was one of the first Dutch air hostesses, that came to work at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in 1937. Aviation was still in its infancy and she enjoyed an adventurous life. Air hostesses were famous back then, she became a celebrity. Then the WW2 broke out and the Netherlands were occupied. Trix refused to accept her fate and managed to flee to Britain, where she was recruited by Captain Airey Neave to become a spy for room 900, the most secret department of MI9. Her job was to set up a pilot escape line for allied pilots in the Netherlands, so they could return home again. Trix fell victim of the counterspionage ‘Englandspiel’. She was awarded multiple medals.

15 February 2025

Podcast the recovery of the BK716 Stirling

Listen to the Unconventional Soldier Podcast about the recovery of the Stirling BK716 in the Netherlands.

We also discuss the Dutch remembrance culture and the Hunger Winter.

30 January 2025

In Time: The loss and recovery of a Short Stirling crew

The Stirling BK716, a British WW2 bomber, which crashed in Lake Markermeer, the Netherlands in 1943, is one of those stories that should not be forgotten. In 2020 the wreckage was recovered, commissioned by the municipality of Almere. BK716 had seven crew members on board, five of whom were British and two Canadian. In 2022 the crew members were buried, in presence of their family members.

Twelve students from the Netherlands, the UK, Canada and Germany worked jointly to bring BK716’s story alive through a digital magazine. A heartfelt tribute to the downed crew of BK716.

30 March 2023