Dutch man who went to US for training during WW2

Hi I'm new here and I'm not sure if anyone can help, but it's worth a try.
My grandfather, Jan-Frederick Wilmink was born in Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands 29 Dec 1911.
The family tradition/story is that he was working in a saw mill in Netherlands during WWII when he redirected a Nazi order to the allies. Then to avoid the Nazis he left "under the cover of night" to Scotland where he boarded a ship to the US, to serve in the war with the promise of citizenship in the US after. Once there he went to Wilmington where he did initial training. He was placed with other Dutch citizens and they were shipped out to take up arms. They were a day or two off landing when surrender and the end of the war was announced so they were diverted to Indonesia instead. He was wounded soon after arriving there and was discharged. He then sent for his wife and daughters to join him in Indonesia.
So far I have been unable to find any proof of any part of the story except that my mother (the eldest daughter) has told me all this from what he told her.
Can anyone suggest where I can look for information, please?

 

Hello BFlynn,

Looking here may give you some leads to follow up;

Dutch Marines to East Indies Train at Camp Lejeune. |

Please look at the "comments" section further down the page in the link above. There are links within there that folks who have followed/are following the same route as yourself have used and found useful.

Also, for a broader overall picture of the times regarding The Netherlands, resistance, escape, and service you may find this of interest (please look past the out of chronology/time/place inserted clips that the production company were furnished with/used in the making of this short movie. Just listen to the man's words. Filmed surrounded by (and with questions from) his extended family (sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren))



His book has some pages and photographs of Dutch Marines in The Dutch East Indies immediately post war.

https://www.amazon.com/Gratitude-My...=My+Last+Word+Arie+Noot&qid=1578920193&sr=8-1

Good luck with all your endeavours.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

You mean this Jan Wilmink

Jan Frederick Wilmink
1911–1977
BIRTH 29 DEC 1911 • Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands
DEATH 2 NOV 1977 • Sandringham, Victoria, Australia

Spouse: Anna Josephina Wilhelmina Flos
Father: Hermannus Cornelis Wilmink
Mother: Willemina Magrieta Marsman
Children:
Birth: 29/12/1911 Zwolle Zwolle Overijssel Netherlands
Death: 02/11/1977 Sandringham Victoria Australia
Residence: 1963 Nedlands Western Australia Australia

From a family tree on Ancestry - they may have more details or conversely they may wish to add any information you have

TD

Jan Frederick Wilmink 1911 - 1977 BillionGraves Record

 

You may wish to register with our sister site which is based in the USA - http://ww2f.com/ as he apparently travelled on a US ship then it is unlikely there will be any record in the UK of his trip, plus during WW2 any military ships did not allow civilian records to be kept of passengers etc. The sister site may have some members who are Dutch and specialised in this area

Good hunting and please let us know any news

TD

 

Try to obtain his military papers from the Dutch archives. As I am researching the Indonesian revolution I feel confident I can help you with papers which might give you some idea of the war. Send me a PM with your mail address and let us find out.

By the way do your grandfather left a photo album and medals behind??

 

Hi,

I noted mention of an Australia link in TD’s post so I’ve done a name check on the Australian Archive and got this hit -

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...ports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=32337588&isAv=N

The document hasn’t been digitised yet so you will have to order a paper copy. Seems to prove some military service was declared during the pre arrival application process to enter Australia.

Good Luck

Steve

PS

I may as well add the link to another 2 mentions of him - his arrival in Freemantle May 1949 and a sequestration order in 1951.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...ports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=22907639&isAv=N

 

Tijger

You may need to contact the original poster as I believe new members cant send PM's or conversations as they are now called until they have reac hed 5 posts or something like that - however there is nothing stopping you sending them one

TD

 

Yes TD this is him, and I believe I am the person who put this information together on Ancestry.
B

 

Thanks Steve, I will take a look
B

 

Thanks Jim,
I will have a look today
B

 

Hi TijgerB,
My mum has photos of when they lived in Indonesia as a family, but we have nothing from my Grandfather's time there before that. He worked in, and I believe managed a saw mill there for a while before moving to Australia in 1949. Mum said they lived in "a big house near a river, and there was a native kampong just across the river". Mum was 5 years old at the time.
As for sending you a PM, I don't know how to do that. TD said I may not be able to that you might have to PM me and that is fine with me.

 

Hi,

You just need to click on his Avatar and a new box will open. Click on “Start a conversation” and a text box will open for you to write a message... .

 

Thanks Jim
B

 

Sorry meant to say: Thanks Tullybrone
B