RAF Rear Gunner

Dan Cooper · Apr 9, 2021

Theo L. said: ↑

Tony Camenzuli landed in Kreyel, hamlet of the Bocholt village. I live in the next village, east of Kreyel. Tony twisted his right ankle hitting the ground. Some people he met: Frans Bas ("Franz"). Frans was a carpenter and hid Tony in a small room that he had built above his workshop. Tony hid there until he had recovered. He also met Henri ("Harry") Geunis, butcher in Bocholt and Mrs. Bijvoet (M.D. as far as I know). At that time there was an American called Clerkin who stayed in Bocholt for some time. I can try to provide more information if required but will have to translate that first.
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Hi,

This is very interesting. Please do provide more information if you're able to I would love to know more about any of this.

Dan Cooper · Apr 9, 2021

Jac. said: ↑

Dear all,
What a wonderful stories coming together! Maybe I may add a possible link on the line between Bocholt and Antwerp, although it seems a detour.

In the documentation of resistance group 'De Vrijbuiters' of Maarheeze (not far from Bocholt in Belgium), next to over 20 aircrew members helped by this group, also 4 names of members of allied planes, connected to Maarheeze are mentioned, among who is "Sgt. Camenzuli. A.M.P. Leichester. England".

The writer, Dick Albers, one of the members of this resistance group, is unsure what the connection to 'De Vrijbuiters' group of Maarheeze had been. However, it is sure that this group, led by mr. Harrie Semler and his wife Catharina (Trien) Semler-Hendriks from their caravan in Maarheeze helped, as mentioned, over 20 documented allied crew members via the Budel (Netherlands)-Hamont (Belgium) border to the Belgian resistance (Secret Army/White Brigade). Several members of the Maarheeze group were members of this Belgian organisation too. Among the Maarheeze resistance group were some ('mounted') policemen, active at the nearby border between the Netherlands and Belgium. Thus, this group was part of/or linked to especially the Cometline, via Antwerp, France, Spain, to Gibraltar and back to the UK. All this, knowing that his name however is not mentioned on the Comet line website Sélection des fiches (evasioncomete.org) .
In E & E reports the 'stopover' in Maarheeze is often mentioned after this caravan, as Harrie Semler asked the crew members to mention 'The (little) red wagon'. So that stands for the Vrijbuiters group, for the Semlers, of Maarheeze (often wrongly indicated and located on the Cometline website). The airmen came from all directions, for sure some of them also from the nearby Limburg region (where also Bocholt is).

My question: could A.M.P. (Tony) Camenzuli have been helped from Bocholt via the connections in Weert/Stramproy, via this Maarheeze group, as that mentions his name? @ Dan Cooper: is there any clue for this in the writings of your great-uncle Tony?

As historian, tracing the history of the Maarheeze resistance group, I am most grateful for any information on this subject.
Thanks very much in advance!

Jac. Biemans
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Hi,

I will have to take another look to see if I can find out anything. If I do I'll let you know on here.

alieneyes · Jun 27, 2022

After talking with Graham (ozzy16) it occurred to me that we had never finished with F/O Schnobb, he of the buried treasure in his saviour's yard. Schnobb was always in the Ottawa newspapers during the war thus we get a closer look at what he went through. Given he was 10 years older than his crew, his time in bandit country could have ended a lot worse than it did.

Regards,

Dave

ozzy16 · Jun 27, 2022

Cheers Dave,
It fully explains the whole incident that day.

Graham.

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