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Praise from Hans Wustefeld
Dear
Mr Mitchell,
I was born in Holland during the hunger winter
of 1944 with my parents being near starvation. From very
young I remember my parents talking about “manna
from heaven” in the form of Swedish white bread which
was dropped into our village by kind American, Canadian
and British pilots. You guys really saved my life.
I live
now for the last 34 years in England and find it a pleasure
to look after my old friends, the Normandy and other WW2
veterans. Every year I take them out on trips to the continent
to commemorate the liberation and remember the ones who
have given their life.
Three years ago I took a busload
of veterans to my home village of Bodegraven as guest of
the Mayor and people of the village. One Dutch gentleman,
by the name of Gijs Boer, started a small local WW2 museum
to educate young people about the evil of war and the suffering
and sacrifices made by many.
Mr Gijs Boer was in the Dutch
resistance during the war and is quite a local hero. Gijs
Boer is this year invited to be guest of honour of the
Essex Normandy Veterans, during their annual dinner and
dance on the 17th March, 2007.
During my last conversation
with him he showed an interest in getting in contact with
people who know about operation “Manna”. Searching
the internet I came across your interesting website and
moving project to publish a book for children to remember
the real flying Heroes.
I would like to present your book
to Gijs Boer, during the Veterans Annual Dinner and I would
be grateful if you can be so kind to write a little dedication
to Gijs and sign the book.
Thank you very much.
With kind
regards,
Hans Wustefeld’s
Southernhay
Basildon
Essex,
United Kingdom
Dear Hans,
I will be more than willing to
send you a book for Gijs. Your story about Gijs is exactly
the reason the book is written. As a children's book, illustrated
quite nicely, the story will hopefully reach the young
generation and be a reminder to them in their early years
of the sacrifice and bravery of the pilots and crew members,
and of the strong will of the Dutch people.
The only condition,
(and this is all tongue-in-cheek) is that you now have
a quota to fill. Spread the word about the book as it is
not available through Amazon.com or any other such online
retailer. They take too much of the money which otherwise
would be donated to the charities we are supporting with
some proceeds from the book.
I forwarded your note to Mike
Beale, the gentlemen who first told me the story of the
Bad Penny crew, who is the President of the Canadian Historical
Aircraft Association. They are restoring a Lancaster in
Windsor, Ontario and this Lanc will be renamed the Bad
Penny. She flies again!
Please stay in touch. Your involvement
with the Veterans is very touching and honoring them is
what it is all about.
Dear Mr Mitchell,
Thank you for your
speedy reply. I was born in Holland during the hunger winter
of 1944 with my parents being near starvation. From very
young I remember my parents talking about “manna
from heaven” in the form of Swedish white bread which
was dropped into our village by kind American, Canadian
and British pilots. You guys really saved my life.
I live
now for the last 34 years in England and find it a pleasure
to look after my old friends the Normandy and other WW2
veterans. Every year I take them out on trips to the continent
to commemorate the liberation and remember the ones who
have given their life.
Three year ago I took a busload
of veterans to my home village of Bodegraven as guest of
the Mayor and people of the village. On Dutch gentleman,
by the name of Gijs Boer, started a small local WW2 museum
to educate young people about the evil of war and the suffering
and sacrifices made by many.
Mr Gijs Boer was in the Dutch
resistance during the war and is quite a local hero. Gijs
Boer is this year invited to be guest of honour of the
Essex Normandy Veterans, during their annual dinner and
dance on the 17th March, 2007.
During my last conversation
with him he showed an interest in getting in contact with
people who know about operation “Manna”. Searching
the internet I came across your interesting website and
moving project to publish a book for children to remember
the real flying Heroes.
I would like to present your book
to Gijs Boer, during the Veterans Annual Dinner and I would
be grateful if you can be so kind to write a little dedication
to Gijs and sign the book.
Thank you very much.
With kind
regards,
Hans Wustefeld
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