Aart van de Heg

Lunteren 15 Nov 1908 – after 1970

Aart van de Heg, Wilhelminastraat 21, Barneveld, US helper file 286699369 (his questionnaire, p. 5)

About: The form made out for Dries Klooster's household after his death records that Tex Banwell was received from A. v.d. Heg of Barneveld on 20 November 1944 and sent on to the "Rüdolfstichting" (◐ the Rudolphstichting, the children's village at De Glind) (Klooster's file, page 3). ◐ He is very probably Aart van de Heg, a grain merchant of Barneveld whose house was a transit address for evaders, whose form of May 1946 lists the Kloosters among his contacts and has him working with Albert van Meerveld, "his chief" in the interviewer's words (p. 8).

Unit or role: Grain merchant (graanhandelaar) (his marriage, 1943; the handwritten reply to the American office, 1946, p. 10). Helper: "contactaddress LKP" on his questionnaire of August 1945 and "OD" on his form of May 1946 (p. 5; p. 8); Grade 4 on the British index of Dutch helpers and on the cover of his American file (page H/6; p. 1).

Where: Wilhelminastraat 21, Barneveld, in 1945 and 1946 (p. 5; p. 8), and "21-23" in the handwritten reply of 1946 (p. 10); still at Barneveld in 1962 and 1970 (below).

Evidence: ✓ his own helper file, US National Archives 286699369 (pp. 1–20); ✓ one line on Klooster's form for Banwell ("K.D. Barnwell", 20-11-44, read on the image); ✓ the British index of Dutch helpers, page H/6; ✓ the Kew catalogue entry for his award (WO 208/5455/172); ◐ the Kew card-index entry (WO 208/5275/2514), tied to it by a shared former reference, with a different birth date; civil records, index summaries (the folder); ◐ that the "A. v.d. Heg" of Klooster's form is Aart rests on the initial, the town and the Klooster link.

✓ He was born at Lunteren, in Ede municipality, on 15 November 1908, the son of Aart van de Heg, a farmer (landbouwer) of 37, and Aaltje van Veelen (the birth, index only). He married at Barneveld on 24 March 1943: Aart, 34, a graanhandelaar (grain merchant), born at Ede, and Johanna Gerharda Knottenbelt, 25, born at Barneveld, the daughter of the grain merchant Jan Cornelis Knottenbelt (the marriage, index only). Mrs Heine of Barneveld's file gives him the same trade, "A. van de Heg. Grain-merchant. Wilhelminastraat, Barneveld" (her summary, p. 5, image-checked). His questionnaire of 24 August 1945 has him born at Ede on 15 November 1908, married, with two children (their age given as "2"), his next of kin "J.G. v.d. Heg-Knottenbelt", 27, and known to the Allied men as "Aart" (p. 5, read on the image).

The remarks field of his questionnaire, ◐ evidently the interviewer's (it speaks of him in the third person and gives "my opinion"), says:

Have sheltered a total amount of 58 evaders, some for a longer time, others only for a short while. He doesnot know all the names. Those, who stayed longer, are mentioned overleaf. His address was used as a transitaddress. He gave away the following articles: 1 suit, 1 mackintosh, size 38, 1 sweater, 2 pair socks, 1 set of underwear. It is requested to give a compensation. In my opinion, Heg is considered to receive a reward.

— US National Archives · RG 498, helper file of Aart van de Heg · questionnaire, 24 August 1945 · p. 5

The American summary sheet of 8 January 1946 has "some for as many as 20 days and others for but a short time, sometimes a partial day", and reports "Lt. Kragt", the English officer in charge of evasion in the area, ◐ Dick Kragt (the sheet gives only the surname), as saying that "he was extremely active and most cooperative in placing his home at the disposal of the evasion leaders" (p. 4).

• The men he named. His table of August 1945 has A. Bolland and P. Quilliam ("Quileam") of the 1st Airborne Division from "beg. Oct. 44", 20 days each, from A. Roelofsen of Lunteren; W. Gordon, also 1st Airborne, from "half Dec. 44", 14 days, from the widow v.d. Mheen of Lunteren (◐ Jacoba van der Mheen-van Schothorst, mother of Wim and Henk, whose own form has Gordon with her from 25 October: her file, p. 4); and two Americans, J. Low and D. Smith, from "end Oct. 44", 14 days, from J. Buitenhuis of Apeldoorn; all "crossed" (p. 6).
  • His table of May 1946 dates them differently and adds two Americans known only as "George ??" and "Regs ??"; of William Gordon it says he "was ill and had to be nursed for a few weeks" (p. 9; the differences are below).
• His chief and his contacts. The form of 22 May 1946 lists his contacts as "van Meerveld Zwartebroek", "Klooster D 71 Amersfoortscheweg Barneveld" and "Rouwenhorst. Nykerkerweg Barneveld" (p. 8), and says:

Mr. van de Heg worked with van Meerveld (his chief) and with some helpers in Ede and Apeldoorn. Does not remember many names but thinks that about 50 paratroopers and pilots came through his house, most of them for a very short time. This fact was confirmed by Mrs. Heine. Barneveld. who mentioned Mr. v.d. Heg as one of the most active helpers of the town.

— US National Archives · RG 498, helper file of Aart van de Heg · form of 22 May 1946 · p. 8

• Mrs Heine's house. Mrs Heine-van Bentum's table has "Dr. J. LAWSON", 21 days, from "A. v.d. HEG, BARNEVELD.", and passed on as "Crossed on his own account."; her summary says paratroopers she took in later "were escorted by v.d.Heg" (her table, p. 3; her summary, p. 5; image-checked).
• The Kloosters' house. Besides Banwell (With Murphy), the form made out for Klooster's household has eight more men received from "A. v.d. Heg, Barneveld" (his file, p. 3, read on the image, where the ditto marks under his name run down to the last row):
  • Baatow (RAF), Voss and Hale (USA) on 12-10-44 and Bright of the "1e Airb. Div." on 15-10-44, all "crossed";
  • C. B. Noble, the doctor Charles Noble, sent on with Banwell to the "Rüdolfstichting";
  • A. R. Kubly and J. A. Murell (USA) and J. Stursen of the "1e Can. Scott. Regt.", 23-11-44, sent on to C. Lof of Barneveld.
• In other helpers' lists. ◐ That each "Heg" below is Aart is our reading, from the name and the town.
  • Diet Eman of Group Hein, who worked with Van Meerveld, listed "Aart Heg, Barneveld." first among the people she knew who helped Allied men, with the Kloosters, in February 1946 (her form, p. 2).
  • In May 1946 she gave "Aaart Heg Romeynstr. Barneveld.", and her table, which names Banwell among the men she helped, has "Heg Romeynstr." among "The addresses were they sheltered" (p. 7; p. 8).
  • The Van Nispen tot Sevenaer father and son, of De Ruif at Garderen, each listed an "A. Heg" at Barneveld among the helpers known to them, the son "A. Heg, Barneveld" and the father "A. Heg Barneveld." (the son's form, 31 May 1946, p. 2; the father's, p. 4).
• ⚠︎ An "A. Heg" at Lunteren. Hendrik Borgers of Lunteren had two paratroopers, George "Mijers" and Ronald Baker, from "A. Heg. "De Biezen" Lunteren, op 21 Oct. 44.", and took them to Heelsum "voor overtocht naar de Betuwe bij de Hoofdmacht" (for the crossing to the Betuwe, to the main force) (his table, p. 4, read on an enhanced scan). Aart was born at Lunteren, but nothing on the form says this "A. Heg" is him, or that De Biezen is his address and not a place he handed them over at.

No source puts him with Murphy. His part in Murphy's story is through Tex Banwell, who had joined Murphy's party on 29 October 1944 (Hardy) and was with him on Pegasus II.

• The Klooster household's form has "K.D. Barnwell | 1e Airb. Div. | 20-11-44", received from "A. v.d. Heg, Barneveld" and sent on to the "Rüdolfstichting" (Klooster's file, p. 3), ◐ the Rudolphstichting, the children's village at De Glind (as Charles Noble's page has it). Hardy's report has his own small group setting off at about 0300 on that same 20 November, when "Sgt. BANWELL decided to remain with the larger party" (Hardy).
• Aart van de Heg's own lists do not name Banwell; they name only the few men who stayed longer (p. 5).
• Banwell was in the party that set out from Amerongen to cross the lines on the night of 2/3 January 1945, in which Schjelderup lost "Capt. NOBLE, Sgt. TEX (?) [BANWELL], Pte. MURPHY" (Schjelderup's report, transcript).

• Mrs van de Heg, 1946. The American report on Albert van Meerveld, written on 24 May 1946 (p. 6), names "Mrs. van de Heg" among its witnesses at Barneveld, beside Mrs Klooster and Mrs van der Woerd (its report, p. 5, image-checked).

• October 1945. The action report of the conference of 16 October 1945 has no award grade filled in: "Stated to have sheltered 58 evaders, only 5 named." (p. 7).
• November 1945. On 23 November 1945 he signed a receipt for "1 Food parcel" and "1 Suit material", issuing officer "van Schuppen" (the receipt, p. 15, read on the image).
• February 1946. On 23 February 1946 Capt. Charles A. Byron recommended him for the Medal of Freedom (Basic Medal), for service "from Sept. 1944 to Dec. 1944"; the detachment's commander approved it the same day and the G-2 office endorsed it "Approved." (p. 16; p. 17; read on the images).
• April and May 1946. On 11 April 1946 the office wrote asking for his next of kin and his own trade; the handwritten answer gives the relationship, in Dutch, as wife, without her name, the address "Wilhelminastraat 21-23. Barneveld", and "Graanhandelaar en Grossierderij" (the last word read with less confidence) (p. 10). The folder cover has "Grade 4" and "Conf 49, 10-5-46" (p. 1), and the form of 22 May 1946 (above) is headed "Capt. JOHNSON." (p. 8).
• The Dutch clearance. ✓ The Ministry of the Interior wrote to Lt Felix Bilgrey at Wassenaar on 8 August 1946 that it had no objection to an American decoration for "Aart van de Heg, Wilhelminastr. 21 te Barneveld", with Dirk Wildeboer, C. A. Wolzak and Herman Folmer (the letter, image-checked; the extract in his own file, p. 3).
• The award. ✓ General Orders 238 of the US Forces, European Theater, 21 August 1946, award the Medal of Freedom without palm to "Aart van de Heg, Dutch Civilian -- September, 1944 to December, 1944"; his file holds a copy, his name marked in red in the margin, and a printed "CITATION FOR MEDAL OF FREEDOM" with his name typed in (p. 19; p. 20; read on the images).
  • ⚠︎ A MIS-X memo of 9 June 1947 names three helpers of GO 238, Doornebosch, Christina van der Burg and Lambert (Lambert's award in GO 238 is the posthumous one), whose award General Orders 310 of 31 October 1946 revoked, and asks whether that had been a clerical error (Doornebosch's file, p. 4); the 1946 return memos for GO 310 list four, the name beyond those three being Jan J.J. van Kluyve (pp. 13, 14). GO 310 itself is not held, and neither the memo nor the return memos name him.
  • Nothing held says when, or whether, the medal was presented to him. Joop Doornebosch, whose award GO 310 revoked, is ◐ listed among those decorated at the ceremony in Utrecht on 12 March 1947; the Utrechtsch Katholiek Dagblad's roll of honour for the province of Utrecht and around has two Barneveld names, J. Bol and C. Lof, and not his (the article, read on the page image).

• ✓ The British King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom: the Nijmeegsch Dagblad of 7 July 1948 announced that the ambassador would present it at the Binnenhof in The Hague on Thursday 8 July to "Aart van de Heg, Barneveld", among others (the article); the article announces the ceremony and does not report it.
• The National Archives' catalogue has the award on a Military Intelligence record of 7 June 1946, with his birth date, "Place of birth: Ede", "King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom" and "Duration of service: 1944-1945" (WO 208/5455/172, catalogue text; the file itself not seen).
• ◐ A second Kew entry, in the nominal card index of escape and evasion records (WO 208/5275), has "Aart Van De Heg, born: 12 February 1897; nationality: Dutch" and "Award: Kings Medal : Reference: BM/4056" (WO 208/5275/2514, catalogue text; not digitised). Kew gives both entries the same former reference, M.I.9/19/BM/4056, which is what ties the card to the award; its birth date differs from his (below).
• The British index of Dutch helpers has him as certificate 21142, "v.d. HEG, Aart", "Wilhelminastr. 21, Barneveld", Grade 4 (page H/6, read on the photograph, where the grade column sits a little above the names).

• ◐ His father, Aart van de Heg, a farmer, died at Ede on 15 March 1948, aged 76, and his mother, Aaltje van Veelen, at Ede on 1 March 1960, aged 84 (1948; 1960; index only; that these are his parents rests on the names, and for the father the trade and an age that agrees with his birth deed).
• ✓ "J. G. VAN DE HEG-Knottenbelt" and "A. VAN DE HEG", of Barneveld, were among those who gave notice of the death of Rijkland Knottenbelt-Schut (the notice dated Barneveld, 26 October 1962; Trouw, 29 October 1962, read on the image), and of her widower, Jan Cornelis Knottenbelt (dated Voorthuizen, 6 August 1970); that notice set condolence calls for "Wilhelminastraat 21 te Barneveld" (Trouw, 10 August 1970, read on the image).
  • ◐ That they are Aart and his wife, and the dead her parents, rests on the surname, Barneveld, the wife's maiden name and the Wilhelminastraat 21 of his forms; neither notice gives his first name.
• No record of his death has been found.

• His birthplace. Ede on the Kew record, his marriage deed and his own forms; Lunteren on the birth deed, which is in Ede's register; ◐ reading the Ede of the forms as the municipality, the two agree (the birth).
• ⚠︎ His birth date, on the card. The Kew card index has him born on 12 February 1897 (WO 208/5275/2514).
  • ✓ The Kew award entry has 15 November 1908 and Ede (WO 208/5455/172); the birth deed (the birth) and his questionnaire (p. 5) have the same date; the marriage deed has him 34 on 24 March 1943, which fits 1908 and not 1897 (the marriage).
  • ◐ The card is his, on the shared reference and the name, so the 1897 is most likely an indexer's slip. Nothing says how it arose, and a second Aart van de Heg born in 1897 is not ruled out, only unsupported.
• His name. Klooster's form has "A. v.d. Heg", which can be read as "van der" or "van de"; Aart's own forms give "van de Heg" (p. 5), though the receipt in the file prints "A. v.d. Heg" (p. 15); Diet Eman and the Van Nispens write "Heg" alone (Eman, p. 2; Van Nispen, p. 2).
• His street. Wilhelminastraat 21 in his own file and the Dutch clearance (p. 5; the letter), Wilhelminastraat with no number in Mrs Heine's (Heine, p. 5); "Romeynstr." in Diet Eman's form and table of May 1946, the street she gives for Van Meerveld (p. 7; p. 8).
• How many men. 58 on his questionnaire of August 1945, "about 50" on the form of May 1946 (p. 5; p. 8).
• His two tables (p. 6; p. 9):
  • Bolland and Quilliam: "beg. Oct. 44", 20 days, both from A. Roelofsen of Lunteren, on the first; "Sept. 44", 3 weeks, Quilliam from "'t Loo Jan Buitenhuis Apeldoorn" and Bolland from "A. Roelofsen Ede", on the second.
  • Gordon: "half Dec. 44", 14 days, from the widow v.d. Mheen of Lunteren, on the first; "Dec. 44", "3/4 weeks", from A. Roelofsen of Ede and passed to "Two helpers of Roelofsen EDE (both dead)", on the second.
  • The Americans: two, "end Oct. 44", on the first; four, "Nov. 44", on the second.
• Dr Lawson. Mrs Heine's table has him from "A. v.d. HEG" for 21 days; her summary has him with her "for a month" and handed over, with Berry and Cox, by Van Meerveld (p. 3; p. 5).

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