Date of birth:

June 22nd, 1905 (Werkendam, the Netherlands)

Date of death:

April 30th, 1945 (Fortress De Bilt, the Netherlands)

Buried on:

Dutch War Graves Protestant Cemetery Werkendam

Nationality:

Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Arie van Driel was an inland skipper from Werkendam. When war broke out in 1940 he soon became involved in the resistance and was active within the L/O and KP Land van Heusden en Altena. After the liberation of the Southern Netherlands, on the night of November 5-6, 1944, he was the first Werkendammer to cross through the Biesbosch. Ultimately, as a Line Crosser for the Albrecht Group and the Intelligence Bureau, he would make 53 crossings, making him the one with the most crossings to his name. During these trips right through the front line, passengers and intelligence were transferred, and on the way back they mainly brought back weapons, medicine and food.

But on the night of March 18-19, 1945, things went wrong.
En route with three secret agents from Lage Zwaluwe to Sliedrecht, they were discovered near the Anna Jacominaplaat and arrested by the crew of a German storm boat.Via Oud-Beijerland, he ended up in the prison at Noordsingel in Rotterdam, where he was handed over to the Feldpolizei.He was then transferred to the prison at Wolvenplein in Utrecht.There he was frequently interrogated and severely mistreated. Attempts were made to free him but despite the Germans' promise to spare him 5 days before the end of the war he was executed together with three others including his fellow crosser Kees van de Sande at Fort de Bilt. He was 39 years old at the time.

On May 11, 1945, Aaike and Kees made their last journey. Accompanied by the Werkendam Reverend Van Wieringen, their bodies were transferred from Utrecht to Werkendam amid great interest. There they were buried side by side a day later.

Aaike was posthumously awarded the Military Order of William 4th class and a street in the village was named after him.

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• Photo: De Liniecrossers - Linie Crossers Sliedrecht | Leer de liniecrossers kennen
  - Aaike van Driel, Werkendam 1905 | In Memoriam | Brabantse Gesneuvelden 1940 - heden
  
• - HOEK, PIET VAN DEN, Biesbosch Crossings 1944-1945, Kok Voorhoeve, Kampen, 1993.
  - SIMONS, J., Liniecrossers, Omniboek, 2021.
  

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