Stok, van der, Abraham Lambertus "Bram"

Date of birth:: October 13th, 1915 (Pladjoe/Sumatra, Dutch East Indies)
Date of death:: February 8th, 1993 (Virginia Beach/Virginia, United States)
Nationality:: Dutch

Biography

Bram van der Stok was one of only three Allied airmen prisoners of war to make the "home run" to Britain after the "Great Escape" from Stalag Luft III. After the Great Escape van der Stok rejoined 91 Squadron and took part in D-Day and anti-V1 operations. In 1945, following a period with 74 Squadron, he moved to No 322, a Dutch squadron serving in the RAF and based in Holland. Bram van der Stok is one of the most decorated persons of World War 2 in the Netherlands.

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Kruis van Verdienste (KV)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: reserve-eerste luitenant-vlieger (reserve-first lieutenant-pilot)
Awarded on:: September 3rd, 1942

Royal Decree dated September 3rd 1942.

Vliegerkruis (VK)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Reserve-Eerste Luitenant-Vlieger
Unit:: No. 41 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: September 21st, 1942

Recommendation:
For courageous and tactful conduct as a pilot and having displayed courage, initiative and great ability as commander of a flight, having inflicted damage to the enemy in many combat missions and having destroyed an enemy war plane.

60th Award.
Royal Decree No. 6, dated September 21st 1942.

Bronzen Kruis (BK)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Reserve-Eerste Luitenant-Vlieger
Unit:: No. 41 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: October 5th, 1944

Recommendation:
For courageous and tactful conduct after having been shot down over France in April 1942, having been transferred to Germany as a prisoner-of-war and, after a few failed attempts, having managed to escape early 1944 from this imprisonment under trying circumstances.

Royal Decree No.31, dated October 5th 1944.

Krzyz Walecznych

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Squadron Leader
Unit:: No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: May 9th, 1945

Bronzen Leeuw (BL)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Reserve-Tweede Luitenant-Vlieger (Pilot Officer)
Unit:: 1e Jachtvliegtuigafdeling, 1e Luchtvaartregiment, Wapen der Militaire Luchtvaart
Awarded on:: June 15th, 1946

Recommendation:
For having distinguished himself by exceptionally courageous and tactful acts in combat aganist the enemy by displaying great courage and determination in 9 flights between May 10 en 14; in aerial combat over air field De Kooy on May 10, 1940 in an obsolete Fokker D.XXXI aircraft against an overwhelming number of enemy fighters, having shot down one of these fighters.

Royal Decree Nr.2 dated June 16th 1946.
Decorated 21 June 1946 at Air Base Soesterberg.