Date of birth:

November 4th, 1919 (Rotterdam, the Netherlands)

Nationality:

Dutch

Hans de Leeuw arrived in London in late July 1940 after having escaped via Antwerp and the southwest of France. In August he ended up in the Dutch Army in England in Dan-y-Craig barracks. Here, a brigade was formed, consisting of an HQ, three companies infantry, a reconnaissance squadron and an artillery battery. Initially the unit was named Royal Dutch Troops, also known as the Dutch Legion. Hans de Leeuw was assigned to an infantry company by the name of Battlegroup II.
September 1940, the unit was relocated to a new camp, Ruperra Castle between Cardiff and Newport. A little later they were relocated again to Conway in Northern Wales and in Janauary 1941 they ended up in Congleton, England. After Congleton they were relocated to a new camp at Wrottesley Park near Wolverhampton. On August 27th, 1941, Queen Wilhelmina presented the new standard to the unit which was officially named Royal Netherlands Brigade Princess Irene.
Hans de Leeuw became Range Finder in a 3 inch mortar platoon. At the end of 1941, He and his unit were to be shipped to the Dutch East Indies but his departure was postponed and later canceled due to the situation which had developed over there.
In 1943, various units of the Brigade were dispersed all over England and Hans de Leeuw ended up in Blackburn, Lancashire and subsequently in Camp Ashridge near London.
In 1944 they were relocated once again, this time to the east coast to Dovercourt and Frinton-on-Sea. Hans de Leeuw also received a short combat training in Norfolk. On March 11th, 1944 they were addressed by Bernhard Montgomery who told them about the imminent invasion op Europe for the first time. Subsequently they underwent training in preparation for a landing on the coast from the sea. July 30th, 1944, the Brigade was notified to get ready for crossing and on August 6th, Hans de Leeuw and his unit went aboard an LST to be put ashore the following day in the Mulberry harbour at Arromanches.
From here the Brigade was gradually involved in the advance, at first through the sector between Plume and Cession near Deliverance-Douvre. On August 12th, they left via Rankin to cross the river Orne and ended up in Breville. On September 1st, the Brigade crossed the river Seine to advance to Saint Rémy on the river Somme and on September 5th, they crossed into Belgium to Brussels and subsequently to Diest via Louvain. Near Diest, the Brigade was engaged by the enemy. Afterwards they were able to advance in the direction of the Albert Canal.
At this moment in time, the Brigade was part of the British Guards Armoured Division. Hans de Leeuw was chosen to take part in the operations of the division as a radio operator. He was posted to the Inns of Court Regiment with which he crossed the Albert Canal. He was subsequently transfered to the Dragoon Guards of the 8th Armoured Brigade.
Here it transpired that during a previous engagement, a burn he had sustained had become infected, causing him to be shipped to a hospital in Diest. From there he was flown back to London via Evère to be admitted to a hospital at Merthyr Tidfil in Wales. In November, Hans de Leeuw had recovered sufficiently to join the Dutch Army HQ in England. On December 5th, Hans was sent back to the continent to rejoin the Princess Irene Brigade at Vrouwenpolder. Subsequently the Brigade settled down in Brabant near Hedel.
On May 6th, 1945, the Brigade advanced towards Wageningen and subsequently became the first Allied unit to enter The Hague. Here Hans de Leeuw was posted as commander of security of the Royal summer residence near Scheveningen. Hans de Leeuw left the military service in October 1945, having served in the Royal Brigade Princess Irene from August 1940 to October 1945.

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• Photo 1: Hans de Leeuw
• - Hans de Leeuw
  - De geschiedenis van de KONINKLIJKE NEDERLANDSE BRIGADE "PRINSES IRENE" 1940-1945