Date of birth:

July 18th, 1917 (Datchet/Berkshire, United Kingdom)

Date of death:

July 8th, 2008 (Oslo, Norway)

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Dick Kragt was dropped near Epe and Vaassen in the Netherlands in the night of 23rd and 24th June 1943 with the mission to set up an escape line. Was known under the aliasses Lemontree, captain Kay, Frans Hals, Dick and Badsworth.
On parachuting he lost his equipment, including his radio and was only armed with his Colt 45. He managed to contact Joop Piller, a Jewish underground worker living in Emst, with whom he built up a network to hide, protect and smuggle downed airmen out of occupied territory.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Captain

Unit:

Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Imperial General Staff, War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

December 20th, 1951

Citation:
"Captain Kragt who was parachuted into occuppied Holland in June 1943, greatly distinguished himself as the originator and leader of an escape-organisation to England for Allied pilots shot down over the Netherlands. He also used the escape-route to pass on military information regarding the enemy. In addition he rendered very valuable support, up to the liberation in 1945, to the Resistance movement in the Netherlands."

Royal Decree No. 31 datad 20th December 1951.
Nr. 1121

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Family
• - Bentley, S., The Dutch Resistance and the OSS / Central Intelligence Agency
  - Kluiters F., Dutch Agents 1940-1945, version 200802 / NISA Intelligence
  - Report by Secret Agent "Frans Hals" (Dignus "Dick" Kragt) | WWII Netherlands Escape Lines
  - Nederlandse onderscheidingen aan Britse staatsburgers voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog
  - Registration of Birth
  - The National Archives' reference WO 373/144/2
  - The National Archives' reference WO 373/148/713
  - Kragt, D. | Onderscheidingen | Defensie.nl