Ree, Piet Willem

Date of birth:: December 14th, 1911 (Rotterdam/South Holland, Netherlands)
Date of death:: August 30th, 1945 (Vaison-la-Romaine/Vaucluse, France)
Buried on:: Dutch War Cemetery Grebbeberg
Row: 8. Grave: 6.
Service number:: 11.12.14.012
Nationality:: Dutch

Biography

Navy number: 694MR/5187Z.

Piet Willem Ree was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 14th December 1911. He was to be drafted with Military draft 1931 and enlisted with the Dutch Royal Navy at Haarlem with number 276, but his enlistment was prosponed on 26th August. On 24th August 1932 his time to do his bit for king and country had come. He was placed on Hr.Ms. Wachtschip Willemsoord for his first exercises. He did his time until he went on "great leaf" on 22nd September. He again enlisted on 3rd October and was destined to be trained for Luitenant ter zee, Koninklijke Marine Reserve (naval Lieutenant). Waiting for his training he was placed once again on the Willemsoord. By Royal Decree Nr. 39, dated 28th March 1933 he was appointed Luitenant ter zee der derde klasse with entry date of 1st April 1933. His transfer to the torpedoboat Hr.Ms. Z2 followed on 1st April. On 21st April he was again transferred to Willemsoord and on 12th June he switched to Hr.Ms. Banckert. He was releaved of service on 1st August.
Piet Willem Ree again entered a term from June to September on board the Hr.Ms. Nautilus (29th June 1936 – 26th July 1936) and Hr.Ms. Wachtschip Willemsoord (26th July 1936 – 2nd September 1936).

His last miderm as officer of reserves took place on Hr.Ms. B.V. 33 from 29th August 1939. At that moment he also was mobilized. On 19th September Ree was placed on Hr.Ms. Bath 1 with Chef Bureau Zeeverkeer an was transferred to Hr.Ms. Wachtschip Vlissingen on 11th October. On 21st October he went to the Naval Barracks in Amsterdam and was transferred to the Afdeling Mariniers Rotterdam (Royal Marines) on 1st November on board the Hr.Ms. B.V. 41. After transferres to Hr.Ms. B.V. 40 (18th November) and Hr.Ms. B.V. 43 (5th January 1940), he was positioned with Positiebureau Hoek van Holland on 2nd February, from where he fled to England on 15th May 1940.

Piet Willem Ree was promoted to Luitenant ter zee der tweede klasse Koninklijke Marine Reserve on 26th June 1940 and was placed on the HMS Douwe Aukes on 11th July. He transferred to the Marine Luchtvaartdienst (Naval Air Service) on 29th April 1941 and was placed with the No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron, where he received his Observers badge on 1st July. On 16th January 1944 he was transferred to the personnel roll in London to be placed with No. 24. Squadron on 3rd February. He was killed in an aircrash with Dakota KJ 974 on 30th August 1945 in France. At first he was buried at the British Military Cemetery "Mazargues" at Marseille, but was later transferred to the Dutch Military Field of Honor Grebbeberg at Rhenen, the Netherlands, Row 8, Grave 6.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Onderscheidingsteken Waarnemer MLD

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Reserve Tweede Luitenant ter zee (2nd Lieutenant at Sea of Reserves)
Unit:: No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron
Awarded on:: July 1st, 1941

Vliegerkruis (VK)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse (Lieutenant)
Unit:: No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: October 21st, 1943

Citation:
"As Officier-waarnemer with No. 320 Squadron R.D.N.A.S. of the Marine Luchtvaartdienst during two follosing years having shown courage, perseverance, skill and endurance during many convoyprotection and war reconaissence flights; further acting in multiple offensive day and night sorties on enemy shipping, often under heavy anti aircraftfire, while keeping off many attacks form enemy fighters."

116th Award.
Royal Decree Nr. 4 dated 21st October 1943.