Date of birth:

February 15th, 1916 (Sneek/Friesland, the Netherlands)

Date of death:

December 29th, 1944 (Boncelles/Luik, Belgium)

Buried on:

Dutch War Graves Rusthof
Plot: 12. Row: E. Grave: 101B.

Service number:

9516/Z (Koninklijke Marine)

Nationality:

Dutch

Joop (actually Johannes) Jillings was born February 15, 1916 in Sneek, the son of Jacobus Jillings (1888-1960) and Sjoerdtje Rinsma. Around 1935 he went to Hilversum where he joined the air force. At the outbreak of war, he went to London where he joined RDNAS 320 as Sergeant air gunner to engage the enemy. He married Margaret Blakeborough. On December 29, almost at changeover, almost liberation and almost 29 years of age, he took off from Melsbroek air base to bomb a vital road junction near Vielsalm. As it had been snowing, little was recognizable and the bombs came down miles from the target. Both engines of the aircraft were hit by German Flak and the crew had to bail out. The others had trouble getting out of the plane and jumped to safety. Joop was the tail gunner and the aft escape hatch could not be opened due to poor maintenance. He crashed near Vielsalm. Althoug his deaht was published in the Vrij Nederland of February 17th, 1945, the message of his death did not reach his family before May 1945. His son was born April 25 1945. He was granted a honorary citizenship of Vielsalm. In May 2015, a memorial service was held and a Mitchell made a fly by in salute.

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• Photo 1: Nationaal Archief
• Photo 2: Stephan de Vries
• Photo: André Reijniers
  
• - Johannes Joop Jillings | hewasahero
  - Johannes Jillings / Oorlogsgravenstichting
  

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