Benschop, Hermanus Adolphus Maria

Date of birth:: January 10th, 1915 (IJsselstein, the Netherlands)
Date of death:: March 8th, 1945 (Fort de Bilt, Utrecht, the Netherlands)
Buried on:: Dutch War Graves St. Barbara
Plot: Erehof.
Nationality:: Dutch

Biography

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Kruis van Verdienste (KV)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Unit:: Utrecht, Nederlands Verzet
Awarded on:: May 5th, 1953

Recommendation:
He has distinguished himself in combat against the enemy by courageous and tactful conduct, serving the interests of the Kingdom during the years of occupation 1940 – 1945 as leader of a team of saboteurs in the town of Utrecht.
On February 17, 1945, he and his team managed to set fire to some vessels at anchor in the city , carrying oil and petrol for the German forces, destroying 380,325 U.S. pints of liquid fuel. He was congratulated by the Allies on the success of this sabotage act which he had been ordered to carry out.
Shortly after this occurence he was arrested at random and subsequently shot in a mass execution.

Posthumously awarded