Oorschot, van, Johan Willem

The Venlo Incident

Date of birth:: January 29th, 1875 (Den Helder, the Netherlands)
Date of death:: December 15th, 1952 (Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
Nationality:: Dutch

Biography

13 March 1944: Head of the Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten (BBO).

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Commandeur de l' Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur

Awarded on:: October 1937

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Awarded on:: March 1938

Deutsche Adlerorden zweiter Klasse (mit oder ohne Schwertern).

Awarded on:: 1938

Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB, Military Division)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generaal-Majoor (Major-General)
Unit:: Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten (BBO), Nederlandse Regering in Ballingschap
Awarded on:: December 3rd, 1946

"Major-Gen. Van OORSCHOT, who had been concerned in British secret intelligence work in HOLLAND at the time of the German occupation, escaped to the U.K. and offered his services to the Dutch Resistance Movement.
In March, 1944 after the complete breakdown of clandestine operations in HOLLAND, His Excellency JHR. O.A.C. LIDTHE de JEUDE, Netherlands Minister for War, appointed him Head of the B.B.O. (Bureau Bijzondere Opdrachten), in order to recommence operations in HOLLAND.
Major-Gen. Van OORSCHOT within a short time built up a complete system of co-operation with British H.Q. Special Forces. His understanding of the needs of the situation, and his unfailing support of Special Force in its clandestine work into HOLLAND, contributed very substantially to the success achieved by the excellent team-work of the two organisations in carrying out the requirements of S.H.A.E.F."

British approval on 5 September 1946.