Graves Civilian Casualties Ameide

Ameide Old General Cemetery (Gemeente Vijfheerenland) has three Dutch war graves. The first grave is of Arie van der Zouwen. Arie was a 21 year old hoopmaker that, like many other young men, had to work in Germany for the German Arbeitseinsatz. After a terrifying year wokring in a steel factory in Berlin facing bombings and hunger, he was transfered to the quiet town of Hof in Bavaria. He liked the new address better, but got sick. He died on July 25th 1944 due to appendicitis. Arie was buried in a local cemetry and was reburied in Ameide after the war.

The second grave is that of Jan Willem van Putte, general practitioner in Ameide. During its voyage on 5 September 1944 a ship of Rederij op de Lek ['Shipping company on the Lek"], was attacked from the air. The navigating officer was able to manoeuvre the ship with dead and wounded people through the reed-marches to the river bank. From Ameide help was offered by doctor Van Putte and some first-aiders. During this the ship was attacked again, fatally wounding doctor van Putte. "We will never forget the sight of our doctor, barely thirty, being carried home by his helpers on a stretcher, covered by a blanket. The local people have offered the headstone, also as a memorial, to the next of kin. The road along the cemetry was named after the doctor as the J.W. van Puttestraat.

The third grave is that of an inhabitant that was also killed on 5 September 1944 in war acts during his work as guard at Rederij op de Lek. During the voyage the ship, paddle steamer 2 of Rederij op de Le, was shot by aircraft at Ammerstol, killing Willem de Bie from Ameide.

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