Tag: canal
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Indonesia: 1947-1949
Read More: Indonesia: 1947-1949Much of what follows is written by Wendy based on memories my sisters and I shared of stories he told us over the years, although there are a few paragraphs that he must have written very early on because they were written in Dutch. When I was 19 years old (1947) I was called up…
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The Depression Years: 1928-1939
Read More: The Depression Years: 1928-1939The depression began in 1928. By this time the oldest three had left school which was normal after finishing grade 7 and were helping on the farm. That was really needed because we couldn’t afford outside help anymore. When dad married on March 30, 1921, three years after the first world war everything was still…
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Grade School Years: 1934-1941
Read More: Grade School Years: 1934-1941When I was six years old I started school on May 1, 1934. There were nine of us children in our family. The youngest was 1 ½ years old and my oldest brother was 12 and started grade 7. There were seven grades at that time so one of us was in every class except…
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The War Years
Read More: The War YearsChildren usually are not interested in world politics. When I was 8 years old I didn’t know Hitler was planning to conquer all of Europe. Of course, I had seen pictures of this beastly man, but only thought he was funny with his mustache and straight hair. On May 5, early in the morning our…
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Kindergarten
Read More: KindergartenBut to kindergarten I went. In wintertime much too heavily dressed. I walked all by myself about 1 1/2 km. on a, for that time, quite heavily travelled road along the canal. I was to walk on the less busy road on the other side of the canal, but since I had to walk all…
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My Father
Read More: My FatherMy father, Hendrik de Jong, assisted my mother during my birth, something I have been excluded from doing when I became the father of seven children. Since I was the third baby in the de Jong family, my father was by now somewhat used to the hectic activities surrounding a home birth. I’m told that…
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Amsterdam, Arnhem, boat, canal, college, Cornelis, family, Groningen, Midsland, school, ship, Terschelling, Vlagtwedde, Winschoten
About my Family
Read More: About my FamilyMy eldest brother Herman was my father’s biggest support on the farm. Later he had a butcher’s shop in West Terschelling, and he was also the first of my brothers to die. While slaughtering a cow, he got TB, as he had an open wound.
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1945: Liberation
Read More: 1945: LiberationMother dies and a baby is born In February of 1945, my mother passed away, I believe it was on the 21st. According to the doctor, she died simply from old age, at 77. The funeral was 5 days later. Alie (Albert’s wife) was, at that time, in the town of Nieuwe Pekela with her…
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1916-1929: Managing the Renneborg
Read More: 1916-1929: Managing the RenneborgAs we were eating in the backroom the next day, Mom suddenly appeared and said “Dad is dying”. So we crept quietly into the front room, where he laid in his bed, gasping for air and not knowing what was happening around him.
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1900-1916: Sappermeer to Renneborg
Read More: 1900-1916: Sappermeer to RenneborgSchool years As already stated, I first saw daylight in Zuidbroek, Westeind, located along the Winschoterdiep (a navigable canal), only 500 meters from the neighbouring community of Sappermeer. My Dad was born in Borgercompagnie and my mother further north in the town of Slochteren (Harm van der Laan 1868-10916 and Foktje Baas 1867-1945). When they…