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“My bmlfler and I actually (sat) on the roof watching it until shrap- ncl and smfl‘ stained flying amund and dad that's it. come down.“ the Vandorf Road vesidem said Mr. lansen immigrated to da less than 10 years later because he knew here is where he wouid onedaybeahlemownhismm horticultural business. . Throughout the decades. Mr. Iansen has letumedhome to visit family and witness the mbuilding of his hometown. which was about 80 per men! destmyed during the Battle of Amhem. he said. Earlier this year. Mr. Jansen. 82. returned for perhaps his last time. but with veterans and members of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment. Mr. lansen connected with the group earlier this spring when a fellow Dutch immigrant. Raiph [)eGmm. invited him on the over- seas trip that took them to Holland. \fi‘my Ridge and Juno Beach. BY SANDRA BOLAN siroluna‘yrmguvm ari-nus lansen sat on the rooftop of his family's home with one of his brothers and watched para~ troopers [an out of the sky as the Battle of Amhem got underway in "AI first I llmugln it was fun. but it (wasn‘t).' Mr. Jansen as he recalled a Second World Wax clash that tool: place just a few kilometres fmm’his home in-Holland 67 years Although Mr. Jansen was able to amid panicipating in combat in the Second “brid War. “the military has always held an interes! to me." he said. “I think if] would have gone in the army, I would have made the army my career." Mr. Jansen avoided combat because. he back then if a family member died during the “rat. thenthenenmlinewasexcmpt. He km a brother. Going to Vimy Ridge was an “eye opener". Mr. Jansen said. “You read about it. but I never realized what these guys went through: it was just unbelievable.” he said. "I! was. of course. more like PEOPLE: Dutch war survivor accompanies veterans, soldiers Memories of death haunt trip home COULD NOT ENDS? a man-to-man fight. The trenches amstfillthm.soyouwalklhmugi\ the trenches. The underground tunnels are there. I didn't even know the Canadian Army was gins undergound tunnels to get to the Germans and the Germans are dm tunnels to get to them” When the group of about 40 men made their way :9 Amhgm. it was Mr. lansen's turn to tell them what he experienced. ' Marinuslanscnloohat photographs fromhisuiploEumpeto visit candericsmdothcrwarsitcs with M- mnsandsoldicmmcStoufl’villcm sawpeopleldlkdhhisnafiwfloflmddufingtthccondefldWar. “Youreédabout it,but l neverrmlindwhnt theseguyswmt throughltwasiust unbelievnbk,”he ()nly about eight or nine pro- (Sermans showed up. according to Mr. Jansen. \ “So the next day a platoon of German soldictscamctothcvfllagc The Gestapo and Nails ruled by fear. according to Mr. lanscn. who vividly recalled the day all avail- able men aged 18 to 80 were told to mpon to the main station. They were to head of! to the from lines to dig Hurdles. he ‘ Shortly thereafter, the lansen family went from witnessing inciâ€" dents of violent death. to being directly threatened. and they arrested six pmminem citizens and three of them were lhe principals of the. schools.” he said. “They shot them. three prin- cipals. right in the mlddte of the village. Then what came around 'if you don’t show up tomorrow. we'll shoot the other three'." STAFF PHOTOBUSIE KOCKERSCHEDY “He says no, nu. He says I'm going to go." Mr. lanSen recalled, But Ryk apparently already had a plan in place. He ended up liv ing {our away from his family's home with one of their sisters as pan of the underground. When the famth found this nut. years later. it was also rcvoalod for the first time that this «is-tot and her husband were pun nt‘ Ihv n$istancc "I feel stupid. Why I didn't do that 10 years ago, begauw I've always had a wink spot f0! the military.“ he said. The risk of imminent death Came to the Jansen household when officers arrived looking far one of his brothers who failed to n:me fut duty. No one in the family knew where Ryk was. according to Mr. Jansen. who brought his brother to the train station a few weeks ear- lier for his deployment. The Iwn even discussed the possibility of Ryk not going. The war created a hatred nflk'r mans for Mr. Jansen and his family. But over the years. that contempt has subsided. somewhat. “You cannm forgot. You will never forget. But there comes a time that you have to Stan 10 Im- givc." hesaid. “My dad wasn't home. I was home I said I don't know where he went. And so they kept harassing (my mother) kind of and asking whatever and he put a molver to my mother's head and he said: ‘wherc is your son?” Mr. Jansen recalled. Prior to this trip. M r. lansc n was never a member of any legion. bu! he wanted to panicipalv in all tlw official ceremonies. so he joined the Stouflville Royal (‘anadian legion. Branch 459. ‘You cannot forget. You will never forget. Bur there comes a time that you have to start to ‘ BROTHER IN “[0186 fbrgive.’