Plaque remembers NZ bravery, pain in Amsterdam

Squadron Leader Leonard Trent of New Zealand earned a Victoria Cross for his role in the Amsterdam raid. Picture / Alexander Turnbull Library PAColl-5547-004

When a New Zealand bomber was shot down and smashed into a house on the outskirts of Amsterdam in World War II, only two people survived.

One was a 6-year-old girl, Maria Stein, the only member of her six-person family to walk out of the house alive. The other was New Zealander Ivan Urlich, from New Plymouth, whose three fellow New Zealand airmen attached a parachute to him and threw him from the bomber before impact.

Thirty-one aircrew died on the mission, including seven New Zealanders, and 13 were taken prisoner.

The tragedy left such an impression on the small neighbourhood that, 63 years later and with the neighbourhood completely revamped, a commemorative plaque has been attached to the house.

The plaque - which was to be unveiled early today - was a community-driven idea organised by local researcher Jon van der Maas, whose grandfather witnessed the bomber smashing belly-up into the house.

Researcher Aad Neeven, who has co-written a book with Mr van der Maas about the raid, said the community wanted to honour those who had died.

"It's a significant event. Let me put it like this: All the people in the house were killed except the little girl. She had a traumatic experience, she lost her parents, brothers and sisters. Up until last month she has never been able to talk about it. But she will be there [today].

"She said she can close a chapter of her life now. She's coming because she thinks it's very important to remember those who died."

On May 3, 1943, 12 Ventura bombers from the RAF 487 (NZ) squadron flew to Amsterdam to knock out the power supply.

The mission was a "Ramrod" attack, meaning it was so important that it had to be pursued regardless of losses. Eighty British Spitfires were sent to guard the bombers on their approach.

"But it went terribly wrong," Mr Neeven said. "The other [protection] squadron who flew direct from England arrived too early, alerting the Germans that something was going on. The Germans sent 32 fighters who attacked the British fighters from the rear, driving them from the bombers.

"As soon as the protection was gone, the bombers were no match. They were shot down one by one, leaving a trail of bomber planes leading to Amsterdam."

Only mission leader and New Zealand pilot Leonard Trent managed to release his bomb, but he missed and the mission was a failure.

He was taken prisoner of war, which led to his part in another infamous wartime event: He was the last man out of the tunnel in the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III in March 1944 and was caught by the Germans as soon as he appeared.

He was later awarded a Victoria Cross for his leadership role in the air raid.

"The British always claimed they were outnumbered by German fighters, but this was not the case at all," Mr Neeven said.

"There was a mistake in the planning and a cover-up afterwards."

The plaque is the second commemoration to honour those who died in the bombing raid, the first being a statue of a propeller on the site of an old vegetable garden in Haarlen, near Amsterdam, where another bomber crashed and burned.

Today's unveiling is to be hosted by local council authorities.

Among those attending are New Zealand Ambassador to the Netherlands David Payton, and relatives of New Zealand and British men who were involved including Ellen Gallen, whose cousin Cyrel Smith was among the three men who sacrificed themselves so that Mr Ulrich might live.