Bevrijding Dieteren WWII

Frederick Emmanuel Oliver werd opgeroepen voor dienst in het leger op 5 november 1942. Op de eerste dag van operation Blackcock tijdens de oversteek van de Vloedgraaf tussen Baakhoven en Dieteren toonde hij moed en handelde doortastend waardoor de opmars richting Dieteren door kon gaan. Hiervoor ontving hij een onderscheiding de “Militairy Medal”. Op 30 juni 1947 eindigde zijn dienstverband bij het Engelse leger. Hij overleed als burger ten gevolge van een auto ongeluk op 25 november 1968 in zijn thuisland Engeland.

Frederick Emmanuel Oliver als jonge soldaat.
Op achterzijde: “Hanover Germany, on my way home 8 August 1945.”
Met dank aan:/Thanks to:Christine Frahm

Krantenknipsel met beschrijving waarom hij de Military Medal verdiende.
Bron:/Source: Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, May 3, 1945

Tekst van de krant

3 May 1945.
AWARDED M.M.
It was recently announced that the Military Medal has been awarded to Corporal Fredk. Emmanuel Oliver (D.L.I.), of West Hartlepool, for services on the North-West Front The citation states: “On January 16, during the attack across country on Dieteren, Corporal Oliver's section was leading a platoon. At the first canal crossing, his platoon, after launching their Kapok pontoon bridge were held up by strong enemy fire from a weapon pit on the farside of the canal Cpl. Oliver without any thought of personal safety, immediately dashed across the bridge and attacked the weapon pit single-handed. He succeeded in killing one German and forced the remaining three Germans to surrender. By his outstanding example of personal bravery Cpl Oliver's platoon was able to cross the bridge without further hindrance. During the whole action Cpl. Oliver set a very high standard of bravery and leadership until being wounded and ordered back by his platoon commander.”

De plek waar Frederick Emmanuel Oliver zijn moedige optreden deed werd opgetekend door de bekende tekenaar Captain Bryan de Grineau.
Hier een gedeelte van de tekening met links onder de “Kapok Bridge” en rechts de “German Dug-out”.
Bron:/Source:The Illustrated London News, February 17, 1945.

Militairy Medal en insignes van Frederick Emmanuel Oliver. Met dank aan:/Thanks to:Christine Frahm

Release Leave Certificate van Frederick Emmanuel Oliver.Met dank aan:/Thanks to:Christine Frahm

We lezen hierin over hem:

Military Conduct: Good.
Testimonial: Pte Oliver is a hard working man with plenty of common sense. He has a good sense of humour and his unfailing good nature make him well liked by his comrades. He is trustworthy and an experienced driver of wheeled vehicles.

Christine Frahm de oudste dochter van Frederick Emmanuel Oliver liet mij overigens nog het volgende weten over het gezin Oliver:
“My father was the youngest of the Oliver family living in West Hartlepool. His eldest Brother George William Oliver was a submariner and was the sole survivor of H49 sunk of Texel Island. There is a museum at Texel and commerations are hold there and surviving family members make the visit on its sinking. George was captured and spent the war in POW camps. Father tried to track him down whilst in Europe but failed. He was awarded an Oak Leaf during his active service. Because of a confusion in names, the Royal Navy thought my Uncle George had died, but the local newspaper asked for information and my Uncle said “ I am still alive ”. 26 lives were lost that day. The German trawlers hauled George out of the water and rubbed him down with schnapps. Uncle had no life preserver and was sucked up via the conning tower. He wrote a diary during his POW years.”

Laatst bekende foto van Frederick Emmanuel Oliver omstreeks juni 1965.Met dank aan:/Thanks to:Christine Frahm

Misschien zijn er nog mensen die informatie hebben over die tijd zoals verhalen of foto's. Neem dan contact op met de webmaster info@deetere.nl wellicht kan het bijdragen aan de geschiedschrijving van onze streek en mogelijk ook van belang voor familieleden van onze bevrijders!