Introduction
In the six dark years of World War Two, from 3 September 1939 to 15 August 1945, a total of 3,687 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) personnel lost their lives on active service, the majority in Bomber Command squadrons of the Royal Air Force.....
Many have found their resting place in our country, the Netherlands, so far from their native New Zealand.
While New Zealand ground troops were not involved on Dutch soil during World War II the link between our two countries is significant and remains highly relevant even today, so long after the end of that war. New Zealand’s involvement with the Netherlands was from the air, from the thousands of young New Zealanders who flew with the British Royal Air Force and in separately-designated New Zealand squadrons in attacks into occupied Europe and Germany. Many of these airmen flew over Dutch territory and 256 New Zealand airmen killed in World War II are buried in the Netherlands, in 85 different cemeteries. The largest numbers are found at Bergen-op-Zoom, Nijmegen (Jonkerbos), Amsterdam (New Eastern Cemetery), Amersfoort, and Rotterdam.
Our website is dedicated to all airmen of the Royal New Zealand Air Force who gave their life for our freedom. In the last four to five years we visited and photographed all RNZAF graves in our own province, the Province of Fryslân (Friesland) in the north of the Netherlands. This website was finished earlier this year and was officially launched on ANZAC Day, 25th April, 2012.
Our initial aim was to complete all other provinces in the following two or three years, but up and until now a lot of work has to be done. Furthermore, recent travel brought us to the German city of Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein. Initially outside the scope of our project, we feel it appropriate to eventually include the memorials and graves of all RNZAF airmen in Europe. This will take at least a few years more.
Rinze en Jetske de Vries,
Mûnein, Fryslân, The Netherlands
In the six dark years of World War Two, from 3 September 1939 to 15 August 1945, a total of 3,687 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) personnel lost their lives on active service, the majority in Bomber Command squadrons of the Royal Air Force.....
Many have found their resting place in our country, the Netherlands, so far from their native New Zealand.
While New Zealand ground troops were not involved on Dutch soil during World War II the link between our two countries is significant and remains highly relevant even today, so long after the end of that war. New Zealand’s involvement with the Netherlands was from the air, from the thousands of young New Zealanders who flew with the British Royal Air Force and in separately-designated New Zealand squadrons in attacks into occupied Europe and Germany. Many of these airmen flew over Dutch territory and 256 New Zealand airmen killed in World War II are buried in the Netherlands, in 85 different cemeteries. The largest numbers are found at Bergen-op-Zoom, Nijmegen (Jonkerbos), Amsterdam (New Eastern Cemetery), Amersfoort, and Rotterdam.
Our website is dedicated to all airmen of the Royal New Zealand Air Force who gave their life for our freedom. In the last four to five years we visited and photographed all RNZAF graves in our own province, the Province of Fryslân (Friesland) in the north of the Netherlands. This website was finished earlier this year and was officially launched on ANZAC Day, 25th April, 2012.
Our initial aim was to complete all other provinces in the following two or three years, but up and until now a lot of work has to be done. Furthermore, recent travel brought us to the German city of Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein. Initially outside the scope of our project, we feel it appropriate to eventually include the memorials and graves of all RNZAF airmen in Europe. This will take at least a few years more.
Rinze en Jetske de Vries,
Mûnein, Fryslân, The Netherlands
The twelve provinces of the Netherlands.
Click on the thumbnail maps on the right for the photographs and additional information of the RNZAF wargraves in the Provinces. Note that the islands in the Frisian chain are administered by the Provinces of Noord-Holland (Texel Island) and Fryslân* (Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog).
Please also note that, apart from our own province, Fryslân, only a small number of cemeteries in the other provinces have been photographed so far. Meanwhile travels have brought us also to Germany. For the time being, the Kiel War Cemetery, visited on July 1st, 2023, will be the only one in that country.
Click on the thumbnail maps on the right for the photographs and additional information of the RNZAF wargraves in the Provinces. Note that the islands in the Frisian chain are administered by the Provinces of Noord-Holland (Texel Island) and Fryslân* (Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog).
Please also note that, apart from our own province, Fryslân, only a small number of cemeteries in the other provinces have been photographed so far. Meanwhile travels have brought us also to Germany. For the time being, the Kiel War Cemetery, visited on July 1st, 2023, will be the only one in that country.
Alternatively type a surname or location of the cemetery in the search box below:
* In the English-speaking world the Province of Fryslân is usually referred to as Friesland. The Frisian name however is used throughout this website as it is the official name.