Date of birth:

June 22nd, 1905 (Werkendam/Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands)

Date of death:

April 30th, 1945 (Fortress de Bilt/Utrecht, the Netherlands)

Buried on:

Cemetery at the Laantje
Plot: C. 

Nationality:

Dutch

Arie van Driel was an inland skipper from Werkendam who lived at the Vissersdijk 6. He was married to Elisabeth Sauer. When war broke out in 1940 he soon became involved in the resistance and was active within the L/O and KP Land van Heusden en Altena. After the liberation of the Southern Netherlands, on the night of November 5-6, 1944, he was the first Werkendammer to cross through the Biesbosch. Ultimately, as a Line Crosser for the Albrecht Group and the Intelligence Bureau, he would make 53 crossings, making him the one with the most crossings to his name. During these trips right through the front line, passengers and intelligence were transferred, and on the way back they mainly brought back weapons, medicine and food.

But on the night of March 18-19, 1945, things went wrong.
En route with three secret agents from Lage Zwaluwe to Sliedrecht, they were discovered near the Anna Jacominaplaat and arrested by the crew of a German storm boat.Via Oud-Beijerland, he ended up in the prison at Noordsingel in Rotterdam, where he was handed over to the Feldpolizei.He was then transferred to the prison at Wolvenplein in Utrecht.There he was frequently interrogated and severely mistreated. Attempts were made to free him but despite the Germans' promise to spare him 5 days before the end of the war he was executed together with three others including his fellow crosser Kees van de Sande at Fort de Bilt. He was 39 years old at the time.

On May 11, 1945, Aaike and Kees made their last journey. Accompanied by the Werkendam Reverend Van Wieringen, their bodies were transferred from Utrecht to Werkendam amid great interest. There they were buried side by side a day later.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Burger (Civilian)

Awarded on:

August 30th, 1948

Citation:
"Distinguished himself in battle through outstanding acts of courage, skill, and loyalty, completing over 50 crossings between October 1944 and March 18, 1945, on behalf of the Dutch Government's Intelligence Bureau, along an approximately 18-kilometer-long waterway to establish a secret connection between occupied and liberated Netherlands across the Biesbosch and Merwede rivers. Van Driel rowed between numerous highly vigilant enemy posts and patrolling boats. During these journeys, he delivered a large number of reports, messages, and persons of particular importance to the Allied war effort and the Dutch government to liberated territory. He also ensured the transfer of agents, instructions, radio equipment and medicines in the opposite direction, until he was discovered during a crossing by an enemy patrol boat during the night of 18 to 19 March 1945, and because he did not want to leave the people he was transporting, he was captured and executed on 30 April 1945 at Fort de Bilt near Utrecht."

Royal Decree No. 8.
5611th Award.

• Photo: De Liniecrossers - Linie Crossers Sliedrecht | Leer de liniecrossers kennen
  - Aaike van Driel, Werkendam 1905 | In Memoriam | Brabantse Gesneuvelden 1940 - heden
  - Home | Oorlogsgravenstichting
  
• - HOEK, PIET VAN DEN, Biesbosch Crossings 1944-1945, Kok Voorhoeve, Kampen, 1993.
  - SIMONS, J., Liniecrossers, Omniboek, 2021.
  - Oorlogsgravenstichting
  - Persoonsdossier Nationaal Archief
  

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The Wilgenhorst Sliedrecht

Sliedrecht - South Holland

List of Honor of the Fallen 1940-1945

Den Haag - South Holland

Monument Fort De Bilt

Utrecht - Utrecht

Provincial Memorial "The Brabant Soldier" Waalre

Waalre - North Brabant