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Eyewitness Account: Bert Sandee
Bert Sandee, who was eleven years old when World War II broke out, grew up on a farm between Lewedorp and Nieuwdorp, near the strategically important Sloedam. From the very start of the war, heavy fighting took place in the area. Bert and his family often hid in fear in the cellar of their farmhouse as battles raged above them. During a brief lull in the gunfire, the family decided to flee. Bert’s father led the way, holding a white sheet as a sign of surrender. They managed to escape safely, but at a nearby farm, tragedy struck. Bert witnessed a German shell hit a house. Later, it was confirmed that Johannes de Kok and his son were killed in the explosion. Bert becomes emotional when recalling this moment: “You never forget something like that.”
Occupation of the Farm
The farms around the Sloedam were occupied by German troops, including the Sandee family’s farm. When Bert’s father once returned to inspect the property, he encountered a bizarre scene: pigs were roaming around in the front room, and the German soldiers had eaten all the eggs from the farm. To make matters worse, he discovered that a German soldier had smashed the children’s piggy bank to take the money inside.
For Bert, the war was brutally visible. Near the Sloedam, he saw dead people for the first time, including fallen French soldiers. The German soldiers had already been buried, but the French remained in plain sight, serving as a grim warning to the local population.
Scarcity and Uncertainty
Many people came to collect milk from the Sandee family’s farm. Despite the scarcity, Bert’s father continued to sell the milk at the regular price and refused to engage in black market trade.
When Bert asked why his mother also gave milk to German soldiers, she replied: “He has a mother too.” These words left a deep impression on Bert and stayed with him for the rest of his life.
Bert kept a close eye on the German soldiers. Every year on April 20, Hitler’s birthday, the soldiers received meat. He noticed how the portions grew smaller each year, until eventually, only soup was served. This gave Bert hope: “That’s when we knew things were going in the right direction,” he recalls.
In September 1944, the Germans demanded a horse and wagon from the Sandee family, and someone had to accompany it. Bert was ready to go, but his father decided to go instead. He ended up behind the Allied front in Antwerp, which had just been liberated. The family was left in weeks of uncertainty. Finally, on November 6, his father returned—severely emaciated and covered in lice. He spoke little about what he had experienced, but Bert remembers one striking detail: “He never ate an apple again.” His father had survived the long journey back to Zeeland by eating only apples.
The Liberation of Zeeland
As the liberation of Zeeland drew closer, Bert saw German soldiers passing by. However, he didn’t yet realize that the war was coming to an end—until a German soldier told him: “Tommie kommt.” After heavy fighting at the Sloedam, Lewedorp and Nieuwdorp were eventually liberated. For Bert, the liberation only felt truly complete when his father returned home safely.
Bert Sandee’s story reveals the harsh realities of war, but also human resilience and hope. His memories provide a valuable insight into the daily life of ordinary Zeelanders during the occupation and the long road to liberation.
