Cornelis Pieter "Piet" van den Hoek (7 June 1921 – 12 February 2015) was a Dutch resistance fighter during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Van den Hoek was one of the few knights of the Dutch

Military William Order The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William (Dutch: , abbreviation: MWO), is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Oran ...

Resistance fighter

In 1942 Van den Hoek was arrested by the Germans and brought to a laborcamp in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

. During his leave in November 1943 he went into hiding. He found a place to hide on a

houseboat A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Most houseboats are not motorized as they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point, and often tethered to land to provide utilities. How ...

De Biesbosch De Biesbosch National Park is one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last extensive areas of freshwater tide, tidal wetlands in Northwestern Europe. The Biesbosch ('forest of Scirpus, sedges' or 'rushwoods') consis ...

, where already three others were hiding. They were supplied by the Onderduikersdienst, a service for people that were in hiding. While in hiding he joined the resistance and joined the group 'De Partizanen van de Biesbosch'. He became one of 21 so called

line-crosser Line-crosser is a Dutch concept from World War II. The name is used to refer to 21 people, mostly from Werkendam, who during the last months of the war maintained a secret connection between occupied and liberated Netherlands across the Biesbos ...

s and, in the words of the royal order:

distinguished himself in battle by committing excellent acts of bravery, planning and loyalty during the end of 1944 and the beginning of 1945, on behalf of the Bureau of Information of the Dutch Government, maintaining a secret connection between occupied and liberated Netherlands across an 18 kilometer long waterway, across the Biesbosch and the Merwede, 37 times rowing across many extremely watchfull enemy posts and patroll boats. Also he distinguished himself, when on one of these trips his boat was sifted through with enemy bullets and he, after having to leave his boat, was arrested by the enemy, escaped within a month, and afterwards again helped maintain the connection by boat between liberated and occupied territory. Finally e distinguished himselfby, in union with other wellminded Dutch citizens, taking part in the Biesbosch in overpowering and capturing small groups of heavily armed
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
soldiers, who were afterwards locked up and guarded in motor ships in a secluded part of the Biesbosch.

Knighthood

On 30 October 1948, by Royal Decree, Van den Hoek was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

by Queen

Juliana of the Netherlands Juliana (; Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina; 30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Sh ...

, receiving the fourth class (Knight) of the

. The Order is the highest and oldest military honour of the

Kingdom of the Netherlands , national_anthem = ) , image_map = Kingdom of the Netherlands (orthographic projection).svg , map_width = 250px , image_map2 = File:KonDerNed-10-10-10.png , map_caption2 = Map of the four constituent countries shown to scale , capital = ...

, bestowed for "performing excellent acts of Bravery, Leadership and Loyalty in battle".Military order of William - Official website
/ref> The award is comparable to the British

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

and seldom awarded.

Awards

, Knight 4th class *

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau ( nl, Orde van Oranje-Nassau, links=no) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has ...

, Knight 5th class *

Resistance Memorial Cross The Resistance Memorial Cross or Resistance Commemorative Cross ( nl, Verzetsherdenkingskruis) is a medal awarded in the Netherlands to members of the Dutch resistance during the Second World War. The medal was instituted by Royal Decree (No. 104 ...

Notes and references

External links

In Memoriam Piet van den Hoek
Werkendam.net {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoek, Cornelis Pieter Van Den 1921 births 2015 deaths Dutch resistance members Knights Fourth Class of the Military Order of William Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau People from Leerdam People from Werkendam Recipients of the Resistance Memorial Cross