Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Kelly
The Dutch soldiers pictured were mostly conscripts ? I believe some younger Dutch males emigrated rather than be conscripted into the armed services .
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Yes, the majority were. I once met a veteran of the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade, he joined as a volunteer after the South of the Netherlands was liberated in '44. He was 17 years old at that time.
After the war, he was drafted for military duty as in the meantime he had turned 18. He reckoned he had done his bit in '44-'45 but that did not count they said, he had to serve for his official conscript period in Indonesia.