Tracing Canadian soldiers stationed in Stokkum, near Markelo Holland april – june '45

[Marleen Odekerken]

I'm investigating an important part of my fathers youth.
As a young boy, 10 years of age, my father found shelter in a Canadian military camp during WW2, for several weeks, when he needed it.
He was a refugee, by circumstances probably not registered and because of that he fell between two stools.

My father was not only thankful for the hospitality during his stay, but also because one of the soldiers took him home to his parents as soon as this was possible.
This was a 100 km ride from Markelo to Hilversum, through an area which was just liberated.

With this thread I would like to ask if anyone can help me find information on soldiers who were in this Canadian militairy camp in Stokkum, a hamlet near Markelo, Holland.
Ideally I would like to find Canadian soldiers who have met my father during his stay in the camp so I can express my gratitude in his name.

The camp was situated in an orchard behind a farm, belonging to the family Huisken.
My father was there from approx april 8th (Liberation of Markelo) until mid june 1945.
He was wandering around in the area of Markelo and he thinks he ended up in the military camp because of his fascination with military vehicles parked outside the camp (Mack trucks).
Perhaps the soldiers initially gave him shelter because there was not an easy way to track his adress or to bring him home at that moment.

My father was a skinny boy with a jewish look; black hair, curved nose. He said his name was “Joe”. He had a small suitecase with him and an ID with a “non jewish” declaration. His father told him only to show it to german soldiers and he always wore it under his clothes. Therefor it might be possible non of the soldiers in the camp ever saw his ID.
Before his stay in the camp he was nursed in a hospital in Markelo because of a knee injury.
The soldiers gave him a small khaki coloured tent. This was made by two separate parts and was located near the exit of the camp. My father remebered the big wheels of the Macks when they drove by. Attachment: image of the enterance of the orchard. The little shed at the back wasn’t there yet during the war.

In the shadow of the tree near the big shed there was parked a german military vehicle, probably a “Kettenkrad” or “Kettenkraftrad”. It always catches my fathers eye because of the caterpillar wheels.

During the day my father was walking in the region between Markelo and Stokkum.
He had a military bag (“web bag”?) and got wild woodbine cigarettes from the soldiers which he exchanged in the area for fresh eggs. He brought back these eggs to the kitchen crew in the camp. He thinks there was one black soldier in the camp,who worked in the kitchen and gave my father his everyday’s meal.
In the afternoon, when my father went back to the camp, from far he saw the Mack trucs parked along the road, under the trees. This was his sign that the soldiers were back in the camp.

A couple of times the soldiers took him with them to the graveyard in development at the Holterberg. He enjoyed these rides in the Mack very much! At the graveyard they were always very carefull with him; he never saw dead people as far as he can remember.

Around half june the camp is replaced to Apeldoorn. My father was brought home to Hilversum in a military Chevrolet. He cannot remember how this action was initiated.

I'm still searching for information about the unit the soldiers served with.
I know that father and son Huisken went fishingin the “Schipbeck canal”. It was there that canadian officers (in a jeep) asked them if they could camp on their land. I also read that the 2nd Canadian Division crossed this canal to liberate the region of Markelo. The names are written on the memorial sign in Markelo:

2nd CAN. INFANTRY DIV. 4E BRIGADE
8th connaissance regiment
royal hamilton light infantery
essex scottisch regiment

My father emphazised that he was very grateful to all Canadian veterans. They saved his life!