2/Lt. Richard P. Fuller was the co-pilot of B-17 42-102658 ‘Blanco Diablo’. On the 6th of December 1944, this ‘Flying Fortress’ was hit by flak over the target area and eventually crashed at the Ronduite between the Beulakkerwiede and Belterwiede. Fuller bailed out in time and landed in the inundated Staphorsterveld. A young boy from Staphorst, Arend Boers, was the first one who contacted Fuller. He ordered him to stay put before he took him, later that afternoon, on the back of his bike to farmer Schraa at the Dorpsweg in Staphorst. After dusk, Boers took Fuller on the back of his bike and rode with him towards Meppel, and they halted just before Werkhorstbrug. Boers asked the Bus family, who lived near the bridge, if they could hide Fuller but they had no room left. Their neighbours, the Smit family, had room left and they welcomed Fuller with open arms. At the end of December, Fuller left Werkhorstbrug and moved to Staphorst. Escorted by a certain Nel, he travelled to his new hiding address at the widowed Mrs. van Griethuysen and her daughters Jans and Isabel. Several members of the resistance stayed here as well. Near the end of January 1945, Fuller moved to the Oosteijen family that lived at De Lankhorst. Dressed as a Dutch policeman and escorted by a courier, he cycled to Zwolle on the 29th of January. Here he stayed with butcher Borst in the Thomas a Kempisstraat and thereafter Fuller went to Zelhem. This small town was liberated by the Canadians on 1 April 1945. Some names of people who helped him during his stay in the Achterhoek are A. Jorritsma, J. Bretveld, A. Rijnders, E. Oosterink and Reussink from Zelhem. |
