Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

						Sgt. William Blyth Morton was the flight engineer of Halifax NR251. On the return journey, after bombing Hannover, the bomber was attacked by a night fight. After a second attack only one engine remained, and the pilot therefore gave the order to bail out. Morton, who was on his eigth mission, landed in a tree on the Nijverdalse Berg near Nijverdal. When he tried to reach the ground, he fell and sprained his ankle. From here he managed to reach a little cottage at the Bonteweg in Nijverdal where he knocked at the door early in the morning. The evacuated family Gieskes lived here and took care of Morton. Here he came in touch with Willem Wolterink from Nijverdal, Wolterink and his fiancée, Miss Dientje Teesselink, escorted Morton that night at the bike of their bike to his first hiding address: the house of mailman Fr. Teesselink at Rijssensestraat 15. On 22 March 1945 Mitchells from the 2nd Tactical Air Force of the RAF bombed Nijverdal. The 22-year-old daughter Jansje Wilhemina Teesselink, was badly injured when she had left the house to assist. During the second wave she was hit herself. After a long stay in the hospital, she died. From here he moved to the house of Family J.H.G. (Johan) Geurtse at the Brakenbeltsweg, also in Nijverdal. After a razzia on this address he was brought to the house of Family W. Aalting at the Grotestraat. From here Henk van Kee (H. Jansen) escorted Morton via his own house to Family J.H. Poorterman at the Klokkendijk in Nijverdal. A few days before the liberation Morton was transferred to the house of the teacher C. v/d Biesen at the Tuinstraat in Rijssen, where he was liberated on 9 April 1945.