15 August 1990 - letter # 1
Gentlemen:

During the invasion and liberation of Holland I held the rank of Brigadier-General and was in command of the 6th Brigade 2 Division of the Canadian Army.

I hereby wish to vouch and verify the following:

Before dawn on the morning of 12th (of April) 1945 one of our patrols took into custody Mr. Sam Schryver who had just swam across a canal (Ed.: Oranjekanaal). He told us that he had escaped from the Westerbork concentration camp several hours before. He said that the camp was nearby and housed about a thousand Jewish inmates.

To the best of our knowledge, Westerbork was a German military barracks and we were preparing to shell and destroy it. Mr. Schryver explained that indeed German soldiers had recently been housed in there during the German retreat.

As I was suspicious of Mr. Schryver's story I sent a six men patrol, accompanied by him to verify.

Upon arrival at the camp they found that everything Mr. Schryver said was true, and the patrol commander sent this information to my command post and we advised 2nd Division.

Indeed, due to the intervention and the action of Mr. Schryver, the total annihilation of the Westerbork camp and its approximate one thousand inmates was prevented.


Respectfully submitted,

here follows Allard's signature

Jean Victor Allard General (Ret)
Chief of the Defence Staff (1964-1969)



29 October 1990 - letter # 2
Gentlemen:

Referring to my letter of August 15, 1990 I wish to make the following additional statement:

In the above mentioned letter I described a six men Patrol which accompanied Mr. Schryver to the Westerbork camp.

However, in this letter I omitted to state the fact that this patrol met with stiff resistance from German SS (Ed.: troops) and Dutch collaborators when approaching Westerbork concentration camp.

My men eliminated the enemy and Mr. Schryver, who had been armed by us, fully participated in these activities.


Respectfully submitted,

here follows Allard's signature

Chief of the Defence Staff (1964-1969)

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Last revision was made on 15 December 2007

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