Timberwolves Europe 2013, On The Road to Breda, 3 May.

[Categories: TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY, EUROPE, WWII]

(See previous posts on what this tour is about.)

Today we depart Amsterdam for Breda, NL.

Pictures say it all else it would take a book to describe just this one day. (Click on photos to enlarge or play.)

You’re either on the bus or off the bus.

Our own bus for the next 12 days.

Derek the driver. An Englishman living in Belgium.

A little silliness here:

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We pass tulip fields as we head south and east,

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…canals and windmills,

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…and a large collection of very old windmills at Kinderdijk:

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We stop at a truck plaza for breaks and learn how to pay to use the restrooms at 2theLoo (common entrance, women left, men right):

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We pickup Toine, former mayor of Standaarbuiten, who explains the advance of the 104th Inf. Div. through Klundert, Noordhoek, and Moerdikj to the Maas River, the farthest north advance of the Timberwolves as they next turn east toward Aachen.

Along the way Peggy places flowers at the site where her Uncle Mabry was killed in WWII. Her previous odyssey of ‘Finding Mabry’ is a story of its own which she told at last year’s national reunion.

Toine

Peggy

WWII vet John (r.) at the Maas.

WWII vet Bob.

WWII vet Tom at the Maas.

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Toine’s story of the destructive liberation of the small towns is something to hear. It was difficult for the Dutch to bear but they preferred the liberation at any cost.

We make our way to the Golden Tulip Keyser hotel for check-in and brief respite in preparation for our dinner with the Friends of the Timberwolves.

The dinner at a nearby Dutch military base and tour of an attached WWII museum is quite a homecoming and education.

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Introductions are made by Piet, the WWII vets start the line on a fabulous, sumptious buffet, and everyone enjoys the food and good friends:

Dutch friend Esther in 1940s dress, heels, and hair style. What a riot!

Esther, Mary, and Byron

1940’s nurse and military clothes.

Dutchman host Piet in 40’s military uniform.

The cook at the local Dutch military base has prepared an extremely professional and tasty buffet.

The WWII vets start the chow line.

Timberwolf Tom with the Dutch re-enactors in 40’s uniforms.

Timberwolf John presents a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to the Friends of the Timberwolves.

Piet and U.S. Army Sgt Major (ret) Lyle

Dutch Friends Jeanne and Marianne with Nancy.

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After dinner we visit the General Stanislaw Maczek Musuem on the base.

It is yet another unbelievable story of WWII. From their website:

“This museum is dedicated to the brave men and women of the 1st Polish Armoured Division who , under command of general Stanislaw Maczek, liberated parts of our country from German occupation and oppression during 1944 and 1945.
The Polish soldiers brought us freedom and nourishment and gave us the possibility to start the reconstruction of our country.
On the other hand our liberators couldn’t liberate their own Poland and they had to accept that their country remained oppressed for fifty years.”

Remember our freedom, people.