HOLLAND’S FATE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 December 1940, Page 2

HOLLAND’S FATE

STORY OF INVASION J PLIGHT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBED' [United Press Association] AUCKLAND, 9th December, j Ihe plight of the Dutch people un- | der the merciless bombing by thfe : Germans in the days following the i invasion of Holland on 10th May was j described by Dr. and Mrs D. A. I Ysselstyn, who arrived from the j United States by Pan-American Airi ways’ American Clipper. They were ;in The Hague when the German parachute troops descended on the unsuspecting populace. They escaped later from Rotterdam, and, after a ; hazardous journey across Belgium and France, reached Bordeaux, the j trip taking 30 days. Dr. Ysselstyn, who is a doctor of 1 political economy, and his wife are j both natives of Holland, and had re- ! turned there a few months before the ; outbreak of war. In spite of all the i t a lk of invasion of Holland, the people were totally surprised on the : morning of 10th May, when thousands of parachute troops landed behind the ' frontier. “The Germans bombed the aerodrome at Rotterdam and put praclically every machine out of action; of the 2300 airmen and soldiers at the aerodrome only 70 escaped." said Dr Ysselstyn. 1 “ The people of Rotterdam suffered a terrific aerial bombardment on the •afternoon of 14th May. and within half :an hour the bombers had wrought treI m ;ndous havoc,” he continued. It was ; estimated that the casualties were j 30,000. The raiders, having swept the ; skies clear of Dutch aircraft, and destroyed the ground defences, flew only a few hundred feet above the city and rained down bombs. “Numerous photographs were taken ! of the fuined buildings and havoc done and those had been smuggled out of : the country and bear testimony to the ! ferocity of the attack.” he said. The photographs showed that the centre of the city was laid waste, churches were demolished, and the liner Statendam, 28.291 tons, of the Holland-America | line, w T as shown scarred „nd charred by fire as she lay in the docks at Rotterdam. That was but part of the havoc caused by the 600 bombing aeroplanes. I When the full stor3 r of Holland’s i fate was told, said Dr Yssellsyn, the I people would not be blamed for capitulation. The Germans threatened to | bomb Amsterdam and Utrecht in the j same way at Rotterdam. Dr Ysselstyn is on his way to Batavia to take up an appointment , with the K.L.M. airways service.