War Graves Commission Oegstgeest

Publication of this survey of individuals who gave their lives for their country falls within the objectives of the Oegstgeest War Graves Committee.

The National War Graves Committee was established in 1946, with local branches in communities such as Oegstgeest where war graves were located. The first objective was to commemorate Allied servicemen who had been killed. Second, apart from the large Military Cemeteries, civilians were stimulated to adopt a grave. Adopters were asked to assume such responsibilities as caring for a grave, maintaining contact with surviving relatives, showing family members hospitality, helping solve problems such as the language barrier, et cetera. Third, yearly collections were organized by selling red paper poppies.

As time moved on and new generations grew up, both in Allied countries and The Netherlands, and with the establishment of the ‘Oorlogsgravenstichting’

(Foundation for War Graves in The Netherlands) which assumed responsibility for caring for such graves, the necessity for maintaining local committees diminished. This resulted in the termination of activities by the National War Graves Committee and nearly all of its local committees in 1971.

However, the Oegstgeest War Graves Committee , with its original chairman, was of the opinion that the first objective – to commemorate Allied servicemen killed during the war – was still just as relevant now. Therefore, the Committee decided to continue its activities. Today, such activities consist chiefly of organizing a memorial service on 4th May. The Committee does not limit its activities to Allied servicemen but also finds it appropriate to include individuals who served in the Dutch military as well as freedom fighters in the resistance.

Current members of the Committee for War Graves Oegstgeest are:
Mr. drs. S.L.W. (Sam) Schoch, chairman
Drs. R. (Robert) Scheltens (webmaster)
Mw. M. (Marlies) Merkestein

Since 1946, individuals who have served on the Committee are the following:
mrs. A.K. Belgraver-Broekstra
mr. J.G. Bergmeijer
mrs. Th.M. Bridië-Versleijen, later Broekema-Versleijen
Drs. F.H. Lugt
W. Heilbron; R.P.P. Hendrichs
J.B. Hugenholtz, arts
mrs. L. Huibregtsen
mr. B.C. van Krieken
dr. P.J. van Krieken †
F.D. Laurens
mrs. M.E. la Rivière-Dankmeijer
Rev. P. Sierat
mr. drs. T.L.J. Steenmetser
mrs. T. Verloop-van Ham, later Van der Swaagh-van Ham
mrs. J.J.B. Timmermans-Senecaut
mrs. C. Vrij.
The first chairman was, (up until 1983), followed by Mrs. H. van Dulmen Krumpelman-Nijdam (up until 2004). The third chairman was drs. F.H. Lugt until 2016 and the fourth one is the current chairman.