HISTORY OF THE DOCUMENTATION GROUP VOLKEL (DGV)
Because until the mid 70 's virtually nothing was known about the use of
the Volkel by the German Luftwaffe, Hans Sluijters and Bart Spierings launched the
search for the air war in the region in 1975.
In 1976 the first “Crash List” was made of Uden and other municipalities in
the region by Bart Spierings and Henk Talen. Various air crash sites were mapped, armed with a metal detector they searched for remaining evidence and eye-witnesses were questioned.
Aside from the air crashes was also the assistance to escaped Allied airmen was a subject that needed the necessary attention in the early days. The results of this group’s research was put on paper and this resulted in the 1992 in collaboration for the book Pyama-House with author Frans Govers
A home on the Air Base
After many different, temporary locations on the airbase, and at the request of Piet Truren and Henk Talen to the Base Commander, Colonel H. Vendrig, it was decided that one third of building 103, at the Marines Square would be used for permanent storage and exhibition.
The Historical room Typhoon was born and slowly began to gain stature.
ACTIVITIES OF THE DOCUMENTATION GROUP
Publication, Volkel, 50 years.
In 1998, at the request of the Base Commander, Ruud Wildekamp, Henk Talen and Piet Truren
with the cooperation of the other members of the Documentation Group Volkel,
decided to put together a booklet on the history of Volkel air base.
The booklet soon became a large book of 288 pages
and many illustrations.
With support by the Lieutenant-Colonel v. Duren and
the base commander Colonel J. Eikelboom, the result entitled,
Gestaag
Gespannen, 50 jaar Vliegbasis Volkel,
van 1e Tactische Jachtgroep tot First Fighter Wing
was presented on Wednesday, 21 June 2000 in the Officer's Mess. The book was published with a first run of 4600 copies and scheduled for republication in 2016
Historical research
In 1986, at the request of the Documentation Group
and subsequently the Historical room "Typhoon", archive research
carried out in the Public Record Office (later The National Archives) in
London.
Ongoing studies of this
research by members of the Documentation Group place in the Historical room.
All the Operations Record Books (diaries of Allied units in the region) that were
found in London were archived by Wim Hermans in folders so that they could also
be consulted by people from outside of the airbase.
Working Group Airfields
Wim Hermans and Henk Talen have until 2009 on behalf of the DGV, been members of the Working Group airfields. Goal was to write a book about all German, British and American airfields in WWII Netherlands.
The book Airfields in Wartime (Vliegvelden in oorlogstijd) appeared in 2009. And it must be said, it has become a standard work of 512 pages with many photographs, maps and drawings.
Project Group Air War East Brabant (PLOB)
Since 2000 the PLOB is active with her working group investigating the air war in the period 1940-1945 in this region and documenting for future generations.
Book on four local airfields
In 2010 Ruud
Wildekamp, Jaap Woortman and Toon van de Wetering decided that the time was ripe to
put together a book regarding the Rips, Helmond, Paashoef and Zwanenbeemd.
Much of the collected but unused data for the book Airports
in Wartime, could now be used to describe these airfields in all clarity.
The result was a 158-page publication by the Historical Society of the Kommanderij
Gemert with numerous maps, documents, drawings and photographs, that was
presented in Gemert in September 2011.
Data Exchange
On Tuesdays, most members of the DGV come to the Historical room and while enjoying a cup of coffee exchange the results of the various investigations, photos, questions and reports.
Exhibitions
The Documentation Group Volkel presented itself for the first time outside the Air Base in September 1977 by setting up a display in a shop window concerning the WWII Air War in Uden.
The first major exhibition to which the Documentation Group participated, was held in the old all ranks canteen on Volkel air base. Not inhibited by any knowledge or experience of exhibitions, DGV displayed a gaggle of large tables full of many historical objects, crash parts, maps with crash locations, photos and borrowed airplane models.
This was followed by an exhibition in Hangar-3 in 1980 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Volkel Air Base and also on the Open House at airbase De Peel in that same year.
With a stand at the Hilbo Fair in Mill in 1981 and an exhibition in the village of Boekel the DGV acquired quite a bit of familiarity outside the Air Base.
Also on the RNLAF Open House Days in 1989, which were held on Volkel air base, the Documentation Group Volkel was present with a stand with pictures and objects from the RAF-RCAF period.
On the Open House Days in 1995 also at Volkel, members the group also provided an extensive display. From then on members presented themselves mainly as the Historical Room Typhoon and not as much the DGV.
