Reflection Towards the Future Monument
Details:
Located in a small park space next top the road intersection. Monument
The monument 'Reflection to the Future' is an abstract sculpture, composed of a bronze relief and a mirror in which this relief is reflected. The whole is placed on a pedestal on which two bronze plaques are placed.
The monument was erected in memory of the raid on April 29, 1945 by the Wehrmacht on a hunting lodge near the monument. The monument is also a tribute to those who fought for freedom during the Second World War. The memorial also reflects the future: vigilance is required to maintain democracy.
During the years of occupation, several people in hiding hid in the Hunting Lodge. At the time of the attack on April 29, 1945, at least fourteen people were present, including Joseph (Joop) Kentgens (dentist, Utrecht, December 21, 1915 - Kalmthout (BE), July 19, 2009, leader of the Zoetermeer resistance group); Jacob Leendert (Jaap) van Rij (Ridderkerk, October 5, 1906, warden of the Royal Military Police and deputy commander of the Domestic Armed Forces); his wife Alie and their son Jaapje; six English pilots who went into hiding there from April 12, 1945; and, John E. McCormick (2 August 1921, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA), transferred from Zoetermeer after his plane, a B-24H Liberator nicknamed Jolly Duck, was hit by German anti-aircraft fire and made an emergency landing on February 25, 1945. McCormick had joined the Kentgens resistance group.
On Sunday, April 29, 1945, a clash took place here between the people in hiding and the occupying forces. American pilot John McCormick and Zoetenmeer resistance fighter Jacob van Rij were killed. Others were injured. After the war, the hunting lodge was named 'The Jolly Duck'. The hunting lodge has been declared a national monument.
The creation of the memorial was an initiative of the John E. McCormick Foundation.
The monument was unveiled on April 21, 1995 by American Consul General J.W. Shearburn.
Source: The Netherlands Committee on 4/5 May (https://www.4en5mei.nl/)
SSG McCormick is buried in nearby; see site Zoetermeer - Old Church. He is buried along side three of the Dutch resistance fighters.
A memorial also remembers McCormick, his fellow B-24 crew mates, and 4 Dutch citizens. See Site Zoeterwoude, B-24 B-24 (42-95241) aka “Jolly Duck” Crash Site Memorial.
Monument Text:
The text on the memorial is written in Dutch and reads:
de overval op het jachthuis
door 24 man dan ve
Duist Werhmackt
+ John E. McCormick 23jr
vligenier, USAF
+ Jacob L. Van Rij. 38jy
Kon. Marachausee
The translation is:
The attack on the Hunting Lodge
By 24 soldiers of the Wehrmacht
+ John E. McCormick, 23 Years Old
Aviator USAF
Jacob L. van Rij, 38 Years Old
Kom. Marechausee
