Dutch Scouting and Its Relationship with Canadian Scouting in 4 CIBG by Piet Kroonenberg
Dutch Scouting had its own Gilwell Training Centre named Gilwell Ada's Hoeve (Ada's Farm) which was located near the village of Ommen in the eastern part of the Netherlands close to the German/ Dutch border. So it was not surprising that as soon as British Scouts in Germany and the Canadian Red Patch District came into being their leadership contacted the Dutch Giwell Staff. Later their troops used the site for their summer camps and in 1947 they participated in the first post war Dutch National camp held at Ommen.
As for my own part I served with the British from September 1944 until 1947 in Germany and I saw the beginning of British Scouts in Germany, later renamed British Scouts in Western Europe and I met the first British Field Commissioner Hubert Martin. In 1954 my wandering years were over and after having married a Lady Cub master I reported back to the Amsterdam DHQ and was appointed assistant to the District International Commissioner. My special task was communicating with BSWE and Canadian Red Patch in Germany. But, in addition in 1955, I was suddenly appointed Camp Warden of the Amsterdam District Camping Grounds on the Dutch North Sea Coast, in the wooded sand dunes near Velsen-IJmuiden to the west of Amsterdam. This was not a professional job but week-end and holidays leisure. As soon as the word spread many British friends, including those in Germany, were interested in having their summer camps on the site. The then British Field Commissioner Harry Oliver came to inspect the places. So I once again got involved with the British and the Canadians in Germany and France.
Harry Oliver, the Field Commissioner of British Scouts in Western Europe was stationed at BAOR's HQ at Rheindahlen was also the BSWE's camp warden of the BSWE's training centre Gillrath at RAF Wildenrath. He coordinated with both the Red Patch Canadian and Piet's Dutch Scouts and was not only keeping an eye on the BSWE groups but also the Canadian District in Western Europe. He was running the Gilwell Training that was based at RAF Wildenrath near BAOR HQ just across the Dutch border between Monchengladbach in Germany and Roermond in Holland. The BSWE camp staff and mine cooperated and courses were held for British and Canadian Scouters. Harry decided that it would be nice if the hikes could be made from our campsite so I translated a number of our First Class Hikes in our region.
Once a year all course members came to our campsite. So apart from the BSWE and Canadian summer camps, including RCAF troops from Southern Germany and France we also had these Gilwell camps. A few Amsterdam troops camped at RAF Wildenrath. In the summer of 1959 we had about 250 Canadian Red Patch Scouts for a district summer camp, which was a significant event and most of the camp staff took their summer holidays to assist. We saw a lot of each other during the summer but also during the winter when individual British and Canadian Scouters used to come and visit me in Amsterdam for weekends. So close was the cooperation that my camp staff was permitted to wear the BSWE country badge. All these International activities attracted the attention of our Chief Scout - Jan Volkmaars - who was also our International Commissioner - he made me a member of his International Bureau staff. It all ended in 1963 when we had to leave the campsite which was turned into a cemetery.
Meanwhile BSWE had been reorganised - a new Field Commissioner appointed - and many old friends were demobbed and returned home.