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Copyright The Rugby and Lutterworth Observer.
Thea’s Story
Sharing her experiences of living in Holland during the Second World War By Kate Graham, RAFFF's Volunteer Editor
It’s aThursday afternoon, and after an uneventful train journey under Britain’s grey July skies Ifind myself in
Rugby.This isn’t just aleisurely visit, however; I’m here to visit Thea Coleman-Tielrooy.
After ushering me through her front door with the warmest of welcomes and smiles, Thea offers me acup of tea and an array of biscuits and we set about the task at hand: storytelling. As Iwas to learn, Thea has many agripping tale to tell. Born in The Hague in the 1930s, she did more than merely experience the trials of life under the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands: her family were actively involved in the Resistance movement.
An RAF Wife Aspects of Thea’s post-war life are bound to resonate with many of Envoy’s readers: she was married, for anumber of years, to aman in the Royal Air Force. After the completion of her education she found herself on atrip to the United States to visit friends. This trip was to have more
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of an impact on the next few years of Thea’s life than she possibly could have imagined at the time. After exploring some of the sights America’s bustling cities had to offer,she set out to return to Europe on aship departing from New York –aship, it transpired, that also carried her future husband –amember of the British
military.Thea consequently found herself married, working as a teacher,and moving with her husband to various postings.
One such posting was in Germany, providing Thea with an opportunity to experience life alongside the German people in anew,peaceful way,and to begin to come to terms with her experiences of the Second World War.
Resisting the Nazis At the commencement of the occupation of the Netherlands, Thea and her family –her mother,father, older sister and brother and younger brother –were living in ahouse not too far from Rotterdam. It provided them with aviewpoint from which to watch the ominous signs of war creep closer to home as the Nazis invaded the
country.The devastating bombing of Rotterdam was the final blow; the Dutch government were issued with an ultimatum threatening the bombing of other Dutch cities, and so the country
was surrendered and the government went into exile in the United Kingdom.
As the city of Rotterdam burned, Thea and her family could see the smoke rise into the sky while standing on the balcony of their home.
Normality was suspended after that. Thea’s father became involved in the Resistance; while local shops and businesses began to display discriminatory labels banning Jewish customers from the premises, the family’s home became a safe haven for Jewish refugees attempting to flee the
country.The family had always had lodgers and this provided aperfect façade, protecting the family and their Jewish friends from the sharp eyes of pro-Nazi neighbours.
When the Nazis were finally alerted to the family’s activities, they were forced to go on the run. The months that followed presented Thea and her family with numerous hardships; while they were frequently displaced and separated they also, along with their fellow Dutch citizens, found themselves running out of food. The country was gradually starving.
Operation Manna After eventual consent from the Nazis, the Allies were allowed, in April 1945,
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