Farewell Jaap van Genderen

On the 8th of October we said goodbye to our fellow organiser Jaap van Genderen. Jaap was part of the Team that organises the Airborne Memorial Service at the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery in Oosterbeek for 20 years

Jaap started as volunteer in 1992 together with his twin brother Bart. In 2003 he joined the Organising Committee to join Lieutenant Colonel Pijpers OBE and mr. Eugène Wijnhoud MBE. Jaap took up the task of Secretary of the Organisation.

In 2018 Jaap was made Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau by His Majesty King Willem Alexander. A year later Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed Jaap Honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his service to the commemoration.

The 78th Anniversary of Market Garden last September was the last time Jaap took part as member of the Organising Committee. On the 18th of September Jaap was given the Pegasus Statue by Lieutenant Colonel Liam Cradden for his service to The Parachute Regiment. At a farewell reception Jaap received from the Mayor of Renkum, mrs. Agnes Schaap, the statue of the “Soldier and the Flowergirl” for keeping the Airborne memory alive in Oosterbeek area.

At the reception with those who worked close with Jaap at the Airborne Memorial Service, speeches were given by Erik van der Meiden of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Charity, the Mayor of Renkum, former Organiser Eugène Wijnhoud and Roger Beets of the Airborne Commemorations Foundation. Jaap received an Honorary Life Membership of the Arnhem 1944 Fellowship from Trustee Hiltje van Eck.

The Organising Committee is very pleased that Jaap will continue to support the Airborne Memorial Service as one of the volunteers.