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'The Tommy's are at the Bergeijkse Barrière!' The news spreads quickly through the village. Jan Maas (54) also hears it. Jan gets excited about it, but doesn't really know what to think. After all, the English are not here yet. And he has to take care of his family. While he is considering all this, a group of villagers comes to the door. Even Pastor Goyarts, who was only installed the day before, is there.
'Jan, hurry up! Come along! We are going to meet the English. Those Germans can't do anything to us anymore.' Jan allows himself to be persuaded. He says goodbye to a son who is sick in bed and whispers: 'I'll be back soon.' Then he comes along. Towards the Tommy's by bike, with a large group. They are a few hundred meters from the border when they encounter an English scout unit. Together they smoke cigarettes and orange ribbons are handed out. The pastor takes a whole series of photos. On one of them an armored car, two soldiers and some villagers, including Jan.
After saying goodbye, a number of men return home. The others want to see more English people. This also applies to Jan Maas. They continue happily. Suddenly some Germans jump out of the bushes. The people of Borkel run in all directions. Four are caught, including Jan Maas. The Germans searched them and put them against the wall at a farm. 'English Propagandists!' A gun clicks. But then one of the Germans says: 'Ach was, lass sie nach Hause gehen. Sie sind free!'
Oh well, let's see you after Hause gehen. Sie sind free!
The men are stunned. But they started walking to their bikes. 'Wow,' says Jan Maas. 'We'll get away with it just fine.' Just then, shots ring out. Four in total. One man is hit in the stomach and through three fingers. The second is hit in the head and falls dead. The third is shot through the hat, but remains unharmed. As he ducks, he sees how the fourth man is also hit in the head. It's Jan Maas. He dies instantly.
Only after a week do his wife and children learn that Jan is dead. It is certain that it is him, because one of the survivors has taken the wedding ring from his finger and the wallet from his jacket. The pastor brings everything to the widow. That same day, on September 19, Jan Maas is taken to the cemetery on an open truck, covered with a Red Cross flag.
