Eviand
04-09-2008, 8:45 PM
|banghead|My natural Grandfather, Cornelis Abraham Ligtenstein, whom I never knew personnally was born in Sidoardjo, Dutch East Indies on 16 July 1913. He worked for Phillips Radio in the Eindhoven Tech. Laboratories for 4 years before September 1939. He was a pupil pilot when war broke out in Holland on May 10 1940. At the end of the same month he reached England through Belgium and France. In August 1941 he joined the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service as a mechanic. In 1942 he was attached to the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAF VR) as a pupil pilot. He was transferred to Canada in the autumn of 1942 where he trained in De Winton. He received his RAF wings in April 1943 still in Canada. He then returned to England and completed further training at Ternhill, Kirton-in-Lindsey, Kinnell near Arbroath, Tealing near Dundee, Cranfield, and Bognor Regis. He was stationed in Bognor Regis when he married my Nanna.
At the beginning of January 1945 he joined a operational unit at Predennack and later Gilze Rijen in Holland. He was attached to No. 33 Squadron as a Warrant Officer, flying Spitfire XI and Tempest V. On March 26th 1945 he was shot down near Munster, Germany by FW 190 and taken to Stalag XIb. In 1947 for only a few months he was a KLM pilot. I have copies of the operation reports and a letter written to my Nanna shortly afterwards in a military hospital both detail this days' events and his injuries sustained.
My Grandmother's devorce petition was made absolute on 26 June 1954. His daughter, my mother was at the time almost 10 years old. His mother, Johanna Anna Ligtenstein (née Kentie) lived in Amsterdam until her death on 29 November 1968. His father, Leo died 22 October 1936, also in Amsterdam.
My Grandfather with his new wife emigrated to South Africa sometime in the sixties. We think he traded in electronic/technical goods over there. A few years later he and Margaret went to Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).
Does anyone know any details or can give any contacts that could help piece together their lifes in South Africa and Zimbabwe?
At the beginning of January 1945 he joined a operational unit at Predennack and later Gilze Rijen in Holland. He was attached to No. 33 Squadron as a Warrant Officer, flying Spitfire XI and Tempest V. On March 26th 1945 he was shot down near Munster, Germany by FW 190 and taken to Stalag XIb. In 1947 for only a few months he was a KLM pilot. I have copies of the operation reports and a letter written to my Nanna shortly afterwards in a military hospital both detail this days' events and his injuries sustained.
My Grandmother's devorce petition was made absolute on 26 June 1954. His daughter, my mother was at the time almost 10 years old. His mother, Johanna Anna Ligtenstein (née Kentie) lived in Amsterdam until her death on 29 November 1968. His father, Leo died 22 October 1936, also in Amsterdam.
My Grandfather with his new wife emigrated to South Africa sometime in the sixties. We think he traded in electronic/technical goods over there. A few years later he and Margaret went to Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).
Does anyone know any details or can give any contacts that could help piece together their lifes in South Africa and Zimbabwe?