Guillaume Hubert [Giel] Bensen

Guillaume ["Giel"] was a leader member of the Dutch Resistance in WWII. He helped at least 130 American, British and Canadian pilots to be hidden in the Dutch "underground" and be transported back to Allied territory. On June 23, 1947 he was awarded the "Medal of Freedom" while stationed on Java, Indonesia, where he was in the 8th Battalion of the Regiment "Stoot troepen". After his active duty, he held the rank of major in the National Reserve, District of Venlo and retired from the Reserve on Feb. 29, 1956. He was awarded the Order "Ridder van Orange-Nassau" [Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau] by the mayor of Heerlen at the City Hall of Heerlen on Oct. 3, 1966.

Giel was a teacher of business/commerce (he passed the state exams for French language and business correspondence in 1939 in Amsterdam. In addition, he was very athletic, participating regularly (and winning) in sports meets and competitions and shooting competitions.

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