PvH War Grave Gaastra, General Cemetery Sneek

Jacobus Gaastra 1913-1944 (resistance fighter)

On September 17, 1944, the day Allied airborne troops were dropped at Arnhem and Nijmegen as part of Operation Market Garden, the government in London announced a general train and streetcar strike. When a streetcar was still running at Sint Nicolaasga on Sept. 18, the local hoodlums intervened. Passengers had to get off and the fire of the steam streetcar was put out. Personnel were told they could go on vacation for the time being.

The Sneker Jacobus Gaastra was involved in various resistance activities during the war. He was also a member of the knokploeg-Scharnegoutum. On September 13, 1944, he was arrested by the Germans in forbidden territory. When searched, Jacobus turned out to have an armband of the Internal Armed Forces with him. This became his fatality. He was taken to the police station in Harlingen, and from there to the prison in Leeuwarden. Plans were still made to free him with the help of the K.P.. However, that proved to be no longer possible. On September 19, Jacobus, under the leadership of SD Hauptsturmführer Arthur Wilhelm Albrecht, was transferred with two more resistance fighters to Sint Nicolaasga. There the three men were executed by firing squad, this in reprisal for the streetcar strike in Southwest Friesland.