81 years ago, on a cold November day, a Special Forces Agent crossed the sea from England to the Netherlands. A dinghy brought him near the shore at Scheveningen, a popular seaside resort near The Hague. There, donning several layers of clothing, he dived off the boat and swam ashore. Once on the beach, he removed his outer layers to reveal Black Tie clothing. In order to blend in with the party-goers, he had doused himself in Hennessy XO.

The man was not James Bond, but Dutch spy Peter Tazelaar, who was returning to the Netherlands to establish contact with England, where his Queen, Wilhelmina, was in exile.

We commemorated him and celebrated his contribution to the liberation of the Netherlands. Two ceremonies were held: one closed with a strong military presence, the other open.

With thanks to Victor Laurentius for sharing the amazing story of “De Grote Tazelaar.”