We were shocked hearing the news over the radio, early in the morning of February 1st, 1953 of the flood disaster that hit the south-west of Holland and the loss of lives, about 1850 people.
A north-westerly with wind gusts of 144km per hour, coupled with the presence of the tide, brought the turbulent waters to a frightening height, 2.5 metres above normal.
The ferocious storm broke the sea-dykes in the province of Zeeland and the islands of South-Holland, during the night.

My brother Kees (Keith), and his battalion were called up in the middle of the night and sent to the disaster area around Schouwe-Duiveland.
At daybreak they went into action, helping people to safety, filling sandbags, trying with all their might to stop further erosion of more dykes under siege.
This disaster gave rise to the realisation of the magnificent Delta plan. Taming the raging waters has been a battle that the Dutch have fought for hundreds of years and the struggle is still not over.