Sjaak had enlisted in the Dutch armed forces in April 1939. <\/p>\n
He served with the 2nd Regiment of Infantry and the 2nd Border Battalion as the Netherlands prepared for the growing threat of war in Europe.<\/p>\n
German forces invaded in May 1940 and, as Sjef\u2019s daughter Theresa said, the Dutch were \u201cvery unprepared\u201d. <\/p>\n
Sjaak was about 20 and living in a \u201clittle village\u201d. He had no previous military training, Theresa said. <\/p>\n
\u201cPicture your boys in Ngongotah\u0101 with an oncoming military, from somewhere fully-equipped, and what it would take for those boys to make a stand for their village,\u201d Theresa said. <\/p>\n
Theresa said being a mother to a 22-year-old son made her \u201conly imagine\u201d her opa\u2019s (grandfather\u2019s) courage.<\/p>\n
Sjaak was held as a prisoner of war for about six months. He was sent to labour camps and to work in the mines.<\/p>\n
Theresa said one of Sjaak\u2019s brothers was \u201cshot in the head\u201d during the war. Another brother, who was in the Dutch resistance, had to leave the country and moved to New Zealand. <\/p>\n
Sjaak emigrated to New Zealand with his wife, Greta, and four kids in 1951 to be closer to his brother. They later had four more kids.<\/p>\n
Sjef believed his father would have been \u201cproud as punch\u201d to receive the medal, and described the occasion as \u201cunifying\u201d for their family.<\/p>\n
The medal was presented to the family last month by New Zealand and Australia Kingdom of the Netherlands Defence Attache Colonel Gerbe Verhaaf, who flew from the Netherlands for the ceremony.<\/p>\n
Sjef travelled with his son Aaron to the residence of the Netherlands Ambassador in Wellington. <\/p>\n
Aaron represented his sisters, Theresa, Leona and Jacinta, and generations of their Gielen family. Their grandfather was remembered as \u201copa\u201d. <\/p>\n
The Gielen family gained a deeper understanding of their forefather over coffee with the Kingdom of the Netherlands representatives.<\/p>\n
Alongside their Dutch heritage, the Gielen siblings proudly carry M\u0101ori military lineage through their maternal ancestors from Ng\u0101ti Kahungunu. <\/p>\n
Rotorua siblings Jacinta Gielen-King (left), Leona Gielen, Theresa Gielen, and Aaron Gielen share a proud moment honouring the military service of their Dutch and M\u0101ori grandfathers. <\/p>\n
Their great-grandfather, William \u201cPoppy\u201d Cyril Munro Williamson, served with the New Zealand M\u0101ori Pioneer Battalion in WWI. Their grandfather, William \u201cBill\u201d Frederick Williamson, served with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Italian campaign in WWII. <\/p>\n
Aaron wore their medals during the ceremony and Sjef brought a portrait of his parents. <\/p>\n
Theresa said it was \u201cbeautiful\u201d for the family to see their opa\u2019s courage recognised formally, and for their family to be brought together for the occasion. <\/p>\n
War continued to affect everyone, Theresa said.<\/p>\n
Their opa\u2019s story was a reminder of its cost and impact across generations. <\/p>\n
Why award a World War II medal now?<\/p>\n
Natalie Ryan, New Zealand and Australia Kingdom of the Netherlands defence attache assistant, who attended the ceremony, said men like Sjaak Gielen often went unrecognised.<\/p>\n
Attention shifted to rebuilding after World War II and many veterans stayed silent about what they had endured.<\/p>\n
Ryan said their service was simply \u201cdoing their duty\u201d.<\/p>\n
There was \u201cdeep meaning\u201d for the Gielen family to carry forward Sjaak\u2019s legacy, she said. <\/p>\n
Ryan said the Mobilisation War Cross was awarded to a \u201clarge group of servicemen\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis does not take away the importance of what the medal represents.<\/p>\n
\u201cSjaak must have had a very strong sense of duty and responsibility, as he signed up months before the general mobilisation in August 1939,\u201d Ryan said. <\/p>\n
That showed \u201ccommitment and readiness\u201d.<\/p>\n
The medal held \u201csignificant historical value\u201d in the Dutch system of military honours. <\/p>\n
Those moments \u201ccreate a meaningful connection between families and their heritage\u201d, Ryan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey give an opportunity to rediscover and honour the stories of those who came before them, and strengthen a sense of identity and belonging.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ryan and Verhaaf\u2019s visit taught them about whakapapa – \u201cthe idea that our past lives on through us\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cEach story adds more perspective, and each medal represents the story of a brave individual who made sacrifices for the freedom we live in today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan said it was a \u201cvery meaningful experience\u201d, helping her \u201cgain understanding\u201d. <\/p>\n
Verhaaf served in the armed forces for 40 years. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor him, some of the stories we encounter feel familiar through his own experiences, while others remind him of the stories of his family,\u201d Ryan said.<\/p>\n