Jan van Noord

Jan van Noord
Born	(1907-02-17)17 February 1907 Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died	9 October 2021(2021-10-09) (aged 114) Vriendendam, Netherlands
Occupations	Shipyard metalworker Production worker Association secretary
Era	Vader Era Middenvader Era Vriend Era
Children	4
Father	Henri van Noord
Relatives	Angelo van Noord (first cousin)
Family	Noord family
Military career
Allegiance
Branch	Heer
Service years	1940–1945
Rank	Unteroffizier
Unit	Infanterie-Regiment 26 (1940–1942) Füsilier-Regiment 26 (1943–1944) Grenadier-Regiment 6 (1944–1945)
Conflicts	Second World War Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Demyansk Pocket Courland Pocket
Awards	Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1940) Infantry Assault Badge in Silver Wound Badge in Black (1942) Demyansk Shield (1943) Iron Cross, 1st Class (1944)

Jan van Noord (17 February 1907 – 9 October 2021) was a Dutch-born German soldier and veterans' association administrator. He entered combat with Infanterie-Regiment 26 of the 30. Infanterie-Division during the Battle of France. He later served on the Eastern Front, where he was wounded in the Demyansk Pocket. Van Noord was promoted to Unteroffizier in 1944 and remained with the 30. Infanterie-Division until the German surrender in 1945.

Van Noord was held as a Soviet prisoner of war until 1950. After his release, he settled in Vriendendam and worked at Schroeter Romeo. In 1954, he became secretary of the Wehrmacht-Veteranenverein Vriendendam, which had been founded that year by Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap. He remained secretary until his retirement in 1972.

Early life

Jan van Noord was born in Rotterdam on 17 February 1907. His father, Henri van Noord, was the older brother of Julien van Noord, making Jan a first cousin of Angelo van Noord. His mother was German and had been born in Lübeck.

Van Noord moved to Lübeck in 1936, where members of his mother's family lived. He worked as a shipyard metalworker and obtained German citizenship in 1939. On 15 January 1940, he joined the Heer and was assigned to Infanterie-Regiment 26 of the 30. Infanterie-Division.

Military career

When the German offensive in the west began on 10 May 1940, van Noord served as a machine gunner operating an MG 34. His division advanced through the southern Netherlands before entering Belgium. Van Noord remained with Infanterie-Regiment 26 as it continued west toward the Scheldt.

During the fighting at Oudenaarde later in May, the other members of van Noord's machine-gun team were incapacitated. He continued operating the MG 34 during the attack on the Belgian position. He received the Iron Cross, 2nd Class for his conduct and remained with the regiment during the subsequent advance into France.

In 1941, van Noord accompanied the 30. Infanterie-Division to the Soviet Union for Operation Barbarossa. He continued serving as an MG 34 gunner. During the Soviet winter offensive in early 1942, the division became encircled in the Demyansk Pocket. Van Noord remained inside the pocket with Infanterie-Regiment 26 and was promoted to Gefreiter on 20 February 1942.

On 7 April 1942, van Noord was shot through the left shoulder during the fighting at Demyansk. He was evacuated for treatment and received the Wound Badge in Black. His injury required an extended period of recovery but did not prevent him from returning to frontline service.

Infanterie-Regiment 26 was redesignated Füsilier-Regiment 26 on 10 December 1942 while van Noord was recovering. He returned to the regiment in February 1943 and resumed frontline service. After returning, he began operating the MG 42. He received the Demyansk Shield in 1943 and remained with the regiment after the evacuation of the pocket, taking part in the subsequent defensive fighting around Staraya Russa.

During 1944, the 30. Infanterie-Division was forced westward by Soviet offensives. Van Noord remained with Füsilier-Regiment 26 during the retreat. On 1 June 1944, he was promoted to Unteroffizier and placed in command of an infantry squad.

During the retreat through the Baltic states in September 1944, van Noord's company came under a Soviet attack while withdrawing. He kept his squad in position and directed its MG 42 fire while the rest of the company pulled back. After the withdrawal had been completed, he withdrew his own men from the position. Van Noord received the Iron Cross, 1st Class for the action.

Füsilier-Regiment 26 suffered heavy losses during the continuing retreat and was dissolved in October 1944. Van Noord was among the surviving personnel transferred to Grenadier-Regiment 6, remaining with the 30. Infanterie-Division. He subsequently served in the Courland Pocket and remained there until the German surrender in May 1945. Soviet forces took him prisoner after the surrender, and he remained in captivity until his release in 1950.

Postwar life

After returning to the Netherlands in 1950, van Noord settled in Vriendendam. Schroeter Romeo was formally established in the city during the same year. Van Noord applied for work at the company and became a production worker.

In 1954, van Noord left Schroeter Romeo after Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap founded the Wehrmacht-Veteranenverein Vriendendam. Martinus became its first chairman, while the association handled veterans' affairs and correspondence for former servicemen. Van Noord joined the association as its paid secretary and administrator. He maintained membership records and handled correspondence for the organization. He remained secretary until his retirement in 1972.

Personal life

Van Noord met his wife after settling in Vriendendam. She was originally from Arnhem and was approximately 36 years old when they married in 1952. They had four children, three sons and one daughter. All four were born in Vriendendam.

Van Noord died in Vriendendam on 9 October 2021 at the age of 114. His wife survived him and was still living in 2026.

See also

• Noord family
• Angelo van Noord
• Vriendendam
• Wehrmacht-Veteranenverein Vriendendam