Conscript private Johan Jacob Bour

Conscript private Johan Jacob Bour was born on December 18, 1910 in Schaesberg in South Limburg, the Netherlands. He worked as a miner until he was called up for military service and joined the 2nd School Company of the Corps of Anti-Aircraft Artillery in Utrecht on January 2, 1930. In June 1938, he was transferred to the 2nd Regiment of Anti-Aircraft Artillery during a reorganization, and during the mobilization, he became a part of the 85th platoon of anti-aircraft machine guns. The 85th and 86th platoons together formed the air defense point at Zwijndrecht. The 86th platoon was stationed on the Zwijndrecht side of the bridges, while the 85th platoon was on the Dordrecht side. On May 10, 1940, when the war broke out in the Netherlands, German paratroopers from 3./FJR 1 landed in the meadows near Krispijn and in Zwijndrecht. The German paratroopers who landed in Zwijndrecht quickly advanced towards the bridges over the Oude Maas and first neutralized the 86th platoon of anti-aircraft machine guns. Meanwhile, the 85th platoon continued to fight and tried to resist the advancing paratroopers. However, the paratroopers had excellent cover from the thick steel bridge walls and managed to approach the positions of the 85th platoon at close range. In the ensuing battle, conscript private Bour was killed in the early hours of May 10, 1940. He was 29 years old and is buried at the General Cemetary in Dordrecht.¹.

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