Take Men on Board!

The Dutch WW2 Escapes to England

De: Borre Winckel

Narrado por: Borre Winckel

Dutch law school graduate Philip Winckel manages to escape Nazi-occupied Holland in February 1944. Germany still had the Country in its deadly grip, its long coastline included. Joined by a radio engineer plus three geology students, Philip miraculously slips through the enemy’s Atlantic Wall fortifications by sailing away in a small, repurposed fishing vessel. Powered by a Chevy truck engine, the five men crossed the perilous North Sea to reach England. Many had tried before but failed resulting in their imprisonment and execution. The odds of their success were comparable to Russian Roulette albeit with just one empty chamber.

Theirs was the only successful Dutch get away in 1944. They had much help. Over 100 individuals risked everything to assist them. In London, the five men put themselves in the service of HM Queen Wilhelmina by joining the Allied cause through the RAF, the Princess Irene Brigade and the Netherlands East Indies Army. For some the end goal was to free family members from the brutal Japanese prisoner camps.

As their liberation was achieved the Dutch colony erupted in total chaos, barreling towards its independence. Philip provides a chilling eyewitness account by taking part in a massive POW repatriation effort with a deeply personal outcome.

Meticulously researched, Borre’s engrossing story takes its listeners from occupied Holland to a free England and finally to Indonesia, the former Netherlands East Indies. Against all odds, after frequent mishaps and countless dangers, the book’s protagonists finally triumph. The Mighty 8th Air Force and the RAF Air Sea Rescue Service played significant roles in this outcome. This is a true tale of luck, adversity, and perseverance. The listener will be challenged by the thought, “What would I have done?” Uniquely, this rescue was filmed! Search for “RAF Rescue of Engelandvaarders.”

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Borre Winckel (P)2025 Borre Winckel

A True WW2 Escape Fueled by Courage and Luck

Take Men on Board! The Dutch WW2 Escapes to England tells a remarkable and sobering true story that reads with the tension of a novel but carries the weight of lived history. Centered on Philip Winckel’s escape from Nazi-occupied Holland in 1944, the book captures just how narrow the line was between survival and execution for those who dared to resist.

The escape itself is astonishing. Five men, a repurposed fishing vessel, and a truck engine crossing the North Sea while slipping past the Atlantic Wall feels almost unreal, yet the details make the danger painfully clear. The comparison to Russian roulette does not feel exaggerated. This was a one-chance gamble, and most who tried before them paid with their lives.

What strengthens the narrative is the broader context. Over one hundred people risked everything to help make this escape possible, reminding the reader that resistance was rarely a solo act. The story does not stop at England either. Philip’s continued service to Queen Wilhelmina and the Allied forces, followed by his involvement in the chaotic aftermath of liberation in Indonesia, adds depth and complexity that many war accounts leave out.

Narrated by Borre Winckel, the audiobook feels personal and carefully researched. The pacing is steady, and the inclusion of historical detail never overwhelms the human stakes. Knowing that this rescue was actually filmed adds an eerie layer of reality to an already gripping account.

This is not just a story about escape, but about endurance, moral choice, and the unpredictable consequences of survival. It leaves the listener with an unsettling and unavoidable question about courage under impossible circumstances. A compelling listen for anyone interested in World War II history, resistance movements, and the human cost of freedom.

Freedom at Any Cost

This audiobook does a wonderful job of illustrating why the Dutch coastline was such a difficult place to escape from during the German occupation. The narrative builds a lot of momentum as Philip Winckel moves closer to his goal, highlighting the constant fear of betrayal and the physical exhaustion of the journey. It is a very direct and honest look at the human cost of war and the lengths people will go to in order to reclaim their autonomy. The story is packed with details about the environment and the climate of fear that made every successful escape a reason for celebration.

Surviving the Odds

Some stories feel almost too improbable to be true. Take Men On Board is one of those. In February 1944, with Nazi-occupied Holland still under German control, five Dutch men decided to escape. Not by air or through hidden land routes, but across the North Sea in the middle of winter, using a refitted fishing boat powered by a truck engine.

That they made it across at all is astonishing. That theirs was the only successful Dutch sea escape that year makes it even more remarkable. Borre Winckel’s account, drawn from deep research and family history, turns what could have been a simple war chronicle into something vivid and human. It’s about courage, luck, and the stubborn will to survive when the world seems determined to crush it.

If you ever want a reminder of how much determination and sheer ingenuity the human spirit can muster, Take Men On Board delivers it in spades. This isn’t just a war tale; it’s about people trying to make something impossible work with whatever scraps they can find, and sometimes that’s more gripping than any firefight.

The audiobook follows the real events behind a daring wartime escape, told through a mix of recollection and retelling, showing exactly what it took to get out. There’s a lot of trial and error here, small moments that show just how much thought went into each decision. From sourcing a Chevy truck engine as a substitute for a boat engine, to scavenging batteries and fuel, every step feels like a calculated risk wrapped in desperation.

It’s also one of those rare wartime accounts where film footage exists (search it on YouTube!). The RAF’s rescue of the Engelandvaarders was actually captured on camera. Seeing those faces later adds an eerie authenticity to what you’ve just heard, grounding the story in something real and visible.

The later chapters shift focus to Indonesia, where the end of the war gives way to the collapse of Dutch colonial rule. The tone changes from daring escape to moral reckoning, tracing Philip’s involvement in the massive repatriation of prisoners of war. By then, the exhilaration of survival has faded into something heavier and more complex. It feels less like an adventure and more like a reckoning with what comes after.

What’s interesting is how ordinary it all sounds, in the best possible way. These weren’t movie action heroes; they were people who made things work because failure wasn’t an option. The book captures that grit and persistence, even while some scenes sound like they’re ripped straight from the movies. Smuggling operations, sneaking supplies past the Germans, digging tunnels to escape POW camps… it’s surreal to think of people actually doing the things I’ve only ever seen in films.

Take Men On Board is about endurance, humanity, and the quiet bravery history often forgets. It leaves you wondering: when everything is at risk, what would you have done?

A riveting WW2 story

As someone who enjoys history, this was a riveting story presented. It's written with rich detail and does a great job at bringing listeners back to WW2, where we follow the daring escape of a group of Dutchmen from nazi-occupied netherlands to England. It’s suspenseful, thrilling, and offers listeners a glimpse into one of the many stories that occurred during the Great War.

it feels like your on the story great job

its power comes from the fact that every detail actually happened the storytelling remains engaging and accessible showing how courage didn’t stop once freedom was reached. This is an outstanding work