Joannes Deodatus Waller

Evader Story
Sgt. Thomas James (Ted) Froats was the mid upper gunner of Stirling BF511. This bomber was shot down by a night fighter during a mission to Essen and crashed near Kootwijk. Not much is known of his evader activities. He hid first a week in the house of forester Kelderman at Planken Wambuis in Wolfheze. From there he moved to family Bob Graafhuis at Gabrielstraat 12 at Arnhem for 'a couple of days'. His son Wubbo Graafhuis - who worked as assistant of Nel Lind of Fiat Libertas - reported after the war what happened: 'Two days after the W/C. left [W/Cdr. T.A.B. Parselle (E...)], I was sent to a certain Mr. J.D. Waller at Driebergen, who told me that a Canadian Air-Gunner, called Ted Froats, was hidden in the woods near Wolfheze. We made arrangements that I should take him home with me. I went to Arnhem by train and from there, with an extra bicycle and a suitcase of civilian clothes, to Wolfheze where I again met Mr. Waller who took me to forester Kelderman, who had taken care of the airman for about 5 days.' Wubbo Graafhuis took Froats to Arnhem without incidents. The Germans where at his tail though. Graafhuis: 'On Sunday the 1st of August, Nel Lind stayed with us for a holiday. At about 23.15, Froats had already gone to bed, the bell was rung so we knew that something was wrong because we had curfew at 23.00 hours. We switched off nearly all the lights, and after one or two minutes my mother went to the front door in her morning-gown and her hair in disorder. Meanwhile I went upstairs, put Froats in his hiding place with all his clothes, laid his bed and went downstairs. There I found my father standing in the hall. He told me in a low voice what was going on. There were two agents of the Gestapo to see if my father and I were not at home. We could hear my mother talking with them through a small window in the door. Mother told them some story which made them believe that my father and I were not at home. But then they asked to come in to make a house-search. Mother answered that she was only at home with two daughters and the maid and that she wou!d not dream of letting in unknown men. After about a quarter of an hours talk they left. Thanks to my mothers prompt action we were all still free. At three o'clock in the morning my father, Froats and I left the house safely, after having hidden or destroyed compromising papers and material. We went into the woods and caught the train at Oosterbeek. At the Utrecht-station Froats was turned over to Nel Lind, who arrived there meanwhile. She took him to Joke Folmer at Zeist.'

It's more probable that Froats first moved for an unknown period to the house of family J.D. Waller in Hoofdstraat 58 at Driebergen, before he moved to the family Herman Folmer at Homeruslaan 57 in Zeist. He hid here for about fourteen days. Then Froats was handed over to Nel Lind again. She brought the airman to Weert where she handed the airman over to Tjeu Beelen. He hid here for a period in the house of Louis F.J Bergmans at Biest 94. From here Froats travelled undercover into Belgium. He hid in the bakery of Fons Bergmans in Bree. It's possible that he was picked up here and was escorted directly to Brussels. In the Belgian capital he came in the hands of V-Mann George Prosper De Zitter. He possibly ended up in a 'safe' house that was run by this traitor. This 'safe' house was located in an apartment at 369 Avenue Slegers near to a block of flats called Josephine-Charlotte. He was probably arrested in Brussels as he was in St. Gillis prison at the end of August 1943 together with S/Ldr. G.R. Carpenter (E0115) and Sgt. F. Jackson. Froats eventually ended up in Stalag IVB at Mühlberg (Elbe). He survived the war.

Ted Froats passed away at the age of 87 on 26 January 2011 in London, Ontario, Canada. He is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery and Crematorium at London, Ontario.