While in Holland, Peter not only had to fulfill his intended task of setting up a network of radio operators and secret agents, but shortly before his departure, he alone had been informed that Queen Wilhelmina had personally requested to have two men of her choosing brought back to England by the same route, and she wanted Peter to approach them. Men she thought would be useful to her war cabinet because of their knowledge and awareness of the situation in Holland. During his training for the landing, he was given a third task. So top secret even his friends in this operation were not allowed to be told.
He was to find and set up an escape route for RAF pilots shot down over Holland.
As Sabine was helping some of these pilots and even hiding some of them in her own home, it was natural that Peter and she would meet. Besides, all Peter’s new friends in London and the contacts he would make in The Hague were already her friends.
Once Erik and Chris dropped Peter off at the beach, Peter made his way to the house of Dr. Krediet, father of Chris, in Wassenaar. Doctor or Dokkie Krediet was delighted to hear that not only that his son had safely arrived in England, but also that he was involved in this particular operation.
Dr. Krediet himself was very involved with the Resistance and in particular with the group that involved Gerard Vinkesteijn, Broer Moonen and Sabine. He played a very useful part. Being a doctor meant he was allowed a telephone and was also allowed out after curfew, which meant that he could not only visit patients but also transport equipment and anyone needing a safe house. Like the others, he would later be arrested and sent to Dachau Concentration Camp, where he died of typhoid.
When Peter arrived at Dr. Krediet’s house that evening, he found not only Gerard and Broer there but also Sabine. She organized his first safe house, which was with Mrs. Roeper-Bosch, Taro’s mother, although he later came to stay with Sabine for a month.
He was not the only one who came to stay. Many people who needed a hiding place passed through Sabine’s house for shorter or longer periods. She looked after them, cooked for them and passed on messages. Her hospitality was gratefully received, and some of them, including some English pilots, stayed lifelong friends.
But apart from her job and her Resistance work, there was still time for parties and sailing, and on the surface, life carried on as normal.
Meanwhile, Peter’s first task, setting up a network of operators, was soon in progress.
His second task, approaching the two men the queen had requested to be brought to England, was less successful. Wiardi Beckman, known as Stuuf, a left-wing politician and editor of an illegal newspaper, readily agreed to take the dangerous risk of departing in a small boat from the beach under the nose of the Germans. The other man, Captain Tielens, a high-ranking military man and chief of staff, refused to go. He had given his word of honor to the Germans that he would not work against them and refused to break his word. Not even for the queen and the exceptional circumstances.
During his short time in The Hague, Peter had met up with his old friend Gerard Dogger from his marine days, who was in desperate need to disappear. The Germans were hot on his tail for his illegal activities. Peter decided to offer Tielens’s place in the boat to Gerard instead.
For his third task, Wiardi Beckman and Gerard Vinkesteijn offered some useful contacts. At Peter’s request, Gerard decided to try out an overland escape route for English pilots that they had plotted together.
As he left on January 6, 1942, Gerard sent a short note to Sabine:
Dear Sabientje,
I have decided quite suddenly to go on holiday for a fortnight, so I won’t see you for a while.
I received such a nice invitation and decided to accept it immediately.
Lieve knulletje, I have to go now. I will probably not be gone longer than a month.
Much love from your Gerard.
Remember, don’t gossip.
Bye, sweetheart.
Three days later, Gerard was arrested on the train between Antwerp and Brussels. He would be executed in July the following year.