Denver "Bull" Randleman´s story in Nuenen anno 2008
In the TV-series Band of Brothers is depicted Bull Randleman (L), crawling in a ditch trying to stay ahead of a British tank shot by a German tank in Nuenen.
Bull fled into a barn, chased by a German soldier.
Bull is shot in his left shoulder he bayoneted the German.
He hides him under the hay. A Dutch farmer and his daughter were witnesses.
Bull fled into a barn, chased by a German soldier.
Bull is shot in his left shoulder he bayoneted the German.
He hides him under the hay. A Dutch farmer and his daughter were witnesses.
The British tank was shot from beside by a hidden German tank.
This is the story as it is been told in the series.
In 2008 I contacted the 80 year old son from the owner of the farm were Bull hided himself in the barn: Dirk Vink (R)
Dirk witnessed the tank shooting (while 13 years old) together with his family.
His story below.
One of those tanks rode into the field behind our farm.
We couldn't´t see him after a while because they covered the tank with tree branches from trees standing in an orchard.
Hours later we asked ourselves were the Germans were. Alongside the road was a ditch. (see map left)
In front of our neighbor's´s house the Germans had dug some foxholes. In the ditch and the foxholes the Germans were hidden and not visible from the road.(see map)
They had a clear view on the road in front of our farm, a road leading to Eindhoven.
At about one o´clock in the afternoon we heard tanks coming toward our farm. British tanks coming from Eindhoven towards Nuenen. At the moment we asked ourselves were the Germans were we suddenly heard a big bang.
It was the German tank that was hidden in the morning, shooting from behind at the British tank. Just one shot and the tank was in fire. The ammo exploded and 3 British soldiers were killed. Two of them in the tank."
Afterward we got told the soldiers were private Basil Nicholls and corporal Ralph Stothard from the he 44st Royal Tank Regiment, B-squadron (right)
At about one o´clock in the afternoon we heard tanks coming toward our farm. British tanks coming from Eindhoven towards Nuenen. At the moment we asked ourselves were the Germans were we suddenly heard a big bang.
It was the German tank that was hidden in the morning, shooting from behind at the British tank. Just one shot and the tank was in fire. The ammo exploded and 3 British soldiers were killed. Two of them in the tank."
Afterward we got told the soldiers were private Basil Nicholls and corporal Ralph Stothard from the he 44st Royal Tank Regiment, B-squadron (right)
Ralph Stothard
Basil Nicholls
He took some bandage and tried to bandage himself. My father (above) helped him to tie the bandage.
We never found a body from a German soldier in our barn. I know for sure that in our house no one was killed. During the incident 5 soldiers were KIA. Two Germans and 3 British. The two Germans were lying behind our farm and they were taken away by their buddies.
