Ludolf Verheijen

Ludolf Verheijen (October 28, 1889 - November 11, 1948), also known as Colonel Verheijen and the Red Colonel, was a Brunanter military officer and the leader of the National Liberation Front, alongside Cledwyn Pritchard.

Early life
Ludolf Verheijen was born to a middle class family of Cape Cross. Even though both of his parents were conservatives, young Ludolf was influenced by Karl Marx's writings. He studied in the Cape Cross Military Institute from 1908 until 1913 and subsequently joined the Royal Guard as a staff sergeant.

In 1916, Verheijen was sent to fight in France, during the First World War. He was slightly injured during the Battle of Albert and was promoted to lieutenant after the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Verheijen, like all others Brunanter troops, was sent back home in November. He saw action again in 1917 and by the end of the war, he had became a captain.

During the early Interwar period, Verheijen was an outspoken supporter of Maarten Dolmatoff, which resulted in his dismiss. Nevertheless, he returned to the army, after Dolmatoff became the President and he was promoted to major in 1930. Five years later, Verheijen published his memoirs from the First World War, under the title "Memoirs from the Western Front".

World War II
Upon the invasion of the Germans in Brunant, several officers were captured and thus Verheijen was promoted to colonel. On May 23, he commanded the troops of Brunant Island when paratroopers landed on the island, but he fled to Sint-Willemstad after the island was taken over. Verheijen contacted some members of the Communist Party, as well as a few leftish military officers. On June 2 he founded the National Liberation Front with Cledwyn Pritchard, then general secretary of the Communist Party, who subsequently escaped to London. Verheijen was appointed the head of the armed resistance, while Pritchard contacted Stalin, seeking for help.

Verheijen established a youth wing of NLF, known as Communist Youth Organization (CYO), which was responsible for the distribution of clandestine press material. Verheijen himself lead various ambushes against German troops and quickly NLF was spread all over southern Central Island and Brunant Island.

In July 1943 contacted the Special Operations Executive about the Operation Ambroos, i.e. the abduction of General Norbert Leitzke, governor of the Brunant Island. He created the so-called Zeegers Group, a team lead by Karel Zeegers. The kidnap of General Leitzke was successful and Leitzke was handed over to a British submarine.

Verheijen personally lead several ambushes on Nazi troops and during the victorious Battle of Drenthe, he lost the little finger of his left hand. When the US troops landed on Brunant Island, on July 10 1944, Verheijen and the NLF were insrumental in guiding the Americans.

After the war
Upon the liberation of Brunant, Verheijen retired from the Royal Guard. He settled down in Brunantstad and intended to get involved in politics. However, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1947 and he died one year later.