In February 1944, five young Dutchmen escaped Nazi-occupied Holland by crossing the stormy North Sea in a small, repurposed fishing vessel. Their crossing became the only successful Dutch sea escape to England in 1944. They escaped not to flee the war—but to continue fighting it.

Drawing on 18 years of research, rare manuscripts, wartime intelligence records, family archives, and firsthand interviews, author Borre Winckel reconstructs the network of more than one hundred men and women whose courage, ingenuity, and sacrifice made the crossing possible.

While many Engelandvaarders—men and women who escaped occupied Holland to reach England and continue the fight against Nazi Germany—traveled overland through Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal, this audiobook focuses on the exceptionally dangerous crossings of the North Sea.

The story follows the 5 men from occupied Holland to wartime England and beyond, where they joined the Allied war effort through the RAF, the Princess Irene Brigade, and the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. Along the way, listeners encounter resistance workers, fishermen, intelligence officers, RAF Air Sea Rescue crews, Allied airmen, and ordinary families whose courage made these extraordinary escapes possible.

Narrated by the author, this production is enhanced with authentic wartime soundscapes and a carefully crafted musical score that underscore moments of danger, sacrifice, triumph, and hope—creating an immersive listening experience while remaining faithful to the historical record.

Explore also Take Men on Board! Facebook page with 400 historical documents and artifacts organized chapter by chapter. The archive allows listeners to match the people and events they hear about with authentic wartime images, creating a unique visual companion to the audiobook.

Take Men on Board! is more than an escape story. It is a documentary history of courage, duty, perseverance, and of brave people whose sacrifices helped make freedom possible.