In het dorpje America in de Peel werd op de hoeve 'De Zwarte Plak' van de familie Poels aan meer dan 300 geallieerde vli...

In het dorpje America in de Peel werd op de hoeve 'De Zwarte Plak' van de familie Poels aan meer dan 300 geallieerde vliegers, 60 gevluchte Franse krijgsgevangenen, 30 joden en vele andere voortvluchtigen tijdelijk onderdak verleend. Veel steun daarbij werd verkregen van de buren, de familie Smedts. Na de bevrijding liepen geallieerde militairen af en aan op de hoeve om met eigen ogen het fameuze onderduikadres te kunnen zien. America for the Americans. They were all in the racket. Truus Smedts with her cat. Many villagers who suspected something sent their children to see what was going on on the Black Spot. Truus had the difficult task of amusing them without giving things away. Peter who was caught and taken to Germany. He had to work in a factory but had to flee because he had committed sabotage. Caught again he spent some time in German prisons. Liberated after five weeks, by the arrival of the Americans he got home in the beginning of May, saying: 'Don't expect Mattew. I was in prison for five weeks. He was there for 30 months. He cannot be alive'. Louis Smedts, Toon and Gerard Poels were in the guard of honor of Prince Bernhard after the liberation for their underground work. They were needed on their parents farm and returned.