Nicholas Bast

World War II

Liaison Officer In Netherlands For US Army

Nicholas Bast, 86, of Forest Hills Estates, Leeds, N.Y., and former longtime Ossining, N.Y. resident, died October 23 at St Peter’s Hospice Inn in Albany. He was born September 9, 1921, in Leiden, Netherlands, the son of Johann and Alida (Kouwenberg) Bast.

Mr Bast is survived by his wife of 59 years, Philomena (Castellana) Bast of Leeds; two sons, Thomas Bast and his wife, Virginia, of Newtown, John Bast of Peekskill, N.Y.; and a brother, Jan Bast of Hilversum, the Netherlands; two grandchildren, David Bast of Croton, N.Y., and Skyler Bast of Newtown; and two cousins, Joop and Nell Bast of the Netherlands.

At the time of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in 1939, Mr Bast was student of law at the University of Leiden. The Nazis deported him to occupied France, where he was forced to work as a laborer in a Nazi munitions factory. He escaped during a US air attack on the factory and was able to make his way to Scotland where he received commando training.

Because of his fluency in seven languages, and his familiarity with the territory, the US Seventh Army quickly identified him as an asset. He was appointed as a liaison officer for the Netherlands, and served with them until the end of the war in 1945.

Following the war’s end, he was assigned as a special investigator with the American Graves Registration Command, US Army, in France, until 1948. There he met Philomena Castellana, an American civilian, also with the US Army. They were married in the Netherlands, and came to the United States soon after.

Mr Bast soon became a grateful and proud United States citizen. He was employed as a financial analyst for several engineering firms and traveled extensively in Canada, Africa, and Europe. He resided in Ossining, N.Y., for more than 25 years and retired to Leeds, N.Y. in 1986.

He was a member of the Rip Van Winkle Senior Citizens Club, Catskill Senior Fellowship, and Cairo Golden Agers. He was communicant at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Catskill. Mr Bast was predeceased by a brother, Peter Bast.

Calling hours were scheduled at Traver & McCurry Funeral Home, 234 Jefferson Heights, Catskill, Thursday, October 25, from 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm.

Funeral services will be held 9:30 to 10:30 am, Friday, October 26, at the funeral home, followed by an 11 am Mass of Christian Burial at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Bridge Street, Catskill. Private cremation will be performed at Park View Crematory in Schenectady. Interment at the Town of Catskill Cemetery will be at the convenience of the family.

Memorials in his name may be made to the St Peter’s Hospice Inn, 315 South Manning Boulevard, Albany NY 12208.

The Newtown Bee        October 26, 2007