The pilot's mother died of a heart attack later that day, after she arrived at the scene of the crash and was told about his fate.

Fifteen of these planes arrived in the Netherlands after a journey of months aboard the aircraft carrier Karel Doorman.

[1] The Fairey Firefly departed from Valkenburg Naval Air Base for a half-hour practice flight.

The pilot was given the order to fly in the neighbourhood of the air base to become familiar with the aircraft and then return to the airbase.

With an extreme maneuver he managed to avoid the tower, but his right wing touches the left corner of the school building.

In an attempt for desertion he applied for pilot training and managed to get hold of a plane at the Russian front and flew towards England.

In March 1945 he registered with the British Royal Air Force, where he was deployed as a scout after pilot training.

After liberation of the Netherlands Christern signed-up with the Dutch army and was stationed at Valkenburg Naval Air Base where he had the rank of sergeant-flyer.

In 1946 he would move with the HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) to the Dutch East Indies flying the new Fairey Firefly.

On 12 October the funeral of Tonny van Velzen took place in Oud Eik en Duinen.

The funeral was attended by delegates from the Apeldoorn municipal council, the Royal Navy, the school and students.

The coffins were placed on five horse-drawn wagons covered with black cloths and moved to the cemetery.

[9][10] On the same day pilot Max Christern and his mother Maria Christern-Slingervoet Ramondt were cremated in Driehuis.

[9][10] Two days later on Saturday morning 12 October Tonny van Velzen was buried at Oud Eik en Duinen.

[3] Shortly after the disaster, many people and agencies shared their condolences, including Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and mayor of Apeldoorn Loek des Tombe [nl].

Shortly after the accident, the Aviation Council assumed, without conducting an investigation, that the crash was the result of a failure by the pilot.

During a ceremony on 12 June 1948, the memorial for the victims was handed over to the parents' committee by the chairman of the school board.

The individual grave monuments each consist of a stone console with a granite text plate.

Herman Schuite and Tonny van Velzen, who were buried elsewhere, are listed on the stones on the left and right.