Sisters finally meet 75 years after being put up for adoption after World War II
Two long-lost siblings who were split up during the Second World War have found each other 75 years later.
Annie IJpelaar, 75, and Sheila Anne Fry, 75, were reunited after Sheila’s daughter-in-law Karen started researching their family history.
Sheila, who lives in Bristol, never knew her real parents as she was adopted after the war.
But Karen discovered Sheila had an elder half-sister in The Netherlands who was born just a few months before her.
Karen was then messaged by Annie’s son, Marc, and both sisters did a DNA test to confirm they are related.
The sisters met for the first time in the Dutch town of Drunen following a FaceTime call.
‘It was like looking in the mirror and talking to myself,’ Sheila said.
‘We had done a video link before we met face to face, but it was amazing.
‘We have the same hobbies, and the same medical complaints it is very strange – we look very much alike.
‘I always knew I was adopted, my mum told me when I was a little girl.
‘My mum said I was special because mummy and daddy picked me.’
Sheila’s adoption records contained her biological mum’s full name, but there was no information about her dad.
According to her adoptive parents, Clifford and Mary Willmott, her dad was a Canadian soldier who fought against the Nazis in Europe.
The search for Sheila’s dad remained unsuccessful for eight years, leading her to believe she had hit a dead end.
Sheila said: ‘I never thought of looking on my dad’s side. What we presume happened is as the forces were closing down, he had been in Holland, and they had Annie.
‘Then he was sent to Bristol and met my mum. We think he maybe knew about Annie but didn’t know about me. I didn’t know anything about it until my daughter-in-law told me.’
Meanwhile, Annie was also trying to uncover her family history.
Unaware her father was not her biological dad, Annie only discovered the truth after overhearing a conversation between relatives and searching through family documents.
Shelia now hopes Annie will visit her in the UK.
Annie, a retired craftswoman said: ‘It was very special, and we immediately connected.
‘Although the language was a problem it felt very strange and also natural to see and talk to my sister after all these years.
‘It is great to finally meet Sheila, but it can be difficult to keep in touch as we are not very good with computers and phones.
‘My English is not good, but I am trying to learn. I wish she lived closer.’
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