On 12 April 1945, several Canadian regiments approached the town of Zwolle. Wijthmen was the first village in the municipality of Zwolle a day later to be liberated, by the Régiment de Ia Chaudière, a French-speaking part of the Third Canadian Infantry Division. The Canadian soldiers took post from here to advance on Zwolle. But how great would be the resistance there? The regimental commander, Colonel Gustave O. Taschereau, decided to ask two volunteers for a reconnaissance. They were to gather information on the strength of the German forces and, if possible, make contact with the local underground.

On this, comrades Corporal Willy Arsenault and Private Leo Major reported for this risky mission. Across the Heinoseweg, they were to leave on foot towards the centre of Zwolle. The farm of the Van Gerner family, at 13 Heinoseweg, would be their starting point in the evening of 13 April. According to a later statement by Leo Major, the pair were alone by then; Hendrik van Gerner's son said in an interview that this farm was used by the regiment as a fallout post. Whatever the case: it is certain that on this farm Major and Arsenault spoke to the Zwolle farmer Hendrik van Gerner, who warned them of German gunmen. After this, Major and Arsenault continued on their way.

Hendrik van Gerner met Leo Major, the “first liberator of Zwolle”, several more times after the liberation, most recently in 2005.