Govert grew up in The Hague. He escaped occupied Holland on November 5, 1943 with 7 friends. They went to Madrid, formed a field-hockey team and got permission to play in Portugal. Once there, a British ship picked them up. They arrived in England on January 4, 1944. He married Bonney on december 24, 1946 in The Hague, they moved to the US in 1948. He died in Ann Harbor, Michigan.
