On this route, you will cycle through the landscape of the Battle of the Scheldt. The rolling hills separated the water-rich Zeeland from Brabant, the province that formed the access route to the Westerschelde for the Allies. This river was very important, because it gave access to the port of Antwerp. The Allied Sherman tank and the German tank moat are visible reminders of the battle on this route. As are the memorial graveyards in Bergen op Zoom, where fallen Canadian and British soldiers - as well as other Allied soldiers - found their final resting place.

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Cycling Liberation Route Bergen op Zoom 

Bergen op Zoom Cemetery

Liberation Route Bergen op Zoom 

In the hall giving access to the cemetery is a register with the names of these soldiers. Each grave has a tombstone of white natural stone with an embossed emblem and cross.

Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery

Soldiers die in every war and deserve a well-organised grave, however in war conditions this is often not possible. The method of burial is almost always determined by the circumstances. In the period of 1944 to 45, the Canadian army had set up a system for burying fallen soldiers, and it was decided to bring the fallen together in temporary cemeteries. Temporary, because at a later date the fallen Canadian soldiers in the Netherlands would be buried, as much as possible, in specially created Canadian cemeteries.Immediately after the battle, Canadian forces often buried their fallen comrades in hastily dug field graves. Specialised units, if possible, arranged for reburial in a temporary cemetery. There was also such a cemetery in the centre of Bergen op Zoom, at Plein XIII. Situated in the middle of the city, but once on the edge of the old fortress, it was a drill ground for the city's garrison. The number 'XIII' recalls a vanished guardhouse at a railway crossing nearby.&nbsp;Many Canadian soldiers were killed in the fighting in the town and were the first to be buried in Square XIII. A number of soldiers who died in the fierce battle near Welberg were also buried there. In early November 1944, there was already a total of 53 graves. One of these was a British tank soldier from a unit supporting the Canadian troops. During the winter months, the number increased slightly with the interment of six Air Force soldiers, including a Dutchman. This brought the total number of crosses at Plein XIII to 59 and made this temporary cemetery the largest in North Brabant. Of course, Canadian soldiers were also interred in existing cemeteries, but nowhere else on this scale in North Brabant.A total of over 600 fallen Canadian servicemen were buried in various municipalities in North Brabant in the period from 1944 to 45. Most of them were transferred to the Canadian Military Cemetery on Ruytershoveweg in Bergen op Zoom from April 1945 onwards.Today, nothing at Plein XIII reminds us of the temporary function it had for almost a year.

From exercise ground to largest Canadian cemetery

On Friday afternoon on 27 October, the first tanks of the South Alberta Regiment reached the Grote Markt in Bergen op Zoom. Although the German troops were still on the northern side of the city, the people of Bergen welcomed their liberators exuberantly. In the evening hours, the first exchanges of shots ensued between the Canadian forces and the German paratroopers of the 6th Fallschirm Jäger Regiment. The latter had settled in the houses and buildings on the north side of the Zoom, an originally medieval peat canal. Expelling the enemy from these positions proved to be a tough job and led to very intense street fighting that would eventually last three days.On the afternoon of 28 October, the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada made a first attempt to cross the Zoom. The crossing ran aground in German machine-gun fire. Two subsequent attempts in darkness also failed. A second unit of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment was brought in appeared to be more successful. In the late evening of Saturday, they tried to form a small bridgehead in the industrial area along the Zoom, a place where the canal was less deep. Tanks were also ready to support the crossing. The night fighting that followed was confused and sometimes verging on the chaotic.&nbsp;With the utmost difficulty, a small group of Lincolns at a laundry managed to reach the other side. Man-to-man fighting ensued around the premises, which continued even on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, more and more Canadian forces managed to cross the Zoom. Therefore, during Sunday the German paratroopers broke off the fighting and withdrew towards Steenbergen. The Canadian Engineers went to work right away and by Sunday evening, the Canadian 8th Field Squadron had laid an emergency bridge across the Zoom, aptly named 'Lincoln Bridge'.The fighting along the Zoom had been unprecedentedly fierce. The Canadian forces had again underestimated the German resistance. Moreover, crossing the former peat canal proved much more difficult than previously thought. Losses on both sides were high: the street fighting had cost the lives of dozens of soldiers, and the damage in this part of the city was enormous.To their great surprise, the retreating German paratroopers were not pursued by the Canadian forces. This was because the Division's supreme medical commander issued an order for 48 hours of absolute rest for all soldiers. However, this did have the effect of allowing the German troops to build a new line of defence elsewhere...

Lincoln Bridge

The Battle of the Scheldt in autumn 1944 was for possession of the access road across the river Scheldt, to the important Belgian port city of Antwerp. The city and its port had fallen into Allied hands in September 1944. However, the shipping route across the Scheldt had not yet suffered the same fate. Hill 19.7 near Woensdrecht controlled not only the access by water to the Antwerp port, but also the route to Zeeland. Its possession was essential for both warring parties.The Canadian 2nd Infantry Division received orders to take control of the hill. They encountered unexpectedly heavy resistance from German troops in carrying out the task, especially when German high command also sent an elite unit of paratroopers in the direction of Woensdrecht. It became clear to the Canadian troops that it was going to be a fierce battle. The battle for possession of Hill 19.7, the climax of the fighting in the area, took place from 16 to 23 October 1944. On 23 October, the Canadian soldiers withstood all German counterattacks and managed to take complete control of the hill and village.It was a very important victory for the Canadian army during the Battle of the Scheldt. Unfortunately, the price paid was very high. About 8% of all Second World War Canadian casualties in the Netherlands died in this part of the province North-Brabant. The many graves at the Canadian Cemetery on Ruytershoveweg in Bergen op Zoom are a lasting reminder of this intense battle.Today, the lookout hill on Fortuinstraat looks out over the beautiful landscape, where little is left to recall that heavy battle in the autumn of 1944. In clear weather, the view reaches all the way to the port of Antwerp. It is hard to imagine that it took the Canadian forces no less than three weeks, coming from Antwerp, to secure this spot on Fortuinstraat.

Hill 19.7

On the 27th of October 27 1944, after the liberation of a section of Bergen op Zoom, the situation remained dangerous. There were still German troops north of the Zoom. They had blocked the roads, dug tank ditches and laid concrete anti-tank blocks. From behind this line, they fired artillery on the town, resulting in dead and wounded.
The Canadians attempted several times without success to cross the Zoom. But, eventually, they managed to build a Bailey bridge and blow up the concrete blockades on the Zoomdam. On the 31st of October, after heavy fighting, the Germans had to surrender the Zoom line. Among the Canadians were 135 dead, wounded and missing. There were also civilian causalities in Bergen op Zoom.&#13;
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Dramas surrounding liberation

Private Patrick Wright was part of the South Saskachewan Regiment of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. It was the task of the 1st Canadian Army, to which this division belonged, to capture the banks of the Scheldt. The access roads had to be secured as well. Only then could the port of Antwerp be brought back into use. This was the priority of the Allied Command from mid-October.
From the 12th to the 24rd of October, fierce fighting took place around Huijbergen during this Battle of the Scheldt. For the Germans, it was important the Allies did not succeed.
As a 19-year-old private, Patrick Wright had already experienced many tough battles. But, as he recalls, this battle was the hardest of them all.&#13;
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The hardest battle

In October 1944, to more quickly supply the Allied forces, access had to be gained to the port of Antwerp. The 1st Canadian Army was given the task to capture the roads to and the banks of the Scheldt. A part of this operation, the Allies advanced towards Woensdrecht and Bergen op Zoom, and via the Kreekrakdam, to Zuid-Beveland.
On the 13th of October 1944, the Canadian regiment, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, was ordered to capture the German positions on the railway embankment at Woensdrecht. The assault ended in tragedy. Private John Dubetz survived, but 58 other Canadian soldiers were killed. Afterwards, the Canadians called this day: Black Friday.&#13;
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Black Friday

The Battle of the Scheldt was one of the largest and most severe military operations on Dutch soil during the Second World War; a series of military operations that took place in the autumn of 1944 in the north of Belgium, the province of Zeeland and in West-Brabant.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe class="video" width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mZNpQ_B0Aq8" start="0"></iframe></div>

The Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen op Zoom contains the graves of 1116 soldiers, including 968 Canadians.

Canadian War Cemetery Bergen op Zoom

Au début du mois de septembre 1944, malgré l’importance d’Anvers, les Alliés concentrent leur offensive plus à l’est avec l’opération Market Garden. La ligne de front près d’Anvers reste quasiment la même pendant un moins, puis, fin septembre, les troupes canadiennes se mettent en action pour faire évoluer la situation. Le 28 septembre 1944, la 2e division d’infanterie canadienne traverse le canal Anvers-Turnhout et passe à l’offensive dans l’objectif de sécuriser l’Escaut. Après une progression lente mais régulière, la division subit un coup d’arrêt à l’approche de Woensdrecht. Woensdrecht est une ville importante, car étant l'unique point d’accès terrestre à Zuid-Bevelan et Walcheren, sa prise par les Canadiens permettrait de couper les forces allemandes situées à l’ouest de la ville du reste de la Wehrmacht. La bataille de Woensdrecht démarre le 7 octobre 1944. Si les forces en présence disposent d'un nombre de soldats équivalent, les Canadiens bénéficient d’une supériorité aérienne et en artillerie,même si une grande partie des soldats canadiens sont très inexpérimentés. À l’inverse, les soldats allemands ont participé à de nombreux combats, en particulier les troupes d'élite du 6e Régiment de Fallschirmjäger, connues pour leur fanatisme. L'un des affrontements les plus sanglants de la bataille a lieu le vendredi 13 octobre, lorsque le régiment canadien Black Watch attaque à travers champ des positions allemandes bien préparées. Le résultat est dévastateur. La Black Watch perdra au total 183 hommes, dont 56 seront tués. Depuis lors, ce jour est connu des soldats canadiens sous le nom de Black Friday (vendredi noir). Malgré de lourdes pertes, les Canadiens parviennent à s’emparer de Woensdrecht le 16 octobre, isolant ainsi les forces allemandes qui occupaient Zuid-Bevelan et Walcheren.

Woensdrecht was an important town for the Allies since it was the only land entrance to South-Beveland and Walcheren. If the Canadians could capture the town the German forces to the west would be cut off from the rest of their army. Woensdrecht was the first key objective for safeguarding the Scheldt estuary.

Despite the huge importance of Antwerp the Allied focused their advance in early September 1944 further to the east, with Operation Market Garden. The frontline around Antwerp remained almost unchanged for a month. By the end of September the Canadian troops went into action to change this situation.

On 28 September 1944 the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division crossed the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal and started its offensive to clear the Scheldt river. At first progress was slow and steady but as the Canadians approached the town of Woensdrecht they were brought to a halt. Woensdrecht was an important town since it was the only land entrance to South-Beveland and Walcheren. If the Canadians could capture the town the German forces to the west would be cut off from the rest of their army.

The battle of Woensdrecht started on 7 October 1944. The opposing forces were well match in terms of numbers but the Canadian forces enjoyed a superiority in artillery and air support. On the other hand many of the Canadian soldiers were very inexperienced. The German defenders of Woensdrecht on the other hand were veterans of several battles and included the elite 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment which was known for its fanaticism.

On Friday 13 October, one of the bloodiest engagements of the battle was fought. On this day the Canadian Black Watch Regiment made an attack across an open field against well prepared German positions. The result was devastating. The Black Watch lost 183 men of which 56 dead. Ever since this day is known by the Canadian soldiers as Black Friday. Despite the heavy losses, the Canadians captured Woensdrecht on 16 October, effectively cutting off the German forces in South-Beveland and Walcheren.

The monument that can be seen on this location is dedicated to the Canadian troops that fought and died for the liberation of Woensdrecht.