Battle of the Scheidt

6
www.canadiansoldiers.com http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteuro . .. 1 of7 csc . canadiansoldiers.com "- · inde x P.:age about canadiansoldiers.com contact fag forum bl Q9 webmaster site histo[Y site maP.: P.ublic Hislo[Y Qrnanizalion Tactical ~gi ment s Cores/Branches Ranks Uniforms Insignia ~quipment Weapons Vehicles Other Media Ene,ri es Procedures Glossaty Researchers & Coll, Histm Wars & Campaigns War First\Nor ld War Wes tern Front Warfare: 1914-1 916 Offensive: 1916 Offensi ves : 1 917 Offens ive: 1918 to \/lcto,y 1918 Second Worl d War War !\gains! Jaean North Africa - Itali an Cameaign - - Southern Italy The Sangro and Moro Batllesof tiiei=ssF Liri \/alley Advance to Florence Gothic Line Winter Lines North-West Euro~ Normandy Southern France Channel Ports Ni jm"9en Sali ent Rhineland Final Phase War War Operat ions GAUNTLET AugJJMj_ (Spilsbergen) HUSKY Jul 1943 (Si cily) COTTAGE Aug 1943 (Ki ska) TIMBERWO LF Oct 1943 (Italy) Jun 1944 (Normandy) MARKET-GARD EN See 44 (Arnhem) BERLIN Nov 1944 (Nij megen) Feb 1945 (Rhineland) Batt le Honours Boer War Battle of the Scheidt The Battle of the Scheidt was fought in October 1944 between Allied forces from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Poland , and the German forces occupying territory in northern Belgium and the southwestern portion of The Netherlands during the North-West Europe campaign of the Second World War. Situation After the failure to clear many of the Channel Ports in September 1944, the need for port facilities north of Normandy grew acute; Allied supply lines were moving farther and farther away from Normandy, where most of their supplies were landing in Europe , resulting in very long supply runs by truck to the Allied armies. Antwerp had fallen with intact port facilities in September, however, the waterway leading to Antwerp , th e Scheidt Estuary, was lined with German forces, and in particular heavy coastal batteries on Walcheren Island prevented any Allied supply ships from approaching the Scheidt in order to land supplies in Antwerp . First Canadian Army was given the task, as the left-most of the Allied armies on the continent, of cl earing the Scheidt Estuary. Prelude The fighting in the Battle of Normandy had cau sed extreme casualties among all the All ied armies between 6 Jun 1944 and th e end of Aug . Fighting for the Channel Ports was less intense, but still costly, and as the Canadian Army headed into the Belgium, the need for reinforcements, particularly infantry reinforcements, began to reach crisis proportions. Th e British Second Army had advanced into The Netherlands, and in a highly ambitious operation beginning on 17 September 1944, Operation MARKET- GARDEN established bridgeheads over several rivers including the Maas and Waal , and attempted to gain a bridgehead over th e Rhine - the last major water barrier separating German territory from western Europe. North-West Di ee~ -NormanQY. - Southern France - Channel F t!ij megen Sali ent - Rhineland - Final Ph . ' ~ ~b rilqqe . ' ' ... ....__ L~p,:,lct. C.:mal I ~attle -;:;;e Scheidt The Scheidt -Leopold Canal - Woensdrecht - Sa1 Breskens Pocket - South Beveland - Walcheren C Lower Maas 18 Feboo The fighting at Arnhem, on the Rhine, resulted in the destruction of the British 1st Airborne Division and exceedingly hea~ ':;: ! 1 :': 1 ~,:'; relief forces from British XXX Corps failed to reach th em before heavy counter-attacks by SS armoured units threatened to ar Trench Warfare : 1914-1916 (As an aside, several Canloan officers had been part of th e 1st Airborne Division .) 1915 22 Apr-25 May 15 Gravenstalel 22-23 Apr 15 Jul ien 24 Apr-4 May 15 8-13 lvlay 15 Beiiewaarde 24-25 l vlay 15 Festubert , 1915 15-25 lvlay 15 2- 13 Jun 16 Alli ed Offensive: 1916 1 916 1 Jul-18 Nov 16 1>- Albert .1-13 Jul 16 .1 4-17 Jul 16 Pozieres .23 Jul-3 Sep 16 .3-6 Sep 16 .9 Sep 16 15-22 Sep 16 Thieeval 26-29 Sep 16 Tran sloy . 1-18 Oct 16 Heights 1 Oct- 11 Nov 16 1916 13-1 8 Nov 16 -- Allied Offensives: 1917 1917 8Apr-4 l vlay 17 .9-14 Apr 17 /lil eux 28-29 Apr 17 1917 .3-4 May17 15-25Aug 17 1917 .7-14 Jun 17 1917 .. 31 Jul-10 Nov 17 Pilckem 31 Jul-2 Aug 17 Langemarck, 1917 .1 6-18 Aug 17 Road .20-25 Sep 17 Pol ygon Wood 26 Sep-3 Oct 17 Broodseinde .4 Oct 17 .9 Oct 17 .12 Oct 17 1917 20 Nov-3 Dec 17 German Offensive: 1918 1918 .21 lvt ar-5 Apr 18 .21-23 lvtar 18 1918 .24-25 Mar 18 Rosieres .26-27 Mar 18 2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Transcript of Battle of the Scheidt

Page 1: Battle of the Scheidt

www.canadiansoldiers.com http: //www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteuro ...

1 of7

csc . canadiansoldiers.com "- ·

index P.:age about canadiansoldiers.com contact fag forum blQ9 webmaster site histo[Y site maP.: P.ublic

Hislo[Y Qrnanizalion Tactical ~giments Cores/Branches Ranks Uniforms Insignia ~quipment Weapons Vehicles Other Media Ene,ries Procedures Glossaty Researchers & Coll,

Histm

Wars & Campaigns

► Boer War ► First\Norld War ► ► Western Front ►►►Trench Warfare: 1914-1 916 ►►► Allied Offensive: 1916 ►►► Allied Offensives : 1917 ►►► German Offensive: 1918 ►►►Advance to \/lcto,y 1918 ► ► Siberia ► SecondWorld War ► ► War !\gains! Jaean ► ► North Africa -► ► Italian Cam eaign ►►► Sic i ly - -► ► ► Southern Italy ► ► ► The Sangro and Moro ► ► ► Batllesof tiiei=ssF ►►► Cassino ► ► ► Liri \/alley ► ► ► Advance to Florence ► ► ► Gothic Line ► ► ► Winter Lines ► ► North-West Euro~ ► ► ► Normandy ► ► ► Southern France ► ► ► Channel Ports ►►► Scheidt ► ► ► Nijm"9en Salient ► ► ► Rhineland ► ► ► Final Phase ► Korean War ► Cold War ► Gu~War

Operations

► GAUNTLET AugJJMj_ (Spilsbergen) ► HUSKY Jul 1943 (Sicily) ► COTTAGE Aug 1943 (Kiska) ► TIMBERWOLF Oct 1943 (Italy) ► O\/IERLORD Jun 1944 (Normandy) ► MARKET-GARDEN See 44 (Arnhem) ► BERLIN Nov 1944 (Nijmegen) ► VERITABLE Feb 1945 (Rhineland)

Battle Honours

Boer War

Battle of the Scheidt

The Battle of the Scheidt was fought in October 1944 between Allied forces from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Poland, and the German forces occupying territory in northern Belgium and the southwestern portion of The Netherlands during the North-West Europe campaign of the Second World War.

Situation

After the failure to clear many of the Channel Ports in September 1944, the need for port facilities north of Normandy grew acute; Allied supply lines were moving farther and farther away from Normandy, where most of their supplies were landing in Europe, resulting in very long supply runs by truck to the Allied armies. Antwerp had fallen with intact port facilities in September, however, the waterway leading to Antwerp, the Scheidt Estuary, was lined with German forces, and in particular heavy coastal batteries on Walcheren Island prevented any Allied supply ships from approaching the Scheidt in order to land supplies in Antwerp.

First Canadian Army was given the task, as the left-most of the Allied armies on the continent, of clearing the Scheidt Estuary.

Prelude

The fighting in the Battle of Normandy had caused extreme casualties among all the All ied armies between 6 Jun 1944 and the end of Aug . Fighting for the Channel Ports was less intense, but still costly, and as the Canadian Army headed into the Belgium, the need for reinforcements, particularly infantry reinforcements, began to reach crisis proportions.

The British Second Army had advanced into The Netherlands, and in a highly ambitious operation beginning on 17 September 1944, Operation MARKET­GARDEN established bridgeheads over several rivers including the Maas and Waal, and attempted to gain a bridgehead over the Rhine - the last major water barrier separating German territory from western Europe.

North-West

Diee~ - NormanQY. - Southern France - Channel F t!ijmegen Salient - Rhineland - Final Ph

. '

~ ~brilqqe . ' ' ... ....__ L~p,:,lct.C.:mal

I ~attle -;:;;e Scheidt

The Scheidt - Leopold Canal - Woensdrecht - Sa1 Breskens Pocket - South Beveland - Walcheren C

Lower Maas

► Paardebarg 18 Feboo The fighting at Arnhem, on the Rhine, resulted in the destruction of the British 1st Airborne Division and exceedingly hea~ ':;:!1:':

1~,:'; relief forces from British XXX Corps failed to reach them before heavy counter-attacks by SS armoured units threatened to ar

Trench Warfare : 1914-1916 (As an aside, several Canloan officers had been part of the 1st Airborne Division.) ►Yeres, 1915 22 Apr-25 May 15 ► Gravenstalel 22-23 Apr 15 ► St. Julien 24 Apr-4 May 15 ► Frezenberg 8-13 lvlay 15 ► Beiiewaarde 24-25 lvlay 15 ► Festubert, 1915 15-25 lvlay 15 ►tvbun!Sor~ 2-13 Jun 16

Allied Offensive: 1916 ► Somme, 1916 1 Jul-18 Nov 16 1>- Albert .1-13 Jul 16 ► Bazentin .1 4-17 Jul 16 ► Pozieres .23 Jul-3 Sep 16 ► Guillemont .3-6 Sep 16 ► Ginchy .9 Sep 16 ► Flers-Courcelette 15-22 Sep 16 ► Thieeval 26-29 Sep 16 ► Le Transloy . 1-18 Oct 16 ►Ancre Heights 1 Oct-11 Nov 16 ► Ancre, 1916 13-1 8 Nov 16 --Allied Offensives: 1917

►Arras 1917 8Apr-4 lvlay 17 ► \/lmy,...1fill .9-14 Apr 17 ► /lileux 28-29 Apr 17 ► Scarpa , 1917 .3-4 May17 ► Hill70 15-25Aug 17 ► lvtessines , 1917 .7-14 Jun 17 ► Ypres , 1917 .. 31 Jul-10 Nov 17 ► Pilckem 31 Jul-2 Aug 17 ► Langemarck, 1917 .1 6-18 Aug 17 ► Manin Road .20-25 Sep 17 ► Polygon Wood 26 Sep-3 Oct 17 ► Broodseinde .4 Oct 17 ► Poelcapelle .9 Oct 17 ► Passchendaele .12 Oct 17 ► Cambrai, 1917 20 Nov-3 Dec 17

German Offensive: 1918 ► Somme, 1918 .21 lvtar-5 Apr 18 ► St.Quentin .21-23 lvtar 18 ► Bapaume , 1918 .24-25 Mar 18 ► Rosieres .26-27 Mar 18

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Page 2: Battle of the Scheidt

www.canadiansoldiers.com http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteuro ...

2 of7

► Avre .4 Apr 18 ► Lys .9-29Apr 18 ► Estaires .9-11 Apr 18 ► IW..ssines , 1918 .10-11 Apr 18 ► Bailleu! .13-15Apr 18 ► l<emmel .17-19Apr 18

Advance to Victory: 1918 ► Amiens 6-11 Aug 18 ► Arras , 1918 .26 Aug-3Sep18 ► Scarpe, 1918 26-30 Aug 18. ► Drocourt-Queant .2-3 Sep 18 ► Hindenburg Line .12 Sep-9 Oct 18 ► Canal du Nord .27 Sep-2 Oct 18 ► St. Quentin Canal .29 Sep-2 Oct 18 ► Epehy 3-5 Oct 18 ► Cambrai , 1918 .8-9 Oct 18 ► Valenciennes .1-2 Nov 18 ► Sambre .4 Nov 18 ► Pursuit to Mons .28 Sep-11 Nov

Second World War War Against Japan

South-East Asia ► Hong Kong 8-25 Dec 41

Italian Campaign Battle of Sicily

► Landing in SicilY. 9-12 Jul 43 ► Gramm ichele 15 Jul 43 ► PiazzaArmerina 16-17 Jul43 ►.\@!guarnera 17-19 Jul 43 ► Assoro 20-22 Jul 43 ► Leonforte 21-22 Jul 43 ► ,/)gfil! 24-28 Jul 43 ► Adrano 29 Jul-7 Aug 43 ► Catenanuova 29-30 Jul 43

Battle of the Scheidt October • November 1944

► !3....egalbuto 29 Jul-3 Aug 43 ► Centurifl!l 31 Jul-3 Aug 43 ► Traina \falleY. 2-6 Aug 43 ► Pursuit to fv'essina 2-17 Aug 43

Southern Italy ► Landiog at ReggjQ ► Potenza

3 Sep43 19-20 Sep 43

1-3 Oct 43

11il~Jii)~i{~~+~r•:,, • •. •· ,h ,~'"~~(tj

► Motta Montecorvino ► Termoli

► tvbnteSan Marco ► Gambatesa ► Camt,Qbasso ► Baranello

3-6 Oct 43 6-7 Oct 43

-2nd Canadian lnfaniry Division j:-S,'".J 3rd Canndi.nn Infantry Division - :4th Canadian (Armoured} Division ~ British 52nd (LO'llland - - -7-8 Oct 43 11-14 Oct 43

- 4th Canildian Brigade 18i:J 7th Canadian Brigade - 4(11 CaMdian ArmoL!recl Brigade ·• Briti'>h Commamlos

► eoiiecflinchise 17-18 Oct 43 22-24 Oct 43 24-27 Oct 43

ii 5ih Canadian Brigade · 00 8th C~Mdlan Brigade - 10!.h Ca11a.dian Brigade JI 1•.aPi;,lisiiArmoured l - - . ►Tarella

- 6th Canadian Btigndo j~ 9th c~nMiiin Btlgado .. The Sangro and Moro ► The SangIQ 19 Nov-3 Dec 43 ► Castel di SangIQ .23-24 Nov 43 ► The Moro 5-7 Dec 43 Had MARKET-GARDEN been successful, it was conceivable that strong pushes into German territory before the end of 19, : =~ard0 __ 10~;~ g:~ :~ resulted_ in a German capit~lation. By 1 October 1944 it was apparent, however, that _c_a mpaigning would probably_ extend intc ► Casa Berardi __ 14_15 Dec 43 emphasis returned to clearing a maJor port. Antwerp had the second largest port fac1ht1es 1n Europe and over 45 ki lometres o1 ► Ortona 20-28 Dec 43 ► San Nicola-San ·31 Dec 43 German Defences

Tommaso. ► Point 59/ 29 Dec 43-

Torre MJcchia 4 Jan 44 German defences in the Scheidt region came under the command of LXVII Korps. The ► Monte~:~1i~~ 0f th0l~~:90ec 43 Germans had managed to solidify their defences after the panic of September 1944; ► Monte 1a o~ensa- 2-8 Dec 43 had British forces thrust north from Antwerp immediately after its capture, they would

Monte la Remetanea. have found the Scheidt poorly defended. Instead, lnfanterie Division 70 had the ► Hill 720 25 Dec 43 opportunity to improve its defences on Walcheren Island. ► Monte MajQ 3-8 Jan 44. ► Radicosa 4 Jan 44 ► MonteVischiataro 8Jan44 To the south of the Scheidt, German forces belonged to lnfanterie Division 64 under ► Anzio 22 Jan-22 May 44 the command of Genera/major Kurt Eberding. This formation was ordered to defend ::~:~ce 2~~~"'.2i j~~:: the south bank of the Scheidt Estuary from Zeebrugge to Terneuzen. This area would

to the Tiber. Y later be known as the Breskens Pocket. The division consisted of soldiers with ► Monte Ar res lino 25 May 44 experience from the Eastern Front, and had been raised during the summer of 1944, c::::::i The Netherlancis - Province of. ► Rocca Massima ► Colle Ferro

27 May 44 too late to serve in the fighting in Normandy. The division was nearly at full The Netherlancis 2 Jun 44 establishment, with 11,000 soldiers of all ranks. Hitler designated their area of c::::::::i Belgium -Cassino

► Cass ino II ► Gustav Line ► Sant' Angelo in

Teodice.

11-18 May 44 responsibility Scheidt Fortress South; the 64th Division collected weapons from other units of the 15th Army as they retr 11-1s May44 them, eventually fielding 500 machine guns and mortars, 200 anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns of various calibres (includin!

13 1""Y 44 type), and 70 field guns, with access to the five batteries of coastal artillery on both sides of the Scheidt Estuary.

► Pignataro 14-1 5 !\flay 44 Uri Valley Up until the liberation of Ossendrecht during the intial move north from Antwerp , the Canadians faced lnfanterie Division 341

► Liri \falleY. 18-30 May 44 unit, as well as elements of lnfanterie Division 85 and Kampfgruppe Chill. ► Hitler Line 18-24 May 44 ► Aquino 18-24 May44 ► Maira crossing 24-25 1v'lay44 Also on South Beveland were naval personnel of the 202nd Marine Artillery Battalion. During the battle, some remnant: ► Ceprano 26-27 !\flay 44 Division 64 managed to escape north to South Bevel and as the Breskens Pocket was reduced . ► Torrice Crossroads 30 !\flay 44

Advance to Florence ► Advance 17 Jul-10 Aug 44 Opening the Scheidt

to Florence. ► Trasimene Line 20-30 Jun 44 ► Sanfatucchio 20-21 Jun 44 Orders for clearing the Scheidt had been given before MARKET-GARDEN, on 12 September 1944. First Canadian Army, wi ► Arezzo 4-17 Jul44 Corps under command, also had available the Polish 1st Armoured Division , British 49th (West Riding) Division and eventu ► Cerrone 25 · 31 Aug 44 52nd (Lowland) Division.

Gothic Line ► Gothic Line 25 Aug-22 Sep 44 ► Monteciccardo 27-28 Aug 44 The Battle of the Scheidt consisted of four phases

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Page 3: Battle of the Scheidt

www.canadiansoldiers.com http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteuro .. .

3 of7

► lvbntecchio ► Point 204 (Pozzo Alto) ► Monte Luro ► Bargo Santa Maria

30-31 Aug 44 31 Aug 44 1 Sep 44 1 Sep 44

1-2 Sep 44 3-15 Sep 44

Winter Lines

• clearing the area north of Antwerp and the neck of the South Beveland peninsula (some of these actions are de articles on the Channel Ports.

► Tomba di Pesaro ► Coriano • clearing the so-called Breskens Pocket, north of the Leopold Canal and south of the Scheidt Estuary. ► Rimini Lins 14-21 Sep 44 ► San Martino- 14-18 Sep 44

San Lorenzo. ► San Fortunato 18-20 Sep 44 ► Casa le 23-25 Sep 44 ► Sant' Angelo 11-15Sep44

in Salute. ► Bulgaria Village 13-14 Sep44 ► Cesena 15-20 Sep 44 ► Pisciatello 16-19 Sep 44 ► Savio Bridgehead 20-23 Sep 44 ► Monte La Pieve 13-19 Oct 44 ► Monte Spaduro 19-24 Oct44 ► Monte San Bartolo 11-14 Nov 44 ► Lam one Crossing 2-13 Dec 44 ► Capture of Ravenna 3-4 Dec 44 ► Naviglio Canal 12-15 Dec 44 ► Fosso Vecchio 16-18 Dec 44 ► Fosso Munio 19-21 Dec 44 ► Conventello- 2-6 Jan 45

Cornacchio. ► Granarolo 3-5 Jan 44

Northwest Europe ► DieP.R!l 19Aug 42

Battle of Normandy ► NormandY. Landing 6 Jun 44 ► Authie 7 Jun 44 ► Pulol-en-Bessin 8 Jun 44 ► Bretteville 8-9 Jun 44

• clearing the area north of the Scheidt Estuary, known as South Bevel and .

• clearing Walcheren Island, and its coastal batteries.

German LXVII Corps 23 Sep 1944

-l'Orgueilleuse ► Le 1\/esnil-Pat[Y. ► CarRLq!!fil ► Caen ► The Orne (Buron) ► Bourguebus Ridg~ ► F aubourg-<le­

Vaucelles

11 Jun 44 On 2 October 1944 the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division moved north from Antwerp to clear the neck of the South Bevel, /~~ j~: ~ German troops from Kampfgruppe Chill were strongly entrenched in Woensdrecht and Hoogerheide. Several days of t 8_9 Jul 44 beginning on 6 October 1944 failed to dislodge the Germans; terrain was open or flooded and heavily mined. On 13 Ocie

18-23 Jul 44 Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada was virtually destroyed launching an attack on a feature known as "the 18-19 Jul 44 the shape ii described on a map.

► St. Andre-sur-Orne 19-23 Jul 44 ► Maltot 22-23 Jul 44 A final attack on Woensdrecht was launched on 16 October 1944 which finally pushed the Germans out of the neck of 1 ► Verrieres Ridge-Tilly.:: 25 Jul 44 Orders from 21 Army Group made opening the Scheidt a priority, and the 2nd British Army also attacked west from their pos ► Fal~~;~am1<,1g~ 7_22 Aug 44 in clearing Dutch territory south of the Maas River, helping secure the Scheidt region from German intervention. The 8th Re ► Falaise Road 7-9 Aug 44 Regiment also liberated North Bevel and. ► QuesnayRoad 10-11 Aug44 ► Clair Tizon 11 -13 Aug 44 The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division, previously fighting south of the Scheidt, moved past the 2nd Canadian Division, 11 ► The Laison 14 17 Aug 44 ► Chambois 18:22 Aug 44 liberate Bergen op Zoom. By 24 October 1944 German access to South Beveland had been completely cut off. The divi~ ► St. Lambert-sur- 19-22Aug44 Bergen op Zoom before pushing eastwards to St. Philipsland, where it had the distinction of engaging German naval VE

Dives . harbour. ► Dives Crossing 17-20 Aug 44 ► Foret de la Londe 27-29 Aug 44 ► The Seine, 1944 25-28 Aug 44 Operation SWITCHBACK

Southern France

► SoulhernFrance 15-28Aug 44 h C d' (A d) D' . . d' 'd d . b I d d f h d b .d h d h GI Channel Ports 41 ana 1an rmoure 1v1s1on, 1v1 e into two all e groups, a vance rom a ar -won n ge ea over I e ► Dunkirk, 1944 8-15 sep44 Moerbrugge to be faced with both the Leopold and Derivation de la Lys Canals. An attack in the vicinity of Moerkerke on 14 S ► Le Havre 1-1 2 Sep 44 managed to get the division across both these obstacles, but heavy German counterattacks led to loss of the bridgehead. ► M:>erbrugg~ 8-10 Sep 44 ► M:>erkerke 13-14 Sep 44 ► BoulQQ~. 1944 11-22 Sep 44 To the east, the 1st Polish Armoured Division had greater success moving northeast from Ghent over rough terrain and in the ► Calais , 1944 25 sep-1 oc144 resistance. They managed to reach the coast by 20 September, and occupied Terneuzen, from where they cleared the bank ► Y,,y.!l,_eghem 21 -22 Sep 44 all the way to Antwerp. ► AntwerQ-Turnhout 24-29 Sep 44

Canal. The Scheidt The area then defended by the Germans was known as the Breskens Pocket, which was strongly defended and extended ,

► The Scheidt 1 Oct-8 Nov 44 of the Scheidt from Zeebrugge to the Braakman Inlet, then inland to the Leopold Canal. ► LeoQold Canal 6-16 Oct-44 ► Woensdrecht 1-27 Oct 44 ► Savojaards Platt 9-10 Oct 44 ► Breskens Pocket 11 Oct -3 Nov 44 ► The Lower Maas 20 Oct -7 Nov 44 ► South Beveland 24-31 Oct 44 ► Walcheren 31 Oct -4 Nov 44

CausewaY.. Nijmegen Salient

► Ardennes Dec 44-Jan 45 ► !S§P.elsche Veer 31 Dec 44-

► The Roer Rhineland

21Jan 45 16-31 Jan45

► The Rhineland 8 Feb-10 Mar 45 ► The Reichswald 8-13 Feb 45 ► Waal Flats 8-15 Feb45 ► Mo1•landWood 14-21 Feb45 ► Goch-Calcar Road 19-21 Feb 45 ► The Hochwald 26 Feb-

4 lv1ar45 ► Veen 6-101v1ar45 ► Xanten 8-9 Mar 45

Final Phase ► The Rhine 23 Mar-1 Apr 45 ► Emmerich-Hoch 28 Mar-1 Apr 45

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Page 4: Battle of the Scheidt

www.canadiansoldiers.com http:/ /www. canadianso ldiers . com/history/ campaigns/northwesteuro ...

4 of7

Elten. ► Twente Canal 2-4 Apr45 r---,:---~-~--~--------,,---,~---:-,;;-.============================= ► ~11!)en 6-8 Apr 45 ► Deventer 8-11 Apr 45 ► Arnhem , 1945 12-1 4Apr45 ►t\Qeldoorn 11-17 Apr45 ► Groningfil) 13-16Apr45 ► Frieso)1he 14 Apr 45 ► lj selm eer 15-18Apr45 ► Kosten Canal 17-24 Apr 45 ►Wagenborgfil) 21 -23 Apr 45 ► Delfzijl Pocket 23 Apr-2 May 45 ► Leer 28-29 Apr 45 ► Bad Z»ischenahn 23 Apr-4 May 45 ► Oldenburg 27 Apr-5 May 45

Korean War ► lSl!P.Y.QDg 21-25 Apr 51

Domestic Missions

► FLQ Crisis

► IC CS ► MFO

International Miss ions

Vietnam 1973 Sinai 1986-

Peacekeef1i[)g

► UNMOGIP India 1948-1979 ► UNTSO Israel 1948-► UNEF Egypt 1956-1967 ► UNO GIL Lebanon 1958

Crossing the Leopold Canal 6 - 13 October 1944

Royal \Mnnipeg Rifles

D

Flaoded Terrain

... • Regina Rifle Regiment Canadian Scottish R

. k footbridge eop •

►ONUC Congo 1960-1964 -. ► UNYOM Yemen 1963-1964 ► UNTEA W. N. Guinea 1963-1964 Bri ' . ► UNIFCYP Cyprus 1964- c;omplet Moerhuizen , ► DO~EP D. Republic 1965-1966 13 Oct ,i- Canal de Deri\11:i! ion de.la Ly~: .J. ► UNIPOM Kashmir 1965-1966 L._ _____________ c_E..3_ ____ _;• _ _:::!!!M'.r:,~ ;,;,.:;m=,-.,li'-'J.'..m,~·'-----·----'------------___:j· ►UNEFME Egypt 1973-1979

► UNDOF L Golan 19;~ ···· The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, moving up from France and its assaults on the Channel Ports, set out to cross the Leop : ~~~~MAP Afge:a':::~;.~ 1988_00 redress the failure of the Algonquin Regiment to maintain a bridgehead . The attack opened immediately east of the junction , ► UNIIMOG Iran-Iraq 1988-1991 and Derivation de la Lys Canals, aimed at a narrow strip of dry ground beyond the Leopold which formed a long triangle ► UNTAG Namibia 1989-1990 Maldegem-Aardenburg road and reaching a point near the village of Moershoofd 5000 yards to the east. ► ONUCA C. Am erica 1989-1992 ►UN IKOM Kuwait 1991 ► MINURSO W. Sahara 1991 ► ONUSAL El Salvador 1991 ► UNAMIC Cambodia 1991-1992 ► UNAVEM II Angola 1991-1997 ► UNPROFOR Yugosla. 1992-1 995 ► UNTAC Cambodia 1992-1993 ► UNOSOM Somalia 1992-1993 ► ONUMOZ Mozambiq. 1993-1994 ► UNOMUR Rwanda 1993 ► UNAMIR Rwanda 1993-1996 ► UNMIH Haiti 1993-1996 ► UNMIBH Bosnia/Herz.1993-1996 ► UNMOP Prevlaka 1996-2001 ► UNSMIH Haiti 1996-1997 ► MINUGUA Guatemala 1994-1997 ► UNTMIH Haiti 1997 ► MIPONUH Haiti 1997 ► MINURCA C.Afr.Rep. 1998-1999 ► INTERFET E. Timer 1999-2000 ► UNAMSIL Sie. Leone 1999-2005 ► UNTAET E. Timer 1999-2000

Exercises

The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade attacked on 6 October 1944 with flamethrowing Wasp carriers, while the 9th Brigade made an amphibious attack along the northern coast. The 7th Brigade managed two separate bridgeheads in the face of German counterattacks, and managed to consolidate the gains into one L~•- .;.-large bridgehead by 9 October. On the morning of 12 October the · = .....,.,-.._..-,;i;r.,, Canadians managed to cross the Aardenburg road .

The 9th Brigade, mounted in Terrapin and Buffalos of the British 5th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers, crossed the mouth of the Braakman Inlet, landing near Hoofdplaat and thus putting pressure on both sides of the Breskens Pocket. In spite of a 24 hour delay in mounting the operation, tactical surprise was achieved and a bridgehead maintained in the face of counter-attacks. Infantry from the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division crossed the Leopold Canal towards the Isabella Polder, and the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division moved south from the bank of the Scheidt, linking up with troops on the south end of the pocket and allowing the flow of supplies to the amphibious bridgehead on the bank of the Scheidt. Sapper MJ. Barratt of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division's Royal Canad

amid rubble at the east end of the Leopold Canal on 16 October 1944. LAC

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Page 5: Battle of the Scheidt

W\Nw.canadiansoldiers .com

5 of7

http://www. canadianso ldiers. com/history/ campaigns/northwesteuro .. .

The Breskens Pocket 6 October • 2 November 1944.

Fighting continued in the towns of Breskens, Oostburg , Zuidzande and Cadzand, and the fortifications at Fort Frederik Henc SWITCHBACK ended on 3 November 1944 with the final collapse of the Breskens Pocket and the liberation of Knokke and ; land south of the Scheidt Estuary was in Allied hands.

The Northern Front 16 Oct 1944 - 10 Nov 1944

- Front line 16 Oct 1944 =~lied tenitory on 16 Oct 1944 =renito

Operation VITALITY

' 20 ·~ ~lines 30 ' ' Miles

I. ,

( '' ) ' , ' }Jmimi

~l

~ -~~o r·

" ,-:.. ' [

' ,' '\i

The movement down the South Beveland Peninsula began on 24 October 1944 when the 2nd Canadian Infantry Divi~ westward from their hard-earned gains at Woensdrecht Mud, mines, and strong enemy resistance dashed hopes of a quick the Beveland Canal - bisecting the peninsula - proved to be a major obstacle which had to be defeated by an amphibious British 52nd (Lowland) Division. With British troops now behind the Canal, the 6th Canadian Brigade attacked the canal heac boats, and engineers managed to establish a crossing on the main west-east road. Once positions on the Beveland Canal German resistance on South Beveland collapsed and remnants of the German forces there withdrew to Walcheren Island.

Operation INFATUATE

The final phase of the Battle of the Scheidt was the clearing of Walcheren Island. Canadian attempts to reach the island

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.

Page 6: Battle of the Scheidt

www.canadiansoldiers.com

6 of7

http: //www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteuro ...

hampered by terrain. The only land approach was a 40 yard wide causeway over the Slooe Channel, known to the Dutch as and to the Allied soldiers who fought there as the Walcheren Causeway. Several attempts to form a bridgehead on the Wal, the Causeway between 31 October and 2 November 1944 were thrown back by German counter-attacks.

Defences on the Island itself were formidable, and heavy coastal batteries were located on the western and southern coasl fortified against amphibious assault. A landward-facing defensive perimeter had been established at Vlissingen (Flushing), port facilities there in the event of a successful Allied amphibious landing on the island.

Allied heavy bombers attacked Westkapelle on 3 October 1944 in an effort to flood portions of the island and hamper Gerr efforts. On 7 October, two areas ne_ar Vlissingen were bombed and on 11 October bombs fell on dykes at Veere. German d, forced onto high ground near the towns .

Three different attacks were launched on the island; the Canadians optimistically hoped to "bounce" the Causeway in a ligh they came from the east; British troops of the Special Service Brigade and 52nd Division planned amphibious operations f and west.

As the Canadians and later 52nd Division fought at the eastern end of the island at Walcheren Causeway, amphibious land in! were launched The amphibious landings were conducted in two parts on 1 November. Operation INFATUATE I saw infantri 155th Infantry Brigade and Number 4 Commando ferried across in small landing craft from Breskens, assaulting a beach Vlissingen. Heavy street-fighting ensued.

Operation INFATUATE II, also on 1 November, was a major amphibious landing at Westkapelle by the 4th Special Service E

heavy naval bombardment by the Royal Navy and supported by the 79th Armoured Division with its special purpose armo vehicles. This forces landing on both sides of a gap in the sea dyke and heavy fighting ensued at Westkapelle.

On 6 November 1944, Middelburg was finally liberated and all fighting on the island had ceased by 8 November, bringing th Scheidt to a close. ·

On 28 November 1944, the first Allied supply convoy entered Antwerp after the Scheidt was swept for mines.

Aftermath

The month-long battle had been a severe test for the Canadian Army, and coupled with casualties in the Battle of Norrr battles for the Channel Ports, exacerbated a demand for infantry reinforcements which would lead to a full blown cri: regarding conscription.

The 3rd Canadian Division was dubbed the "Water Rats" by Field Marshal Montgomery, intended as a tribute to the horrible mud and water which the Canadians had fought through. (General Crerar disliked the nickname and dissuaded others from u

In the course of five weeks of fighting, First Canadian Army had taken 41,043 prisoners, and suffered 12,873 casualties (kil or missing), 6,367 of whom were Canadian nationals, the remainder from British and Polish units under command.

Antwerp remained a significant location after the Scheidt; German V-2 rockets were launched against the city to disrupt the Allied supplies, and in Dec 1944 the Ardennes Offensive was aimed at recapturing the port.

Experience

Jeffery Williams described the fighting in the Scheidt as follows:

Flat, dyked country, much of it polderland reclaimed from the sea, borders both banks of the Scheidt. Roads and a sp of houses are built on some of the dykes, villages on islands of higher ground. Small orchards and the trees lining roe canals offer some vertical relief to the landscape but can, in themselves, be monotonous in the regularity of their p But dykes had been opened and water glistened on the polders, not deep enough to float an amphibious veh1 sufficient to drown a wounded man.

There were days of bright sunshine during the Scheidt battles, usually after morning mist and fog, but these hav forgotten. The abiding memory is of grey skies, rain, fog, bone-chilling dampness, boots, battledress and blankets : wet, cold food, matches that wouldn't light, the soldier's weariness that is as much fear as lack of sleep, and eve() mud and water. The Long Left Flank: The Hard Fought Way to the Reich pp.114-115

Battle Honours

The following Battle Honours were awarded for units participating in the Battle of the Scheidt:

• The Scheidt

• Leopold Canal

• Woensdrecht

• Savojaards Plaat

• Breskens Pocket

• South Beveland

• Walcheren Causeway

• The Lower Maas

2021-03-02, 4:32 p.m.