The Battle of the
Scheldt Estuary
Translation: Annelies Verkerk
After the disappointment of Operation Market
Garden the Allied Forces turned their attention to ope
ning the Scheldt estuary. Montgomery's intent to execute
a fast and concentrated push into the heart of Germany
by a surprise attack on Arnhem had failed. At this point
Eisenhower re-emphasised the importance of the availa
bility of Antwerp as a supply harbour for the Allied
Forces. At first Montgomery continued to display his
stubborn character but in the end he compromised.
In September 1944 the Canadian 1st Army, led by
Lieutenant General Crerar, captured several places along
the Channel coast and in Western Belgium. While the
British 2nd Army followed a more eastern route towards
Antwerp, the Canadians conquered Dieppe, Oostende,
Gent and Brugge at a great pace. Le Havre, Boulogne
and Calais proved to be more difficult, but during the
course of September the German resistance was also
broken in these places. At this point they had a chain of
major harbours on the Channel coast at their disposal.
However, the free passage to Antwerp continued to be
of essential importance to the Allies due to the capacity
and strategic location of this seaport. The Germans
were also aware of this.
General Von Zangen, who skillfully withdrew his
1st Army (almost 90,000 men) back to the North, settled
the German 64th Infantry Division in Zealand, Flanders,
and the 70th Infantry Division on Walcheren and
South-Beveland. The Germans had already constructed
their 'Atlantic Wall' on both sides of the Schelde estuary
so, for the moment the harbour of liberated Antwerp
was useless to the Allied Forces. The Canadians and
Polish had to fight fierce battles near the Gent-Brugge
Canal and the Leie Canal in order to be able to form
bridgeheads. The march towards eastern Zealand-
Flanders seemed much easier. On 1st October the
frontline ran from Zeebrugge in the West along the
Leopold Canal and the Braakman towards Terneuzen
and from there along the Scheldt towards Antwerp.
Shortly after, the Canadian 1st Army, which was
tasked with freeing the Scheldt estuary, attacked the new
German line of defence. The Canadians were now
under the command of Lieutenant-General Simonds, a
very vigorous man, who had replaced the ill Crerar at
the end of September. From Antwerp they marched to
the Kreekrakdam, and further attacks were carried out
to the West across the Leopold canal. However, in both
sectors they met strong German resistance. The Germans
had an especially strong fortresses in the partly flooded
polders of western Zealand-Flanders. A combined Canadian
attack from Terneuzen and from behind the Leopold
Canal (Operation Switchback) forced the Germans
back on the line Breskens-Schoondijke-Oostburg-Sluis.
Not until 1 November, after a severe battle lasting for
days, in which the civilian population also suffered great
losses, was the last town in this sector liberated by the
Canadians, by then supported by a British brigade.
Rotterdam
Bournemouth
57 Zeeuws Tijdschrift 2004/6-7
