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This is the first is a series this week prior to Remembrance Day from Okanagan-based writer Allison Markin on her recent visit to the Netherlands, and Dutch appreciation for Canadian valour during World War II.
In 1944, a battle took place in the Netherlands that would become critical to the eventual liberation of Europe from the Nazi regime. Canadians were an integral force in the Battle of the Scheldt, a messy, muddy, brutal battle with the ultimate goal of opening the Scheldt estuary in the Netherlands so the Belgian port of Antwerp could be freed as a supply route to the Allies.
Okanagan-based writer Allison Markin was recently invited to explore this piece of history with the Liberation Route Europe, an international remembrance trail that forms a link between the main regions along the Western Allied Forces’ advance through Europe.
The Liberation Route works with government organisations, universities, museums, veteran societies, commemorative events organisers, travel agents, tour operators and other tourism organisations to “learn and share experiences and understanding, in order to create a unified awareness of the importance of freedom.”
Touring museums with local historians and guides, many of whom have personal ties to the Battle of the Scheldt, visiting historic spots on the route (including the North Sea beaches where Canadian troops and other Allies landed in their so-called “D-Day”), a well-preserved Nazi prisoner camp, and battle sites revealed this little mentioned piece of shared history between Canadians and the Dutch in a small stretch of the Netherlands.
In the fall of 1944, this region was liberated from occupation by the Nazi regime. By means of various activities, under the heading ‘Canadays’, yearly the region pays special attention to the liberation of the region by Canadian troops. Attending a commemoration ceremony at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen-Op-Zoom, where 1200 Canadian soldiers are buried, was just one item that showcased the deep affection the Dutch people have for Canadians. The city even has a street called “Canada Lane”.
Memorials with the Maple Leaf dot the landscape. The Canadian flag appears on the shoulders of historians, at roadside monuments, and even in carved chairs of a church. Many times, the “Cinderella Army” was mentioned, with a suggestion that the Canadians should not be so humble and need to claim the Battle of the Scheldt as a pivotal moment in Canadian military history.
Watch for more stories on the Battle of the Scheldt leading up to Remembrance Day this week. If you have a personal tie to the history of the Scheldt, please get in touch at [email protected].
