WWII-Battles
Dutch surrender
Fighting in Rotterdam had been going on since the first day of the campaign, when German soldiers in seaplanes landed on the Maas river and captured several bridges intact;however the Germans were uneasy about risking a tank attack on the city and feared heavy casualties.Instead, the German commander presented an ultimatum to the Dutch commander in the city, demanding the surrender of the Dutch garrison and threatening to destroy the city from the air if it did not accept.During the so-called " Rotterdam Blitz ", 800-900 Dutch civilians were killed and 25,000 homes were destroyed.
The Dutch high command was shocked by the Rotterdam Blitz.Knowing that the army was running low on supplies and ammunition, and after receiving news that the city of Utrecht had been given an ultimatum similar to that of Rotterdam, Winkelman held a meeting with other Dutch generals who decided that further resistance was futile.In the afternoon of 14 May, Winkelman issued a proclamation to his army, ordering them to surrender.
On 15 May, the Dutch officially signed the surrender with Germany.
The Road to the Netherlands:
Once the Battle of Normandy was won on August 25, 1944, the First Canadian Army was assigned the task of clearing the coastal areas and opening the English Channel ports for supplies vital to the Allied advance.Fighting on the left flank of the Allied forces, the First Canadian Army pushed rapidly eastward through France towards Belgium.
The Battle of the Scheldt:
The task of liberating the Scheldt was entrusted to the First Canadian Army, under the command of Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds (in place of General Crerar, who had returned to England because of severe illness).The unique geography of the area made the First Canadian Army's challenge even more daunting.
The plan for opening the estuary involved four main operations.On October 2, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division began its advance north of Antwerp, while the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, supported by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, began the assault over the Leopold Canal.Casualties were heavy as Canadian troops attacked over open flooded ground, but by October 16 they had seized the town of Woensdrecht at the entrance to South Beveland.
The Battle of the Scheldt exacted a heavy toll on the First Canadian Army.Between October 1 and November 8, 1944, the First Canadian Army suffered 12,873 casualties (killed, wounded, or missing), 6,367 of whom were Canadians.
The Rhineland Campaign:
Following the Battle of the Scheldt, the Canadians were given the responsibility of holding the line along the Maas River and the Nijmegen salient (a salient is a projection into enemy territory).The Canadian front ran from the German frontier south of Nijmegen to Dunkirk in France on the North Sea coast, a distance of over 360 kilometres.
This was a largely static period of three months, spent planning and preparing for the spring offensive.Then, in February 1945, the Allies launched the great offensive to drive the enemy back over the Rhine and bring about Germany's final defeat.
The First Canadian Army, under General Crerar, was strengthened by the addition of Allied formations, which made it the largest army a Canadian officer had ever commanded in action.Their objective was to clear the great Reichswald Forest, break through the Siegfried Line, clear the Hochwald Forest defences, and close the area up to the Rhine River.
Major Tilston earned the Victoria Cross for personally leading his company in an assault through intense enemy fire on the Hochwald defensive line.Despite being seriously injured, he courageously led his troops, kept them supplied with ammunition, cleared German gun positions and engaged in hand-to-hand fighting to ensure his company was successful in conducting this important task.
During this month of fighting, the First Canadian Army suffered heavy casualties— 15,634 killed, wounded or missing in action, including 5,304 Canadians.But they had gained control of the banks of the Rhine, which marked the last major line of German defence.
Remembering Their Sacrifice:
Those who fought in the liberation of the Netherlands achieved and sacrificed much in their efforts to help bring peace and freedom to the people of Europe.More than 42,000 Canadians gave their lives in the war.Canada and the world recognize the sacrifices and achievements of all the Canadians, like those who fought in the liberation of the Netherlands, who accomplished so much and left a lasting legacy of peace.
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-netherlands