Facts Of The Battle:
The Battle of The Scheldt, sometimes called the Battle of Scheldt Estuary, was a highly tactical and expertly plotted advance, which occurred from October 2, to November 8, 1944. The battle was fought in Eastern Belgium and Western Netherlands, in swamp-like terrain due to flooded fields. This conflict was fought between the Allied powers including Canada, Poland, and the United Kingdom, against the German forces. The Battle of The Scheldt is often overlooked, or perhaps overshadowed by more resounding defeats or successes such as the battle of Dieppe or D-day. However, this battle played a significant role in the liberation of the Netherlands, and therefore deserves to be remembered as such, as well as honoured for the many lives lost there.
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This battle over the control of seaports and supply routes was of great consequence and importance. Since their takeover the German forces were in control of the ship route, making it extremely difficult for the Allies to continue eastwards through Europe, when they were unable to provide enough equipment, supplies, and men to fuel their battle campaign.
Canada’s main involvement in this conflict was by The First Canadian Army, which played a significant role in this battle, and was the largest army that a Canadian general had ever controlled. Lieutenant General Henry Crerar was the commander of the Canadian First Army. However due to his health issues the attacks on Scheldt by the Canadian First Army were led by Lieutenant General Guy Simonds. |
The Scheldt is an Estuary of water split into three parts by long strips of water, and in the peninsula there are also three separate islands, South Beveland, North Beveland, and Walcheren. Many days of toilsome battle ensued as both sides continued to grapple for control of the Antwerp port. The Battle of the Scheldt is specifically remembered for it’s gruelling conditions, and the less than ideal environment that it was fought upon. These battles were fought on flat, marshy, flooded ground, due to some banks of the estuary being below sea level, and consisting of a web of dykes and canals. Flooding of the ground was often used as an easy defence tactic by the Germans to delay the Allied troops. The flat land also made it difficult to attack or move without being spotted. In a final, successful offensive with the specific intent of capturing the main obstacle, the island of Walceren, Lieutenant General Guy Simonds came up with a clever tactic and decided to destroy the dykes through strategic and specified arial bombings hence flooding Walcheren and some of the Lowlands in the south near the rivers mouth. He then signalled for a ground assault by troops. His strategy was effective, calculated and shrewd.
Victory!
Eventually the Allied powers succeeded in capturing the estuary and the surrounding islands by November 8, and by the 28th of November Allied cargo ships began to use the port of Antwerp. This victory was an important success for the Allies, especially the First Canadian Army. Although the battle of the Scheldt caused nearly 6,400 Canadian casualties, it proved a necessary advance due to the importance of the ship port location, and was a critical step towards the liberation of Northwest Europe. This may not be one of the most well-remembered battles from the Second World War, however, the effects of this military campaign proved widespread, and resulted in a significant step towards the freedom of Northwest Europe, especially the Netherlands.
Canada, a nation that was only beginning to be recognized as a military power and separate from Britain, played a notable role in this battle. Canadian men and Allied troops fought bravely, through extremely difficult and dangerous situations, and were essential to this eventual victory at the Scheldt. These soldiers persevered, through tactics and organized attacks under the leadership of Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, and were able to succeed, significantly contributing to the Allied victory.
Canada, a nation that was only beginning to be recognized as a military power and separate from Britain, played a notable role in this battle. Canadian men and Allied troops fought bravely, through extremely difficult and dangerous situations, and were essential to this eventual victory at the Scheldt. These soldiers persevered, through tactics and organized attacks under the leadership of Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, and were able to succeed, significantly contributing to the Allied victory.
Veteran: Allan Robert Peter “Al” Notman
Army: 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars (7th RECCE Regiment)
In 1941 Allan Notman joined the war effort and served in the 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars (7th Reconnaissance Regiment for the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division). Notman’s father also was in service at this time, and they were able to spend their leave together, an experience which Notman describes as “unique”. Notman fought for the freedom of Holland. He explains the oftentimes brutal, and drenched circumstances of the battle, recounting few opportunities to bathe or change, standing knee-deep in water for hours at a time, soaking wet. Norman participated in the Battle of the Scheldt, stating, “The liberation of Holland was probably the most memorable experience of my whole service in Europe.” |
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"The liberation of Holland was probably the most memorable experience of my whole service in Europe"
-Allan Notman
Works Cited
BBC Archive. "Fact File : Battle for Scheldt Estuary." BBC News. Copyright BBC. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1143442.shtml>.
Canadiansoldiers.com. "Battle of the Scheldt." Www.canadiansoldiers.com. Copyright Canadiansoldiers.com 1999-present. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteurope/scheldt.htm>.
Chen, Peter C. "Battle of the Scheldt Estuary." WW2DB RSS. Copyright 2004-2016 Lava Development, LLC., All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=116>.
Historica Canada. "Allan Robert Peter Al Notman - Veteran Stories - The Memory Project." The Memory Project. Copyright 2016 The Memory Project, All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1239:allan-robert-peter-al-notman/>.
Juno Beach Centre. "The Battle of the Scheldt." Juno Beach Centre. 2016 Copyright Juno Beach Centre. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
Veterans.gc.ca. "Canadians in Belgium 1944." Veterans Affairs Canada. Copyright: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005. Catalogue No. V32-60/2004 ISBN 0-662-68589-X. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-belgium#scheldt>
Veterans.gc.ca. "The Battle of the Scheldt." Veterans Affairs Canada. Canada.ca. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-and-the-second-world-war/scheldt>
Veterans.gc.ca. "The Scheldt." Veterans Affairs Canada. Copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005. Catalogue No. V32-61/2004 ISBN 0-662-68591-1. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt>.
Images:
Canada At War. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.canadaatwar.ca/photo/446/battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
Historica Canada. "Allan Robert Peter Al Notman - Veteran Stories - The Memory Project." The Memory Project. Copyright 2016 The Memory Project, All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1239:allan-robert-peter-al-notman/>.
Juno Beach Centre. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
The Canadian Army 1939-1945. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/OpSumm/OpSumm-14.html>.
Veterans.gc.ca. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-belgium>.
Wikipedia. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt>.
Canadiansoldiers.com. "Battle of the Scheldt." Www.canadiansoldiers.com. Copyright Canadiansoldiers.com 1999-present. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/campaigns/northwesteurope/scheldt.htm>.
Chen, Peter C. "Battle of the Scheldt Estuary." WW2DB RSS. Copyright 2004-2016 Lava Development, LLC., All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=116>.
Historica Canada. "Allan Robert Peter Al Notman - Veteran Stories - The Memory Project." The Memory Project. Copyright 2016 The Memory Project, All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1239:allan-robert-peter-al-notman/>.
Juno Beach Centre. "The Battle of the Scheldt." Juno Beach Centre. 2016 Copyright Juno Beach Centre. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
Veterans.gc.ca. "Canadians in Belgium 1944." Veterans Affairs Canada. Copyright: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005. Catalogue No. V32-60/2004 ISBN 0-662-68589-X. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-belgium#scheldt>
Veterans.gc.ca. "The Battle of the Scheldt." Veterans Affairs Canada. Canada.ca. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-and-the-second-world-war/scheldt>
Veterans.gc.ca. "The Scheldt." Veterans Affairs Canada. Copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005. Catalogue No. V32-61/2004 ISBN 0-662-68591-1. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt>.
Images:
Canada At War. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.canadaatwar.ca/photo/446/battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
Historica Canada. "Allan Robert Peter Al Notman - Veteran Stories - The Memory Project." The Memory Project. Copyright 2016 The Memory Project, All Rights Reserved. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1239:allan-robert-peter-al-notman/>.
Juno Beach Centre. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/the-battle-of-the-scheldt/>.
The Canadian Army 1939-1945. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/OpSumm/OpSumm-14.html>.
Veterans.gc.ca. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/canada-belgium>.
Wikipedia. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt>.