Operation Switchback - Paulinapolder Monument

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Today I visited the monument for the seaborne landings at the Paulinapolder, Biervliet, the Netherlands. It commemorates what happened here 80 years ago:

"During the night of October 8 to 9, 1944, nearly 100 Buffalo amphibious vehicles full of military personnel were transported from the port of Terneuzen out onto the estuary of the Scheldt. The Canadian troops were shuttled to the coast of western Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Between Hoofdplaat and Biervliet, they landed on ‘Green Beach’ and ‘Amber Beach’. The objective was to open a front at the coast of West-Zeeuws-Vlaanderen in order to weaken the German opposition at the Leopold Canal.
The "Green Beach" landings went smoothly. Although the sound of motors and exploding grenades must have been deafening, the German defenders initially thought Walcheren was being attacked. On the second beach, ‘Amber Beach’, a number of Buffalo’s got stuck in the clay. As the Canadians struggled to get away from the mud flats, they were under heavy fire.
The landing zone, between Hoofdplaat and the Paulinapolder, soon became the target of a German counterattack. Unlike other German units in Belgium and Zeeland, these were highly trained troops. The counterattack was repelled, and the bridgehead could be extended with new troops.
At the centre of this beachhead, fierce battles broke out. The village of Driewegen was almost completely destroyed. After two days there was a deadlock. As the Canadian attackers defended the landing area, more and more troops were transferred. With smokescreens they prevented German observation from Walcheren and Zuid-Beveland.
Over the next few days, pressure to break out quickly began to rise for the Canadians. The German coastal batteries on Walcheren and around Cadzand, and the artillery at IJzendijke, increasingly hit their Canadian targets. On October 11 the impasse was broken with a successful attack on Biervliet. The Canadian troops were able to advance further into western Zeeuws-Vlaanderen."

Text source: https://www.liberationroute.com/pois...borne-landings


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