Then and Now pictures: IJMUIDEN Holland

[Alex van de Wetering]

IJmuiden is, and was, famous for it's steel factory "Hoogovens", later Corus, now Tata Steel) and dock facilities. Basically it's the entrance to Amsterdam, through the "Noordzee kanaal". IJmuiden was heavily fortified with Hundreds of Bunkers, radar, but also two large "Schnellboot" bunkers.....basically huge shelters for Schnellboote (One still exists today).

In early 1945 a unit of Seehund Midget subs was stationed in IJmuiden. In the beginning they operated in packs, but soon they moved to individual attacks on Allied ships. From what I have heard they were also used to bring supplies to encircled German forces in Belgium and Northern France.

In May 1945 IJmuiden was liberated and the fortifications and captured midget subs attracted attention of several Allied commanders (even Chinese!). I Always wondered where the pic below, with General Foulkes was taken, but finding the location was actually pretty easy....location: "Steigerweg" IJmuiden.
The smoke stack in the background was later taken down, but it used to be part of the power plant, a building which is used by the local Theater today.

Alex

All period pics are from the Canadian Archives, although I had to scan some from books as I couldn't find them online.