Canadian Liberation of the Netherlands

8th Hussars and the Argylls

Rachel’s buddies Janaya and Beth were visiting for the weekend, so I took the opportunity to follow my Uncle Norm of the 8th Hussars of the 5th Armoured Division, and my great uncle George of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada of the 4th Armoured Division, through the final stages of the war.

The 3rd Division went up the western side of the Netherlands, the 2nd Division went up the middle and were replaced by the 5th Armoured Division and the 4th Armoured Division went into Germany supporting the Brits.

The Grebbe Line

In looking at the maps of the Liberation of the Netherlands, I wondered why the Canadians didn’t liberate Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Turns out, a secret agreement was made with the Germans not to cross the Grebbe line to avoid heavy military and civilian losses and the destruction of Western Holland.

 The Grebbe Line had been first established in 1745 to defend western Holland from invaders. The line runs about 40km from the IJsselmeer (then Zuiderzee) to the Rhine River. Defensive fortifications run along the line and several areas could be flooded to deny access to the invaders. There was a plan to more heavily fortify the line before the war, but funding and resources were not made available. The Dutch held the line for 3 days as the Germans swept through the low countries.

The Germans greatly strengthened the defences so the Allies would have a very difficult time cracking the line and freeing the major cities of Utrecht, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Germans were under orders to fight to the end, but the German General Seyss-Inquart, realizing the war was almost over, entered into secret negotiations to avoid fighting and severe loss of life of both the combatants and the civilian population. To demonstrate the potential catastrophe, he opened a single dyke and flooded 75 square miles. He then warned that if the Canadians attacked beyond the Grebbe Line, he would blow another dyke between Rotterdam and Gouda, causing massive flooding all the way north to Amsterdam— effectively destroying western Holland. The Allies agreed not to cross the Grebbe line, so western Holland was not liberated until the formal German surrender on 05 May 1945.

Starvation Winter

The winter of 1944 – 1945 had been especially harsh and the Dutch population was on the verge of starvation. Tens of thousands of civilians had already died from starvation and the cold.  The Canadians negotiated a separate cease fire to deliver food to the starving population. Operations Manna and Chowhound were raised to airdrop food to the population and the Canadians quickly established convoys to deliver additional food and supplies.

In late April and early May, the Allies flew more than 3,300 sorties dropping 6,684 tons of food to the starving population of the still occupied region of the Western Netherlands.

Ground crews loading a Lancaster bomber.

Approximately twenty thousand Dutch died from starvation. Three times the number of babies died in the first five months of 1945 as in the same period in 1944, and twice as many children between one and five years old succumbed. The occupation claimed many other Dutch lives. Of the 120,000 Jews sent to the extermination camps, 104,000 perished. Air raids killed 23,000, more than 5,000 died in prisons and concentration camps, 2,800 were executed, and of the 550,000 men taken to Germany as forced labourers, 30,000 never returned. The Dutch government concluded that from a population of 8.8 million, the war claimed 237,300. The country itself had been laid waste. Most everything in the way of factory equipment, vehicles, rail stock, shipping and barges, and livestock had been carried off to Germany. Even the ubiquitous bicycles had been halved from a pre-war number of four million.

These numbers would have been much greater if it hadn’t been for the military and humanitarian intervention of the Canadians.

The Canadians' paths north.

8th Hussars

My Uncle Norm Kightley was a with the 8th Hussars. By this time in the war, he was a sergeant and tank commander.

The 8th Hussars had arrived in Belgium in February 1945 from a long Italian campaign, but it was not until mid April that they moved back into action in the Arnhem Area. The map shows the progress of the Hussars (red) and the Argylls (blue). An interactive map is available to see the daily progress of both units. Click on a specific point to get the daily information. The Hussars map covers the period from 15 April until the end of the War, and the Argylls map covers the period 28 Oct 1944 (when Uncle George joined the unit) until the end of the War.

Otterlo

The 5th Armoured Division had been steadily pushing north with relatively little resistance. The village of Otterlo had been liberated by Canadian forces as part of this offensive.

However, remnants of German forces, primarily composed of SS troops and Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers), were retreating through the area from the Veluwe region and were desperate to break out and regroup. The Germans launched a surprise counterattack with approximately 1000 troops. The Canadians were taken off-guard and bitter street fighting broke out with hand-to-hand and bayonet combat. The arrival of the flame-thrower tanks and artillery turned the tide and inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. The Germans suffered approximately 300 deaths, with the Canadians suffering 17 killed and 43 wounded. The Battle of Otterlo is notable for its unexpected intensity and violence, occurring so late in the war when German resistance was generally collapsing elsewhere.

It is remembered locally as a dramatic and heroic last stand, with significant loss of life despite being a relatively small battle in the broader context of World War II.

There are a number of memorials to the 5th Division in Otterlo. This one states

1945-1995

50 years of Liberation

Otterlo 16 April 1945

Liberated by

5 Canadian Armoured Division

I visited just after Liberation Day 05 May, so a number of wreaths were present.

There is also a memorial to the fallen.

As well as a tribute to Major General Burt Hoffmeister, commander of the 5th Armoured Division.

Lining the streets around the memorial, all of the fallen are commemorated on banners, a very touching remembrance.

Putten

Arnhem fell on 14 Apr, and the Hussars prepared for a push to Putten as part of Operation Cleanser. The push to Putten was largely an Armoured advance, with the infantry following behind clearing up pockets of resistance. The Germans fought fiercely, and A Squadron lost 12 of 17 tanks, but amazingly only 1 soldier killed. There was a small band of Dutch SS troops who joined the German forces. They fought to the death rather than face the wrath of their countrymen after the war. The Hussars advanced over 30 miles in 4 days fighting as an armoured unit free to make major advances across flat lands. Their push to the sea split the German forces in Holland in two. The 5th Division only suffered 76 casualties in total while capturing more than 1700 prisoners.

Hussar Firefly entering Putten in April 1945.

There is a memorial to the soldiers lost during the fighting at Putten.

'IN THE NIGHT OF

17 and 18 APRIL, 1945

FALLEN IN THIS AREA

FOR THE FREEDOM OF PUTTEN

C.L. PEWTRESS

J. WAKULA

J.B.WALLACE EN

F.L. WATERS

OF THE 5TH CANADIAN TANK DIVISION'

After a few days’ rest, the Hussars pushed north to Assen, completing the 174-mile trek in a single day.

Delfzijl – The Final Fight

After a few days rest in Putten, the Hussars moved north, their target the port city of Delfzijl, the northernmost point of the Netherlands on the border of Germany. Delfzijl, with a pre-war population of 10,000, is one of the largest of the secondary ports of the Netherlands. It is located on the left bank of the Ems estuary, some 20 miles from the river's mouth. Topography hampered operations in this area. The ground was flat with very little cover and "a complicated network of ditches and canals made cross-country movement impossible. The weather was wet and the whole area subject to flooding, which meant that all vehicles were confined to roads."

It was essential to capture the port intact as it would be critical for providing supplies to the starving Dutch people. Delfzijl was heavily defended and surrounded by low lying land that provided no cover for the attackers. The 5th Division created a semi-circle around the city. The infantry could only move forward at night, with the tanks providing covering fire. Due to the swampy conditions, the tanks were forced to stay on the roads and made easy targets. The 8th Hussars provided support for the Infantry Units executing the assault. There were tanks with the Westminsters, Irish Regiment, Cape Breton Highlanders and the Perth Regiment, so the Hussars surrounded the town.

The German garrison was estimated at about 1500 fighting troops with batteries and concrete emplacements in and around Delfzijl and "an outer perimeter of wire and a continuous trench system" surrounded the port. Heavy naval guns near Emden and on the island of Borkum could also provide defensive fire. "The going was slow as the advancing troops had to deal with mines and road demolitions before they could get any supporting arms forward." They also endured much shelling, some coming across the estuary from the vicinity of Emden. Destroyed port guns near Delfzijl.

Uncle Norm’s unit, B Squadron of the 8th Hussars was assigned to the Westminster Regiment with the goal of shutting down the Battery east of Delfzijl. They decided to capture the small port of Termunten first to isolate the battery.

The tanks had a hard time negotiating the mud, so the infantry slogged through ditches and waded water-soaked fields. Advancing at night, they made a slow motioned charge, taking the Germans by surprise. The tanks struggled through the mud finally joining the infantry and crushed the resistance of the Germans. Using a pincer movement, the Westies took the port and captured 500 soldiers standing on the pier awaiting evacuation.

The current day harbour at Termunten.

The battery at Fiemel continued to fire on the Westministers, so they approached along the dyke to formulate a plan to take the Battery. View along the dyke today.

The sheep maintain the grass along the dyke.

The Battery Fiemel had a collection of 128 mm guns, 40mm cannons and a collection of bunkers that would be very difficult to dislodge. The aerial photo shows the battery layout. The circled bunkers are still present.

An aerial photo from shortly before the battle.

The 128 mm gun was mounted on a storage bunker to easily fire over the dyke. The gun mounted on the top is a reproduction of the actual gun.

View from the gun position.

The actual gun after the area was captured. The guns had a range of more than 10km, so they could reach the port of Delfzijl.

The circled munitions bunker that supported the guns.

Prior to the assault, a deserter, claiming to be a Russian pressed into German service, reported the Germans planned to abandon the battery. At midnight all the guns fired in unison, and machine guns strafed the dyke. At 0300, the guns suddenly went silent, and Westminster patrols subsequently determined the battery had been deserted. Uncle Norm’s war was over.

The Cape Breton Highlanders, supported by the 8th Hussars began the final assault on the night of 30 April. Minefields and wire delayed the advance as did the thick bunkers. The bunkers defending the port had reinforced concrete walls 7 ft thick. The standard rounds penetrated 5.5 ft, but it was only when the new Canadian Sabot round was used, were the Germans persuaded to surrender. The round is a small diameter projectile that has a bore riding outer casing (Sabot) that is discarded after clearing the barrel. The remaining projectile is much more aerodynamic than the conventional shell, so impacts the target with much higher energy, permitting deeper penetration.

After 9 days of heavy fighting Delfzijl finally fell, on 01 May. Over 4300 Germans were captured throughout the battle, and although the locks and port facilities were wired for demolition, they were captured intact. The 5th Armoured Division’s 158 casualties were lighter than expected.

One of the many bunkers in Delfzijl. This bunker is now part of the local aquarium.

A very interesting reuse of a bunker, but it is a bit odd walking among the tanks of fish while ducking through low concrete doorways.

The thickness of the walls is incredible. When they made the entrance linking the bunker to the main building, it took 3 days to saw through the 3 m of concrete.

Eelde

Post War

After the conflict was over, the 8th Hussars moved to Eelde, a small village south of Groningen. They were first encamped at Villa Vosbergen, a former summer estate that had been transformed to a retirement home and the grounds designated as a walking forest. The Hussars set up camp in the fields around the estate, before moving into the town and boarding with the residents.

The villa is now a museum, and the walking trails still a popular local destination.

Relations with the local population were excellent.

Out of this good fortune a lively social life sprang up, replete with romances, dances, movies, sightseeing, sailing and swimming, a whole welter of clubs in the immediate area and in the large nearby city of Groningen, Dutch Canadian study clubs and all sorts of personal liaisons. Holland was a good and grateful place to be, and the Hussars made the most of it.

To these boons, headquarters added others in an effort to stave off the boredom and indiscipline which would inevitably lead to trouble and a lowering of regimental prestige. There were leaves to England, Paris, Brussels, and elsewhere, university and other educational courses, a heavy concentration on sports, and there was enough soldiering to keep the men smart and on their toes.

As an example of the support provided by the Hussars, the people of Eelde sadly needed peat for their fires but they had no means of moving it. So, the Hussars arranged a driver-maintenance course and just by coincidence it took the trucks out to where the peat was stacked. The Dutchmen piled it aboard and the troops then drove it back to town for them. They'd stack it in the town square and dole it out from there.

Out in the lush pastures of Holland, that royal Italian, Princess Louise, grew sleek and fat and more aristocratic under the lavish attentions of her Regiment. The Dutch people of Eelde came to call her "our horse." Once, seeing the men march by, she leaped the fence and joined them. But normally her conduct was far more regal than that.

Many of the men were billeted at the Hotel Paterswolde, a lakeside resort before the war.

Inside the hotel is a plaque given by the Hussars to the owners. The plaque was manufactured out of a shell casing and reads:

Presented to

Mr and Mrs E H Heikens

Paterswolde

In recognition of

Kindness shown

To the

New Brunswick Hussars

Canada

April 1945 – December 1945

Brass from 105 mm shell fired at enemy by 8th New Brunswick Hussars.

At the 8th Hussars Museum in Sussex, NB, there are a number of exhibits showing the great appreciation the Dutch had for the Canadians. The town of Eelde is still twinned with Sussex, indicating the deep bond between nations.

At the end of November 1945, the Hussars got confirmation they would be leaving. Regimental life once more became ordered pandemonium. In Paterswolde and Eelde and Groningen, farewells were said to the Dutch people. In the town hall of Eelde, there was an official farewell, kind words, an exchange of gifts to seal the months of friendship. The Burgomaster said, "We'd give you a gold medal of honour, but the Germans have taken all our gold." Instead, they gave a manuscript bearing Eelde's official seal. But someday, the Burgomaster said, the thanks of the community would be said in gold.

The ceremony was followed by an old-fashioned Dutch meal and a formal dance that went on long into the night before departure. Few Hussars slept that night. When the last of the Regiment pulled out early on the morning of Nov. 27, many Netherlands friends were still around to wave them on their way.

It was a sad farewell. As one Hussar has written:

“In reviewing our stay in this country, it can truthfully be stated that in every respect it was one of the most pleasant and interesting interludes in the history of the Regiment.

On 25 May 1952, the town made good on the promise. The Netherlands Ambassador to Canada visited Sussex, and Lovink presented a medal of honour as a token "of the great affection" in which the Regiment was held and as a tribute to its help to a hard-pressed people both in freeing them and in succouring them through first grim months of freedom.

 Another plaque made of a fired tank shell.

Final Inspection

The Hussars gathered for a Final Inspection at Eedle, Netherlands on 23 May 1945. The 8th Canadian Hussars were reviewed by General Crearer, Officer Commanding the 1st Canadian Army, accompanied by LGen Charles Foulkes and LGen Guy Simmonds, 1st and 2nd Canadian Corps Commander, and MGen Bert Hoffmeister 5th Armoured Division Commander.

The final drive past of the reviewing stand.

The 5th Canadian Armoured Division together for the final review.

Hussars paying their final respects to their fallen comrades.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada

Early Days

My great uncle George Johnston was 35 when he enlisted on 23 Nov 1942, at No 2 District Depot in Toronto, ON. He registered as part of the Canadian Forestry Corps, #6 Company R Wing. After basic training in Orillia, he went to Valcartier to train with the Forestry Corps. On 25 Jan 1944 he was posted to #1 Detachment Canadian Forestry Corps, Balsam Creek, ON, only a few miles from his farm. He would have been comfortable working close to home, providing lumber for the war effort.

In July 1944 he was reclassified as Infantry due to the heavy losses in the infantry ranks since D-Day, landed in England on 06 Sep and was sent to Belgium on 17 October as part as the 3rd Division Canadian Infantry Replacement Unit (CIRU). He was assigned to D company of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, joining the regiment on 26 Oct at Bergen Op Zoom, part of a draft of 45 men and 4 officers.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada were part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Armoured Division. The Argylls had landed in Arromanches on 26 July 1944, 6 weeks after D-Day, and had been involved in heavy fighting in Operations Totalize and Tractable, the Battle of Falaise Gap, Battle of Moerbrugge (Crossing the Ghent Canal), Leopold Canal, Battle of the Scheldt and Operation Suitcase before George arrived.

George with his unit. He is in the third row, second from the right.

Soon after George joined the unit, they went into an extended rest period and had very little action for next few months.  George was involved in two major battles, Kapelsche Veer (Operation Elephant) 26-30 January 1945 and the Hochwald Gap (Operation Blockbuster) 26 Feb-10 Mar 1945.

Operation Elephant

In early January the Germans launched a few small-scale attacks to give their troops battlefield experience. In late December the Germans had established an output on the south side of the Maas River, that they subsequently fortified and strengthened.

Kapelsche Veer (Operation Elephant)

The Poles made several assaults against the German location, but the well dug in enemy repelled the attacks. The British Royal Marines made an attempt on 13-14 January, but the exposed nature of the approaches resulted in a further repulse and 49 British casualties. It was apparent that a large-scale attack was required, so the 4th Canadian Armored Division with supporting artillery were given the task. The Lincoln and Welland regiment, supported by artillery, mortars, Wasp flame throwers and smoke generators attacked on 26 January. One company approached from each side, with a canoe party to land behind the Germans and cut off their retreat. Ice on the river hampered the canoe launches, and heavy fire from the northern bank sunk several craft. The Germans held their fire until the last second then counter-attacked furiously. All officers from both Companies were casualties, the Lincolns disorganized, so the Argylls joined the fight.

German Defences

The Germans were very well dug in and had a series of tunnels that allowed the defenders to be reinforced from the north side of the river with minimal exposure.  The Canadian Artillery fired over 14,000 shells into the German positions, but due to the tunnels inflicted relatively few casualties.  The fighting raged on for several days until the Germans withdrew on 30 January.

The Canadians estimated the Germans lost 145 killed, 64 wounded and 34 captured. The Lincolns had 50 fatalities, and 129 wounded, and the Argylls suffered 13 killed and 32 wounded.

Kapelsche Veer Monument

A monument to the combatants was erected in 1985, on the 40th anniversary of the action.

The plaques celebrate the units that fought at Kapelsche Veer, including the Canadian Units:

Lincoln & Welland RegimentThe Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of CanadaThe Algonquin Regiment (Canada)South Alberta Regiment (SAR) Armoured Reconnaissance RegimentThe New Brunswick Rangers Machine Gun Regiment

The Argyll’s plaque states:

In memory of the 14 Argylls killed and the

more than 30 wounded in

“The grim reality” of “the hard and bitter struggle waged”

On the dyke

January 26-30, 1945

The Hochwald (Operation Blockbuster)

The Hochwald

The Battle of Hochwald Gap (Operation Blockbuster) was almost as big as Normandy, but with three times the number of casualties. The Battle itself a was masterpiece of defensive combat by Germans who intimately knew their own territory and set up one tank trap after another. Outnumbered hopelessly, the German fought about as well one could expect.

Operation Blockbuster was a major armoured assault to the town of Wesel on the bank of the Rhine River in preparation to the final push to Berlin. The attacking force included the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade 2nd Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery and the British 11th Armoured and 43rd (Wessex) Divisions. The assembled force included 90,000 infantry, 1300 artillery guns and over 1000 tanks, most attached to the Canadian 2nd Division. They were facing a force of 10,000 with 100 tanks and a few anti-tank weapons tanks including forces from the 2nd Parachute Corps and 47th Panzer Corps. The attack would head south from Kleve, then split and head East through the Hochwald Gap and on to the Rhine. There were few roads in the area, and the ones that were available were not in good condition. There were multiple German strong points built as part of the Siegfried Line, as well as wide anti-tank ditches, heavily mined and booby-trapped areas. The 2nd and 3rd Division would push to Udem, then the 4th Division would take the lead and push through the Hochwald Gap to the Rhine.

The Argylls started off at 1800 hours on 25 February. The plan was to head cross country in 4 lines, but heavy rain had softened the ground, and the tanks churned up the earth resulting in many of the armoured carriers becoming stuck and disabled. With a great effort, the Argylls were in place awaiting the attack of the remainder of 2nd Corps. Many of the tanks were bogged down, some buried up to their turrets.

At 0230 on 28 February, the Argylls advanced, and remained under heavy artillery and mortar fire, and repeated counterattacks by the German forces. B company was cut off and spent the entire day in direct combat with the enemy, unable to be resupplied or to evacuate the wounded. At 2000 tanks and units from the Lake Superior and Algonquin Regiments moved forward finally breaking through the Hochwald Gap. By this time B company had been reduced to 15 men after holding their position for 24 hours. Over the next two days 54 reinforcements were received as the Argylls rested while the battle raged on in front of them.

George Johnston Captured at Veen, Germany 7 Mar 1945

Sonsbeck fell to the Regina Rifles on 05 March, and a firm plan was at last evolved under which the Argyll's and South Alberta's would push east from the town toward Veen and take that place. The force started at 2000 hours on the 6th along the main road, the weather, and the country both wet. The latter was very flat and sparsely wooded, with a good many houses, mostly stone farm buildings. Tanks could move only on the roads and as craters abounded progress was slow. Mines were strewn everywhere, and a tank was blown up soon after the start. By noon about half the distance to the town had been covered; there was some mortar fire and sniping, but no stiff resistance yet. A few stragglers were taken prisoner; they said the only Germans in Veen were a few infantry. After 1400 hours, "B" and "C" Companies advanced to the vicinity of a crossroads about 800 yards from the town, where a storm of fire from small arms, mortars, and high -velocity weapons forced a halt . The men tried to dig in but mostly had in the end to huddle in the ditches, as the wet country made digging a farce and in any event the place was swept with singing bullets. A tank was destroyed by an 88 and another hit a mine and was immobilized. Lieut. Cleroux was killed by mortar fire. The ground between this spot and the town was quite open so it was fruitless to advance across it in daylight. In addition to fire from the town the space was enfiladed by a line of houses to the northwest, and the mortar fire grew steadily in volume, coming apparently from a large wood about a mile north of Veen. For the moment, all that could be done was to sit and endure it.

At last light, "B" Company, still under Capt Perry, and "D" Company with tanks went forward into Veen. Both companies reached the southern outskirts of the town, at which point they were very closely and effectively engaged, chiefly by machine guns. The terrain prevented tanks from getting close and contact between them and the infantry was soon lost. One platoon of "B" missed its way in the black night and the confusion and took no part in the fight. On the left, "D" Company could make no headway worth mentioning and was eventually ordered by the Colonel to withdraw. The same message was sent to "B", but Capt. Perry never received it, so he and his two remaining platoons stayed where they were, although the position was manifestly hopeless. At dawn what was left of the company found itself in shallow pits and ditches still short of the houses, although as close as 50 yards in some places, the whole area dominated by German fire from three sides. Movement of any kind was impossible; ammunition was almost finished. In view of this situation, Capt. Perry surrendered his little force. With him were taken Lieuts. Maxwell and Stewart, both badly wounded, and a number of men, including George Johnston. Lieut Stewart later died of wounds and was buried by the Germans in the town. 

For the period from 26 February to 09 March the Argylls had lost 260 men killed or wounded, and 31 men taken prisoner. Total Canadian Casualties number 379 officers and 3395 other ranks. The Germans suffered 22,000 killed and 22,239 captured. The US Army had captured 30,000 prisoners with 16,000 casualties.

Stalag XIb

The Argyll Prisoners of War were taken to Stalag XIb in Fallingbostel, Germany. At the end of 1944 more than 100,000 prisoners were detained in the Fallingbostel area. As the war progressed, conditions continually grew worse, with overcrowding, lack of medical facilities, poor sanitary conditions, and increasingly meagre rations. The NCOs were forced to work as well, expending more energy.  The daily menu was ersatz coffee (made with acorns or soy products) for breakfast, thin vegetable soup for lunch, black bread, and ersatz tea for dinner.  Initially the men got a bit of sausage or cheese with their daily bread, but that was reduced until they just got a loaf bread that was then shared between 6-8 people. The men estimated they were receiving 1000 calories a day, which dwindled to 500 calories before they were freed.

Description of the Food by one of George’s fellow Argyll inmates:

At noon, we were given about ½ litre of “skilly” which was saltless watery soup with bits of turnip and pieces of long greens that we called whispering green grass, after the popular song of the time “Why Do You Whisper Green Grass”. Occasionally, if you were lucky, you got a small piece of meat in your can and other days a small, boiled potato was given as well. Besides this we got a slice of black bread (that contained wood chips) per day and although we were supposed to get one Red Cross parcel each per week, we only got one parcel divided by two men per week, and this issue was only made a couple of times. George talked about getting mouldy bread and being happy for it. Men shuffled around the compound with string tied from the toe of their boots to above the knee to keep their toes from dragging on the ground from lack of muscle power.

On 16 April 1945 the British 8th Hussars Recce Troop reached Fallingbostel. The camp had about 6,500 men, some of whom had been prisoners for 5 years. George spent a little more than a month as a Prisoner of War, it is amazing that some men survived 5 years in captivity.

The prisoners stayed in the camp about a week or so until they were transported by trucks to an airfield not to far away from where they were flown to Brussels in a DC-3 Dakota. There they were issued new uniforms, and attended a fabulous banquet served by professional waiters. Next, they flew to England in Lancaster bombers where they were given a complete medical check up. On 05 May 1945 George was officially reported safe in England. George was sent to No 4 General Hospital in Farnborough near Aldershot, where he remained for a week.

Argyll Tour

I followed the Argylls on their attack on Veen that led to George’s capture. On 01 March the Argylls were resting after their fighting through the Hochwald Gap. They absorbed 54 replacements while waiting for their next action.

On 05 and 06 May the Argyll’s moved through Uedem in preparation for their assault on Veen. The Argylls deployed into farmer’s fields and forest for cover whenever possible.

On the night of 06 May, two companies of the Argyll’s moved up to assault Veen. They progressed well until the crossroads where they came under heavy fire.

At dawn what was left of the company found itself in shallow pits and ditches still short of the houses, although as close as 50 yards in some places, the whole area dominated by German fire from three sides. Movement of any kind was impossible; ammunition was almost finished. In view of this situation, Capt. Perry surrendered his little force. With him were taken Lieuts. Maxwell and Stewart, both badly wounded, and a number of men, including George Johnston.

The ground is still farmland, and the ditch is still present.

The open fields provided no cover, so the ditches were the only relatively safe areas.

Just out of sight of the previous shot, the ditch takes a 90 Degree turn. The Google Earth image shows the camera location and the progress of the Argylls when they were forced to surrender. The trees in the upper left define the village of Veen.

It is amazing to me how powerful it is to walk in the footsteps of a relative. Most people see one of a million random ditches that cross the farmland of Germany but standing on that culvert on the outskirts of a tiny village I had no problem envisioning George in his comrades slogging through the ditches and the fear they must have felt as they came under withering fire. They didn’t know the rest of the battalion had withdrawn and were likely waiting to die as they ran out of ammunition. Surrender was their only option. Eleven Argylls were killed as part of this assault, including Lt Stewart who was taken prisoner and carried by his soldiers to a German Regimental Aid Post before dying a few minutes later.

George lived just down the road from us, and I knew him as a kid. He lived alone, never married and was very quiet so I didn’t really talk to him very much. Like all of my other family members who were impacted by the war, I wish I had talked to him about his experiences.

Final Thoughts

I had mapped out the progress of Uncles Norm and George some time ago and being able to follow their paths and walk the ground really gave me a good idea what their struggles must have been. Throughout the Netherlands and Germany west of the Rhine the land is very flat and low lying. In every plowed field you can see the water levels and the innumerable drainage ditches, canals and rivers that made great defensive positions and a nightmare for the attacking forces.

The tanks and armoured vehicles were forced to operate on raised roads that silhouetted the armoured regiments and made them sitting ducks. The infantry was regularly forced to fight without armoured support and had to slog through water-logged fields with no cover, to attack well dug in enemy.

Given the state of suffering throughout Holland and the brutality of the German occupation, it was easy to see why the Dutch were so grateful to their Canadian liberators. The Dutch recognized the price Canadian soldiers had paid. First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe had suffered 44,339 casualties since the Juno Beach landings of June 6, 1944. Of these, 961 officers and 10,375 other ranks were killed. Virtually all of these men were volunteers, the largest such body to fight in the war. When the Dutch learned that these men had come to their liberation freely and at such great cost in lives, the depth of gratitude only deepened.