Rough Guides: Travel the Liberation Route Europe is a travel guide dedicated to remembrance sites and itineraries all over Europe.
Order your Rough Guides now!The Battle of the Scheldt occupies a prominent place in the collective memory of the local Zeeland population and beyond. During the “forgotten battle” that was fought here at the end of 1944, the area around the Western Scheldt provided the battleground that would prove crucial to opening up the waterway into Antwerp, which had already been liberated. Because the airborne landings of Operation Market Garden near Arnhem and Nijmegen had failed, the opening up of the harbour in Antwerp was of vital importance for the shipping in of troops and essential supplies for rapid transport to the front. Thus the Battle of the Scheldt played a key role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the end of the Second World War.
Upon arrival to Middelburg in the heart of the coastal province of Zeeland, start your day with a city tour of Middleburg, then head to the War Memorial Causeway. The memorial commemorates the French soldiers who were killed in May 1940 during the Battle of Zeeland and the Scottish and Canadian soldiers who were killed during Operation Mallard in November 1944.
Day 2Departure for a visit to the Zeeland Liberation Museum, a prominent museum in a classic Zeeland farmhouse. The museum takes us back to an extraordinary episode in the history of Zeeland. During World War II the Allied soldiers of various nationalities fought side by side against the German occupiers in Zeeland. On both sides people were killed or hurt, and there were also many civilian casualties. The museum guides you through the main events of World War II. The Battle for the River Scheldt or the ‘forgotten battle’ has a prominent place in the museum tour. In the afternoon visit Polderhuis Westkapelle and the Landing Museum.
Day 3Departure to the Brabant region for a visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen-op-Zoom. Visit the Canadian War Cemetery and pay tribute to the 1,118 Commonwealth put to rest here in the Second World War, 31 of which are unidentified. In the afternoon explore Bergen-op-Zoom and stop at some of the Liberation Route’s audio spots to listen to personal stories told about the occupation and liberation of the region from Nazi occupation.
