Fort Garry Horse - Battle of the Scheldt Then & Now

[Hanno Spoelstra]

These photos of Fort Garry Horse Sherman tanks were taken on 29 October 1944 in the Zuid-Beveland region/peninsula, province of Zeeland, The Netherlands.

They show three Sherman IC Fireflies and one M4. I believe this is the original sequence of the photos:

312933488_1788866494783884_8101152828088102239_n.jpg

The second one is captioned as "A Sherman Vc Firefly tank of The Fort Garry Horse near the Beveland Canal, Netherlands, ca. 29 October 1944" (Credit: Lieut. Ken Bell / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-166849). The caption is incorrect as this is a Sherman IC Firefly (based on a radial-engined M4, rather than the more common M4A4):

313254234_1788866601450540_3837020833860951559_n.jpg 313305905_1788866411450559_4476517071593317573_n.jpg

Here is the contact sheet showing the second and third photo. It helps to place them near the temporary bridge built next to bridges over the Beveland Canal which had been blown.

p.42.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This map gives an overview of the Allied advance going West into Zuid-Beveland and onto the Sloedam into Walcheren. According to this map the Beveland canal - shown as the big red vertical line - was crossed on 27 October 1944.

Z-Beveland-1944.jpg

The Vlakebrug bridge crossing the Beveland Canal was destroyed by Allied bombardements and further German demolitions (ref.). Therfore the RCE first built a pontoon bridge and then a bailey bridge for the heavy AFVs. Not many photos of the temporary bridges are available, but here are two:

Zd-Beveland_Pontonbrug.jpg nB5M3Ts.jpg
Source: https://www.oorlogzeeland.nl/index.p...eslag-beveland and https://www.twenot-forums.nl/threads...nd-1944.34757/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Back to the crossroads: seeing the signs these crossroads are placed along the main road from the town of Bergen op Zoom in the east to the town of Goes in the west, with a road branching off to Yerseke in the north. Looking at today's maps, this location would be just east of the Beveland Canal, so the photos were taken just before the Sherman tanks crossed the Bailey Bridge. This sequence of events is consistent with Ken Bell's contact prints - see the first posting.

In the years after WW2 the subject area was heavily reconstructed, in essence the canal and the railroad are the only main consistent features. With the aid of online maps at topotijdreis.nl I was able to pinpoint the correct location. I did have to select a later map though, as when zooming in on the Beveland Canal one is actually shown a much older map. So I made the comparison with the 1951 map.

Vlakebrug 1944_redlined.jpg

This is what the current situation looks like - the intersection Oude Rijksweg coming from the east, turning onto the Zanddijk road going north. The road leading west to Goes was demolished, so this screenshot from Google streetview is not the viewpoint of the photographer back in 1944.

Kruising Oude Rijksweg - Zanddijk Kruiningen.jpg

The Sherman on the left would have been where the white truck in the photo above is today, coming from the direction of Yerseke.

312933488_1788866494783884_8101152828088102239_n.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

The Vlakebrug bridge crossing the Beveland Canal was destroyed by Allied bombardements and further German demolitions (ref.). Therfore the RCE first built a pontoon bridge and then a bailey bridge for the heavy AFVs. Not many photos of the temporary bridges are available, but here are two:

Here is another view of the two temporary bridges built by the RCE:

FO043352.jpg
Source: ZB Beeldbank Zeeland, recordnr. 43352

[Hanno Spoelstra]

From the Fort Garry Horse War Diaries, via project44.ca:

27 OCTOBER 1944
Cold, comfortless: The attack went in as planned. Fourth Troop under Lt Coulter supported D Goy attacking from the brick works area with 3rd Troop (Lt Burgoyne) supporting them by fire. But the “bird had flown”, as a result of Div pressure on the enemy’s flank. In the afternoon the sqn withdrew to a harbour in the brickworkers at 619222. (Sheet 15 SE BERGEN OP ZOOM) and there passed, the remainder of the day. Moved back to main rd at first light and picked up Lieut Leipsic and proceed to area East of Canal and just South of YERSEKE. Parked off main road and contacted S.S.R. again. Arranged to do a shoot to help them across the Canal but its was called off until after dark so we did not move. Lieut. Cryderman, Dowling and Sgt Kroeker came forward to-night so we once again have 14 tks in “A” Squadron. Nothing eventful happened.

28 OCTOBER 1944
A better day has dawned: At 1100 hrs some of the lads were helping a civilian clean up his wrecked home when news came that the Squadron must move at once to SOUTH BEVELAND. By 1145 the squadron was on the move and by 1300 hrs the lads were all established in the houses of the joyful burghers of OOSTDIJK (458223, YERSEKE sheet 155 w). The remainder of the ay passed quietly and that evening for the officers at least came one of the most heartwarming experiences of the war. At the home of FRAU PHILIPS BUYS they gathered along with some of the good FRAU’s pretty young friends and held a singsong. The Dutch girls knew the words of O CANADA better than the officers. “A” Sqn spent the entire day doing maintenance and were not called upon to do anything.

29 OCTOBER 1944
“A” Squadron still in the same location and the boys cleaning up. Major Jenner arrived with word that 39 O.R.’s were to get ready for leave. The Sqn Leader to accompany them. By rushing around we were able to get the baggage truck and the boys paid and safely away. The remainder of the Squadron took things easy.

30 OCTOBER 1944
Orders came today to cross the Canal and move to Sqn area West of GOES. A Squadron moved into a Dutch farm yard and took over the buildings for billets. A large farm and plenty of hay made things reasonably comfortable for us. Wet weather caused some discomfort but a liberal issue of Rum helped things considerably. The boil situation appears to be getting worse, several of the boys suffering from them lately.

31 OCTOBER 1944
The leave boys came back this morning thoroughly rested (?) after an enjoyable 48 hrs leave. Nothing interesting to note. Weather still bad.
E.M. Wilson, Lt. Col

1 NOVEMBER 1944
GOES
D3429
A day when the weather, like a sense of smell, was a “most mixed blessing”. This was to be the quietest month the Garries had had since D-Day. But on November the First, 1944, the grim thunder of Allied and enemy guns echoed over that thin neck of land connecting SOUTH BEVELAND with WALCHEREN, Germany’s last bastien in the SCHELDT Estuary. Most of our regiment were peacefully encamped at GOES. But at 0830 hrs., Major JOYCE contacted 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and shortly afterward called 1st Troop, and then the whole of “B” Squadron, forward to the dyke form 219284 to 219288. From this position the Squadron carried out an indirect shoot against enemy troops on WALCHEREN and supported the CALGARY HIGHLANDERS moving out from the end of the Causeway. By noon the Squadron was low on ammunition. They were pulled out for replenishment (including lunch) along the road at 233291, and later on were posted, except for the 17 pounders, below the dyke at 223298. From an OP at 225306 fire was directed onto targetrs along the opposing dyke and in the general area 1931, with apparent good effect. By last light, the tanks were low on ammo again. They withdrew to the same harbour as on the previous night, at 216293.

2 NOVEMBER 1944
A clear day. At 0900 hrs, “B” Sqn was ordered back to GOES. Its task with 2 Div completed, the regiment reverted to under comd of 2 CAB. SOUTH BEVELAND had been captured, and the WALCHEREN ISLAND operation commenced. Having come through a longer period of continuous operational duty than any other Canadian armoured unit, the Garries, to have a week of rest and refitting, were ordered to prepare for a move to BREDA. The Adjutant issued an SOS-vintage Movement Table, and the evening was characterized by the usual pre-trip conferences. Our headquarters arrangement had been an ideal one: all the command vehicles were under the one commodious roof: warmth and efficiency combined.

3 NOVEMBER 1944
BREDA
D9936
A gloomy day. Reveille at 0445 hrs, Breakfast at 0515 hrs, shove-off at 0630 hrs, with RHQ and “A’ Ech vehicles leading the long procession out of the valley unlovely isle of SOUTH BEVELAND. The column moved along well ahead of schedule, despite an infantile piling-up wheeled vehicles around WOENSDRECHT. BREDA, famous in song and story, was reached at 1200 hrs. But it was 1600 hrs before our men were able to move into their imposing billets and shake off the accumulated tension of the long battle behind.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Good research and interesting to read!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

From the Fort Garry Horse War Diaries:

27 OCTOBER 1944
Cold, comfortless: The attack went in as planned. Fourth Troop under Lt Coulter supported D Goy attacking from the brick works area with 3rd Troop (Lt Burgoyne) supporting them by fire. But the “bird had flown”, as a result of Div pressure on the enemy’s flank. In the afternoon the sqn withdrew to a harbour in the brickworkers at 619222. (Sheet 15 SE BERGEN OP ZOOM) and there passed, the remainder of the day. Moved back to main rd at first light and picked up Lieut Leipsic and proceed to area East of Canal and just South of YERSEKE. Parked off main road and contacted S.S.R. again. Arranged to do a shoot to help them across the Canal but its was called off until after dark so we did not move. Lieut. Cryderman, Dowling and Sgt Kroeker came forward to-night so we once again have 14 tks in “A” Squadron. Nothing eventful happened.

Going by the War Diary and the date noted on this photo, it shows the tanks of the Fort Garry Horse lined up on the road on the East side of the Canal.

"Sherman tanks of the Canadian unit Fort Garry Horse on their way to the Channel through South Beveland." Date: 1944-10-27
dezb_recordnr 59041.jpg
Source: ZB Beeldbank Zeeland, recordnr. 59041