Victory demonstrations in Holland

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Demo of a Wasp Flame Thrower on the Stadionplein, Amsterdam.

Back then they thought nothing of demonstrating this equipment close to spectators!

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Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...2-148322bec4c0

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Demonstration in Alkmaar

"In 1945, the triangular lawn between Ferdinand Bolstraat, Rembrandtstraat and Van der Helststraat in Alkmaar marked the boundary of the western city. From that point they looked over the polder to the dunes of Egmond. Shortly after the liberation, on Friday, May 25, 1945, Canadian army units held a spectacular military demonstration on this lawn. Not long before, they had been massively welcomed as liberators. The Canadian captain invited all Alkmaarders, in particular mayor Kinschot and wife, to come and look at all kinds of heavy war equipment that had all been made in Canada. The Canadian men who marched past had an enormous track record; they had fought as a division in Africa, in Sicily, in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Real veterans, to whom we owe a lot! Now in peacetime they showed what they could do with their material with the message and wish "may it never be used for its actual destiny!". The amateur amateur film maker Wagenaar from Alkmaar was there and made a short cinematic impression."

See the footage on youtube: https://youtu.be/S_mx3OcpDmI


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Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...0-fe4fe1e5b815

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This is a Sherman Hybrid IC (Firefly), which according to source [2] was part of the 1st Canadian Army Corps commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walker

Captioned: "Canadian soldiers in the Netherlands. Leiden, Schuttersveld. May 22, 1945. Demonstration with a Sherman tank 'Commodore', prior to the parade on Dam Square in Amsterdam."

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Sources:
[1] https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...d-0ac03a046445
[2] https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...d-92716487beed


This is "Commodore" at Stadionplein, Amsterdam, 27 May 45:

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Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...d-9e2fb77293ae

Another picture of the Sherman Hybrid IC (Firefly) "Commodore". Al Bowie noted: "It is a Canadian 1c (Hybrid) of the Three Rivers Regiment (named Commodore) which was one of the 1 Canadian Armoured Brigade transferred from Italy and was originally an Army Tank Brigade not an Armoured brigade so they have kept their original AOS in Blue over Brown from memory. Of note is that this is the rarer ALCO manufactured Hybrid/Composite as indicated by the curved front on the Applique (Unique to the Alco ones). This was a Demonstration that took place 27 may 45"

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Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...d-fff71222561c


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