Marking Canadian Auxiliary Bridge over Zoom

At this spot, Canadian troops of the Lincoln & Welland regiment successfully crossed the Zoom for the first time on the night of 28 October 1944. The German occupiers had made Bergen op Zoom a defensible fortress with tank ditches and dragon's teeth. Today's Vijverberg and the concrete blocks lying along the Zoom are the remnants of this. As evacuation of the city proved impossible, German troops retreated behind the Zoom.

The Canadian army's advance was delayed by at least several days because of these tank walls. During the evacuation of the city, all bridges over the Zoom were blown up. The Canadians tried to cross the Zoom several times without success. But finally they managed to strike a Bailey bridge and blow up the concrete blockade on the Zoom dam. After heavy fighting, the Germans had to abandon the Zoom Line on 31 October.

Today, there is an information board and a text on the cycle path marks where the bailey bridge was located and the crossing took place.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Wim Blankers