Liberation Route Marker 038: Flying bombs over Rozendaal

Flying bombs over Rozendaal
October 1944: As the occupying forces fired V1 and V2 rockets at the port of Antwerp, many of the flying bombs landed prematurely in and around Rozendaal. Mr J.A. Slempkes describes the destruction and terror the bombs caused, and a young villager - who's now an elderly lady - recounts her memories.

Germany had been experimenting with rockets prior to World War II. The army had developed the V2, a rocket with a range of 450 kilometres, and the air force developed a cheaper version, the V1, which could be fired from a fixed launching device. This was a flying bomb and an unreliable weapon: approximately 25% failed.
Launching devices were stationed in the woods in the Overijssel region, near Lettele and Rijssen in the east of The Netherlands. Fired from here, the bombs flew directly over Rozendaal on their way to the port of Antwerp.

On 16th December 1944, the first V1 landed in the woods near Rozendaal. A few days later, another flying bomb exploded in the village, causing considerable damage.

Expecting to encounter German resistance as they approached Rozendaal in April 1945, the British liberators opened fire on the village, causing extensive damage. The April of 1945 saw the liberation of a ravaged village.

Audiospot - Flying bombs over Rozendaal

Liberation Route Europe is a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. With hundreds of sites and stories in nine European countries, the route links the main regions along the advance of the Allied Forces in 1943-1945.
The entire route consists of themed routes that can be travelled by by hiking, walking, cycling and car. These routes pass numerous historical and interesting sites and tell stories from a multitude of perspectives that were important in the final phase of World War II.
Many routes feature listening spots, offering the opportunity to listen to a historical story at a location. In addition, many ‘Vectors of Memory’ have been placed, indicating that the passer-by is on one of the Liberation Routes.
The routes can be found on the Liberation Route Europe website or in the app through which many stories can also be listened to.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar & Liberation Route Europe
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze