Liberation Route Marker 148: A German Wall

A german Wall
In the autumn of 1944, there was a massive concrete anti-tank wall near this place. It was part of the German defences. From the 31st of October to the 3rd of November 1944, a battle between the Canadian liberators and the German occupiers raged around Welberg. Even after liberation, there were still casualties at the wall.

German troops had built defensive works around the villages of Steenbergen and Welberg to halt or delay the Allied advance. In some places, such as here fifty metres down the Moerstraatseweg, there was a concrete anti-tank wall.

After the Canadian Algonquin Regiment was stalled by German mortar and gunfire, on the 2nd of November 1944, troops from another unit launched another attempt to take Welberg. They too came under heavy fire and additionally faced a German Sturmgeschütz, a mobile tracked gun. The battle was only over when Canadian artillery was able to destroy the Sturmgeschütz.

But after the liberation, another drama took place at the wall instead. The brothers Piet and Koos Helmons died in an accident with a mine.

Audiospot - A german Wall

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