Liberation Route Marker 389: Operation Mallard

Operation Mallard
The province of Zeeland and Flanders played a key role at the end of World War II. From Sept. 4 to Nov. 8, 1944, the Battle of the Scheldt took place here with the aim of being able to occupy the port of Antwerp. After a successful advance by the Second Canadian Infantry Division across South Beveland as part of Operation Vitality, they became embroiled in a bitter battle for the Sloedam.

To support the stalled offensive of the Second Canadian Infantry Division on the Sloedam, it is decided to surprise the German units on the Walcheren side by a night assault across the water and mud of the Sloe. During the night of Thursday 2 to Friday 3 November 1944, Scottish soldiers of the 6th Battalion. Cameronians by boats cross the water and then the mud flats of the Sloe;2 kilometers south of the dam.This secret attack, code-named Operation Mallard,is successful. The Germans do not expect the Allies here and have to retreat. On the Sloedam the Second Canadian Infantry Division gains ground and on November 5 the Germans surrender.

Audiospot - Operation Mallard

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