walking in 2,9 km boots hiking shoes ordinary shoes Theme walk: Dambusters Trail Dambusters walk: Theme Steenbergen Location: and his crew Guy After months months After squadron the of on left preparation, the evening of 16 May Sorpé which formation, and Möhne, the was to destroy 1943. Gibson commanded the of Only eleven border. western Germany’s close to , first home returned England left Lancasters that the nineteen water the bombardment, Thanks to the successful safely. which month, a for area entire the in off cut was supply weeks Five industry. war German down the seriously slowed highest British the military decoration, the bombing, after Gibson by King Guy to Cross, awarded was Victory the VI. George On 19 September 1944, Guy Gibson was bomber squadron as master of the 627 bomber engined flying a twin- Warwick as James leader together with squadron fighter- Mosquito Havilland De this time, the At navigator. sophisticated bomber aircraft that was was a very able to hour) at km per 700 (nearly levels maintain high air speed by side were seated pilot and navigator The low altitudes. side in this twin-engined aircraft. They were flying back and on Rheydt to England following a bombardment September. particular day in on that Mönchengladbach At around 22:45 h, the fighter-bomber was spotted over Steenbergen with a misfiring engine. of fuel. the aircraft ran out and by a mechanical defect This was caused West former a farm in the it crashed near Consequently, Graaf Hendrikpolder and burst into and buried in wreckage the near members were found flames. Both crew Catholic cemetery. local Roman Steenbergen’s

Welcome Steenbergen to Welcome Steenbergen by the was developed walk theme This water Steenbergen’s on municipality the of initiative realized Both were and text trail Spoye’. sports ‘Die club Committee. Heritage support of the municipal with the on More information this other trails is available trail and 53 (number Kaaistraat Steenbergen, Agency Tourist VVV at check or you may Steenbergen in 01-09-2011) 49 as from or www.vvvbrabantsewal.nl. www.gemeente-steenbergen.nl walk. hope you will enjoy your We RAF pilots Air Force British Royal WWII, the famous end of At the navigator, and his well-known Gibson, Guy pilot, captain James Warwick, crashed in their fighter-bomber in was regarded to be Gibson Guy Steenbergen. the vicinity of had been pilots. He most experienced RAF’s one of the the demolition of a Chastise’, in charge of ‘Operation This area. Ruhr German dams in the of number N° 617, out by a special squadron, was carried operation modified been had which Lancasters with equipped dams The air raid on the reservoir task. for this special under the command of Guy Gibson will forever fire the imagination. History recovered WWII dragged on and the British air force As Germany that attacks, it was contrived German from the The aim was twofold. saturation bombing. hit by be should Germans by systematic morale of the to break the Firstly, bombing of large cities, hoping the citizens would rise German war to bring the Secondly, against the Nazis. aimed mainly been industry to a standstill. Bombing had and armaments oil depots such as coal-mines, sites, at key on successful had been Though the allied forces factories. to rebuild Germans had managed the occasions, several time. single every the double on sites these the not to destroy the factories, but Gibson was briefed to hydro-electric dams of the used generate as the impossible, to be This mission was deemed power. precision these attack would require great and because destroyed by the too were vast to be dams reservoir a special type of Therefore, existing type of . for this a so-called aim, was developed kilos each. weighing 4,200 T. 14 0167 T. Postbus 6 Postbus

F. 0167 54 34 99 0167 F. Buiten de Veste 1 Veste Buiten de

4650 AA Steenbergen 4650 www.gemeente-steenbergen.nl [email protected]

Gemeente Steenbergen This trail was realized with the support of: support the with realized was trail This

Studio09 Graphic Design Graphic

.nl 1. The starting point and fi nish of this trail left onto the footpath and walk along the water towards is located at hotel Aarden (Kaaistraat 1) in Middenwal. After the bridge, please continue straight on starting point Steenbergen’s friendly city centre. Hotel to Oranjewal. From here, you can see the Roman Catholic Aarden has a cosy outdoor café and ample cemetery on your right. This is where you will fi nd the signposts MOSQUITOSTRAAT complimentary parking space nearby. The graves of both British heroes. dambusters trail city centre off ers a few nice shopping streets 5 optional trail with decent restaurants and coff ee shops. The 3. War pilot’s graves 1/5 see explanation starting panel with the trail directions is located Please turn right around the corner to the entry of the GIBSONSTRAAT just across hotel Aarden. In hotel Aarden, you cemetery. Several offi cial plaques were put up by British will fi nd a mini exhibition in remembrance of authorities on this cemetery and you will also notice a the two war pilots. The walk starts off into genuine British post offi ce box. Two war heroes from WWII BRONKHORSTSTRAAT WIJNGAARDEN- Kaaistraat and then continues into the fi rst are buried on this Roman Catholic cemetery, pilot Guy BOLWERK NASSAU BOLWERK SOLMS- street on your right, Geert Vinckestraat. After Gibson and navigator James Warwick. Gibson was born in BOLWERK the school, please enter the City Park on your India on 12 and was killed in Steenbergen on NOORDWAL

LINDENBURGHLAAN left and continue straight on. After 200 metres, 19 September 1944. At the urgent request of his father, his PRINS REINIERSTRAAT you will fi nd the war memorial dedicated to the mortal remains stayed in Steenbergen. He wanted his sun to VESTINGHLAAN BINNEN- memory of the two fallen British war victims be buried at the location where he was killed. VEST NASSAULAAN on your left. 4. Mini exhibition OOSTDAM 3 KRUISPOORT 2. War memorial As you leave the cemetery, please turn right into Nassaulaan PRINS HENDRIKSTRAAT FREDERIKS BOLWERK The memorial was unveiled on 7 May 1990. and continue on Kruispoort back to hotel Aarden, the offi cial WESTDAM

Every year, both the war memorial and fi nish of the trail. You will fi nd several nice restaurants and - ORANJEWAL KAAISTRAAT Steenbergen’s cemetery are visited by many pubs in Steenbergen to conclude the trail. Please feel free to BLAUWSTRAAT groups of British visitors. A propeller of a British ask for the mini exhibition at hotel Aarden. 1+4 fi ghter aircraft is mounted on the memorial’s pedestal, together with a memorial plaque. 5. Crash site fi ghter aircraft Next, please continue on the same road, leave You may also visit the site on which Guy Gibson and James WOUWSESTRAAT MIDDENWAL the city park on your left and turn right onto Warwick crashed in their . You will ZUIDWAL JULIANASTRAAT the Zuidwal. Please cross Wouwsestraat and fi nd this location just outside the city centre within 15 continue on Oranjebolwerk. Then, please turn minutes walking distance from the starting point. The street 2

KROMMEWEG

MOLENWEG in which the two heroes crashed is now called Mosquitostraat Other interesting trails and was named after the aircraft type. At this location, you • Walking trail 4.5 km: Stronghold Trail,

Dambusters Trail Dambusters will fi nd a pattern of the Union Jack in the pavement and a published by the municipality of Steenbergen bronze plaque. Various streets on this industrial site are • Cycling trail 45 km: Liberation Trail, named after the event. published by VVV Brabantse Wal and the municipality of Bergen op Zoom Code of conduct • walking is at your own risk References which was used to carry out the attacks on the Möhne, Eder and Sorpé dams. • please do not leave any litter behind • Guy Gibson: 1944 • please leave crops and animals in peace • Articles by Hans Molier and Willy Horemans