Canada Played an Important Role in the Liberation of Belgium During The

Canada played an important role in the liberation of Into Belgium Belgium during the Second World War. Our soldiers, sailors and airmen helped defeat the Germans and By early September of 1944, the First Canadian Army restore peace to the country after more than four years —with some British, Polish and other troops under of occupation. their command—had liberated much of the French coast north of Normandy and pushed on into Belgium FORTRESS EUROPE (although several fortified coastal towns in France would still have to be captured with great effort in the Germany occupied Belgium and most of Europe ensuing weeks). As the Canadian Army swept along for much of the Second World War. The Germans the coast, they encountered abandoned V-1 (or “Buzz transformed the continent into what came to be Bomb”) launch sites. Knocking these powerful and known as “Fortress Europe.” Formidable defences terrible weapons out of action offered great relief to the bristled along the coasts as the Germans watched and people of southeast England, who were their primary waited for the Allies’ move to retake the continent. targets, and gave the Canadians much satisfaction. The Allies came ashore in Italy in 1943 and began to battle their way north. Then on June 6, 1944— It seemed the German resistance was faltering in places D-Day—the opening move to free Europe from the and Allied hopes were high for a quick end to the war. west finally came in Normandy, France. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, was liberated in the first days of September. Some Belgian villages were The Canadians Break Out empty of the enemy when Canadian soldiers got to them, and others had to be fought for in what were In the months following D-Day, the embattled usually brief but costly affairs. Large parts of western Germans began to give way and the Canadians broke Belgium were quickly liberated as the Germans out north and east against the retreating German marshalled their defences in certain key areas. It was defences. The First Canadian Army was tasked with not always this fast, however, as the battle to cross the securing the ports along the English Channel as they Ghent Canal was a bitter one. pushed their way up through coastal France and into Belgium and the Netherlands on their way toward The Battle of the Scheldt Germany itself. The first ports liberated in Northwest Europe were The Canadian advance held extra importance because either too small or too damaged to solve the Allies’ the Allies were in need of a good port. They were supply problems. Antwerp, a major port in Belgium, still using the vulnerable temporary facilities they was taken relatively undamaged in early September. Canadian Infantry Division moving through Bockhoute, Belgium. October 18, 1944. Credit: Donald I. Grant. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada PA-137188 Canadian Infantry Division moving through Bockhoute, Belgium. October 18, 1944. Credit: Donald I. Grant. Dept. of National Defence / Library and had constructed on the Normandy beaches to supply The problem was that it was 80 kilometres from the rd their forces. Ensuring that the flow of Allied men and open sea. Between it and the English Channel lay the materiel into the battle zone continued was vital. West Scheldt estuary, passing through parts of Belgium Vehicles of the 3 Vehicles Column of ‘Alligator’ amphibious vehicles passing ‘Terrepin’ amphibious vehicles on the Scheldt River. October 13, 1944 / Neuzen, Belgium (vicinity). Credit: Donald I. Grant. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada PA-114754 than 800are buriedinBelgium, havingmadethe casualties duringtheBattle oftheScheldtandmore More than6,000Canadiansoldierswouldbecome However, inBelgium onlycameatahighcost. victory through indoggedpursuitoftheretreating Germans. soldiers, showering themwithflowers astheypassed towns comingoutto joyously greet theCanadian Many Veterans ofentire Belgian wouldtellthestory Sacrifce was theCanadian-builtfreighter SSCataraqui. shipping. Interestingly, thefirstAlliedshiptoarrive and by lateNovember Antwerp wasfinallyopenedto November. TheScheldtwasthencleared ofmines the lastGerman defenderswere defeatedby early Despite thechallenges,Alliespersevered and ofBelgium. Leopold Canalinthenorth be tocross theflat, wet, ditchedterrainaround the Indeed, someofthetoughestfightingwarwould toclearthearea made thestruggle amightyeffort. crossed, andanentrenched, battle-hardened enemy machines, themanydikesandcanalsthathadtobe the advancing Canadians.Mud thatstucktomenand and oftenfloodedterrainthatoffered little cover for Much oftheBattle oftheScheldttookplaceover flat Canadian Army. make useofAntwerp felllargelytotheFirst the enemyfrom theScheldtandallowing theAlliesto Germans. In mid-September, thevitaltaskofclearing and theNetherlands thatwere stillcontrolled by the formats. This publicationisavailable uponrequest inother www.vac-acc.gc.ca orcall1-866-522-2122tollfree. please visitthe Veterans AffairsCanada Web siteat more aboutCanada’s role intheSecond World War, theirlegacy forfuturepreserve generations. To learn involved inremembrance activitiesthatwillhelp and peace.Aswell, itinvitesCanadianstobecome —duringtimesofwar continuetoserve served—and sacrifices andachievements made by thosewhohave Canada encouragesallCanadianstolearnaboutthe The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs CANADA REMEBERSPROGRAM women whohave achieved andsacrificedsomuch. everlasting debtofgratitudetothesebrave menand forces oftyranny. andtheworldowe Our country an the basichumanrightsofothersandtodefeat touphold volunteers willingtofightfortheircountry heroes, buttheseheroestrue were regular people— The Canadianswhohelpedliberate Belgium were THE Legacy rest oftheirlives. injuries tobodyandmindthattheywouldbearforthe and liberatethecountry. Others returned homewith ultimate sacrificeinhelpingdrive outtheenemy