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 and the Netherlands that were still controlled by the ultimate sacrifice in helping drive out the enemy Germans. In mid-September, the vital task of clearing and liberate the country. Others returned home with the enemy from the Scheldt and allowing the Allies to injuries to body and mind that they would bear for the make use of Antwerp fell largely to the First rest of their lives. Canadian Army. THE LEGACY Much of the Battle of the Scheldt took place over flat and often flooded terrain that offered little cover for The Canadians who helped liberate Belgium were the advancing Canadians. Mud that stuck to men and true heroes, but these heroes were regular people— machines, the many dikes and canals that had to be volunteers willing to fight for their country to uphold crossed, and an entrenched, battle-hardened enemy the basic human rights of others and to defeat the made the struggle to clear the area a mighty effort. forces of tyranny. Our country and the world owe an Indeed, some of the toughest fighting of the war would everlasting debt of gratitude to these brave men and be to cross the flat, wet, ditched terrain around the women who have achieved and sacrificed so much. Leopold Canal in the north of Belgium. CANADA REMEMBERS PROGRAM Despite the challenges, the Allies persevered and the last German defenders were defeated by early The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs November. The Scheldt was then cleared of mines Canada encourages all Canadians to learn about the and by late November Antwerp was finally opened to sacrifices and achievements made by those who have shipping. Interestingly, the first Allied ship to arrive served—and continue to serve —during times of war was the Canadian-built freighter SS Cataraqui. and peace. As well, it invites Canadians to become involved in remembrance activities that will help SACRIFICE preserve their legacy for future generations. To learn more about Canada’s role in the Second World War, Many Veterans would tell the story of entire Belgian please visit the Veterans Affairs Canada Web site at towns coming out to joyously greet the Canadian www.vac-acc.gc.ca or call 1-866-522-2122 toll free. soldiers, showering them with flowers as they passed through in dogged pursuit of the retreating Germans. This publication is available upon request in other formats. However, victory in Belgium only came at a high cost. More than 6,000 Canadian soldiers would become casualties during the Battle of the Scheldt and more than 800 are buried in Belgium, having made the Column of ‘Alligator’ amphibious vehicles passing ‘Terrepin’ amphibious vehicles on the Scheldt River. October 13, 1944 / Neuzen, Belgium (vicinity). amphibious vehicles on the Scheldt River. Column of ‘Alligator’ amphibious vehicles passing ‘Terrepin’ Archives Canada PA-114754 Credit: Donald I. Grant. Dept. of National Defence / Library and © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2010. Cat. No.: V32-225/2010E-PDF ISBN: 978-1-100-16046-7 Printed in Canada Affairs, © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by Minister Veterans.