Delfzijl Pocket
Follow in the footsteps of the liberators who fought hard battles for the so-called Delfzijl Pocket. Visit monuments, bunkers and other remnants of this tough battle. This route follows the northern advance route of the Canadians.
No one could have imagined that, following the liberation of the city of Groningen on 16 April 1945, it would take a further two weeks or more before the entire province was liberated. The battle for the ‘Delfzijl Pocket’ – as the Canadians called the area where the German soldiers were encircled – was protracted, fierce and claimed many lives.
Here’s what you’ll see
-
83
-
77
-
-
-
81
-
81
-
98
-
28
-
27
-
-
-
-
25
-
85
-
-
-
De beschieting van Appingedam
Wijkstraat 369901 AT Appingedam
De beschieting van Appingedam
The built-up area of Appingedam was probably completely liberated at around ten o’clock on Monday morning, 23 April 1945. No sooner had the town come under Canadian control than the guns in Delfzijl, Nansum, De Fiemel and on Borkum began systematically laying down their deadly fire upon it. The likelihood that the shelling would continue for several more days as long as Delfzijl and the surrounding area remained in German hands made the situation untenable, and the Canadians realised that the presence of the civilian population could no longer be justified. It was therefore decided to evacuate the 7,000 inhabitants of Appingedam. plaquettes commemorating the Canadian liberators can be found on the outer walls of St Nicholas’ Church and the Town Hall.
De beschieting van Appingedam
Wijkstraat 36
9901 AT
Appingedam
Langs de spoorlijn
Jukwerderweg 58569901 TG Appingedam
Langs de spoorlijn
On the morning of Sunday 22 April 1945, Canadian soldiers from The Royal Winnipeg Rifles advanced along the railway line at Tjamsweer towards the level crossing. They came under fire from the bunkers on the south side of the tracks, but these were soon neutralised. Eventually, they were spotted by German artillery, which began to target the Canadians. As a result, the entire area between Tjamsweer and Appingedam came under heavy machine-gun and shell fire, during which platoon commander Lieutenant D.C. McKenzie was killed in action. Today, only a German personnel bunker remains visible langs de spoorlijn.
Langs de spoorlijn
Jukwerderweg 5856
9901 TG
Appingedam
Huis en huisgevechten in Holwierde
Hoofdweg 399905 PJ Holwierde
Huis en huisgevechten in Holwierde
Following fierce house-to-house fighting between the Germans and Canadians in Holwierde, the Germans withdrew to the vicinity of the bridge over the Heekt. The bridge was blown up by the Germans at 6 o’clock on Tuesday 25 April. As a result, half the village was in liberated territory, whilst the other half remained under occupation. As a result, the front line ran right through the village. The Germans shelled the liberated part of the village with everything they had. Shells rained down everywhere, and not a single house was left unscathed. In the end, the eastern part of Holwierde had to wait another five days for its freedom. About a hundred metres before the bridge over the ‘Grote Heekt’ stand two memorials in memory of the civilians and Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the fighting.
Huis en huisgevechten in Holwierde
Hoofdweg 39
9905 PJ
Holwierde
Batterij Nansum
Dijkweg 21179905 TD Holwierde
Batterij Nansum
The year 1942 brought a flurry of activity to the quiet hamlet of Nansum. Nansum was situated more than 20 kilometres west of the Emden Naval Base, and thus within the outermost air defence perimeter of the German port town of Emden. This made Nansum a strategically favourable location for an anti-aircraft battery to defend Emden. In April 1945, the battery’s armament consisted of four 10.5 cm guns and two 2 cm rapid-fire guns. The construction of bunkers alongside the battery had created a formidable stronghold, protected by barbed-wire barriers, minefields and field fortifications. At present, only an M383 Einheitsmaschinenraum and an FL246 ammunition bunker remain intact and can be seen.
Batterij Nansum
Dijkweg 2117
9905 TD
Holwierde
Batterij Delfzijl
7A,Zeebadweg 7A
9933 AV Delfzijl
Batterij Delfzijl
A few days after the occupation of Delfzijl in 1940, Dutch labourers and a number of German soldiers had begun building barracks at the foot of the dyke. Where the Eemshotel stands today, there used to be a swimming pool in the River Eems. However, the bathhouse was demolished and four heavy 10.5 cm guns were positioned on the dyke, after which the position was declared a restricted area. The garrison consisted of around 100 German marines, who had their sleeping quarters, canteen and dining hall in the barracks. On 1 May 1945, the Canadians captured Batterij Delfzijl , taking more than 300 Germans prisoner in the process. At present, only one bunker from the batterij Delfzijl remains visible. This bunker is now part of the Muzeeaquarium Delfzijl.
Batterij Delfzijl
7A,
Zeebadweg 7A
9933 AV
Delfzijl
Het einde van de strijd
Delfzijl railway station9933 GJ Delfzijl
Het einde van de strijd
Canadian tanks from the ‘8th New Brunswick Hussars’ captured Delfzijl station on 2 May 1945 following a fierce skirmish. Afterwards, many Germans emerged from the houses surrounding the station carrying white flags to surrender. Shell fragments embedded in the outer wall on the platform side bear witness to the shelling of Delfzijl by Canadian artillery.
Het einde van de strijd
Delfzijl railway station
9933 GJ
Delfzijl
- 83
- 77
- 81
- 81
- 98
- 28
- 27
- 25
- 85