October 1944: the advance begins The starting point of this route takes you back to October 1944. A week earlier, the Canadians had suffered heavy losses in battles near Woensdrecht. By October 24, they were reinforced and ready to launch their attack, crossing the Kreekrakdam into South Beveland. At first, the advance was steady, with little German resistance. But as the troops moved deeper into South Beveland, the fighting grew fiercer.

Through the flooded polders The route takes you through the polders, which the Germans had flooded at the time, to the heavily contested village of Rilland. Because of the water, the Canadians had to advance along the higher dikes and roads, making them easy targets. The hoped-for rapid push toward the canal proved slow and difficult.

Krabbendijke: a monument to fallen airmen From Rilland, you cycle to Krabbendijke. South Beveland lay on the flight path of Allied bombers heading to Germany. Several aircraft crashed in the area, including one in Krabbendijke. Here, you’ll find a monument to a downed Lancaster bomber, JB409, where seven crew members lost their lives.

Crossing the canal: the final push From Yerseke, the Canadians reached the canal near Wemeldinge. After three attempts, they finally succeeded in crossing the water. The canal was also crossed at other points, such as near the remains of the Vlakebrug, where engineers built a bridge. The route then leads you to Hansweert, where the Canadians also crossed the canal. This crossing was much easier: the locks were passed without issue, and the canal was successfully crossed. The area between the Kreekrakdam and the canal was liberated!