Forgotten Battle for Baarle-Nassau.

272VGD. · #1 (**permalink**) January 8th, 2008, 02:48 PM

Hi all,

Here another thread of an unknown battle, the battle for Baarle-Nassau.
Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog is a small village on the border of the Netherlands/Belgium. The battle between the Polish and German troops (and a small number of Dutch Waffen SS forces) began on the 1st of October 1944. And lasted till the 3rd of October.
Actually this is an small chapter of the heaviest battle deliverd by the Polish troops from Merksplas to Breda, taking the villages in the order of Merksplas, Zondereigen, Baarle-Nassau, Alphen, Gilze, Bavel and then the city of Breda. After the Polish troops captured Merksplas they went to Zondereigen and from there to Baarle-Nassau, between this 2 villages the Germans put in a lot of forces to stop the invasion of the Polish troops. In every ditch, forest, farmhouse the Germans were located with all kind of weapons, from MG to Panzerfaust. It took the Polish troops hours to conquer just a few 100 meters even with the help of the RAF with his Typhoons.
The village of Baarle-Nassau was shelled with grenade's for many days and when the Polish troops finaly liberated the village there was nobody to welcome them, because the people were affriad to get out of there shelters after the shelling of 3 days long. After the liberation of Baarle the Polish troops went to the Huisvennen area near of Alphen. It took them about 2 weeks to clear the area around this village.

Many soldiers and civilians lost there lives out there in the early October days of 1944. So that we may live in freedom. May we not forget this soldiers of a foreign land like Poland who lost there lives here for our freedom.

This is just an small piece of information of this battle, with a lot of thanks to the writers of the book: Oorlog en Bevrijding in woord en beeld. Merksplas - Baarle - Alphen en Gilze.

Here a map of the the Allied advance in this region.
Note: the village Oisterwyk is incorrect, this village lays NE of Tilburg.
It has to be the village of Riel.

Polish troops getting ready to attack the village of Baarle-Nassau.

Toward the village, Polish armor on the Tommelse Heide.

Mines...

In the center of the village after the liberation.

Soon I want to make some Then and Now pictures of this region. So this thread will be updated.

272VGD. · #2 (**permalink**) January 8th, 2008, 02:54 PM

Offcours you all know me and I went dor some diggin in that area with some friends.
We found a huge Artillery spot in the woods of the Tommelse heide.
I think we all together dug up around 60 ammunition boxes for the 25 pounder gun. Also with 2 detonators for these grenade's (last picture). And many broken beer bottles.

272VGD. · #3 (**permalink**) January 8th, 2008, 02:56 PM

Funny photo of me and a friend of my.

272VGD. · #4 (**permalink**) January 8th, 2008, 03:01 PM

Outstanding condition. Many paint remains.

Tommelse Heide.