Cheers I will have a watch
The story of the assault on the island of Walcheren in the SW part of the Netherlands. The Allied had Antwerp, but they needed the route to Antwerp secured: the river Scheld. On the north side, on Walcheren: the Germans, on the south side, the Allied forces. The ships on the river would be sitting ducks!
It was a long and fierce battle in thick clay, inundated land and Germans in foxholes. Added to that: Walcheren is absolutely flat. No place to hide, no place to cover. For background info about the real battle, search:
Operation Switchback
Operation Vitalily
Operation Infatiuate
I haven't seen it yet, but at least they've paid attention to the distinct Dutch dialect that's spoken in the movie. It is spot-on! Hopefully that's a sign of good quality! (7,5 on IMDB)
Last edited by thieuster; 16th September 2021 at 19:09.
Not streaming in the UK yet, only a short trailer is on view.
I think it's out on the 15th of October.
Just watched this. Compelling from start to end. Holds no punches. Probably the best wartime film I've watched since the first time I watched Saving Private Ryan.
And both based on true events.
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I've been to Walcheren since my first post of this thread. If you ever have the chance of visiting Walcheren, you should. There are lots of traces of Allied forces fighting themselves in-land. Everywhere, in nearly every village, you'll find monuments remembering the Allied casualties.
As a young lad of 5 y/o, I used to live across the river Scheldt, in Dutch Flandres, as it's called. I remember me and my father taking the ferry to Flushing, watching the remembrance ceremony at the grounds near the monument. That was only 18 yrs or so after the invasion. Most people there -and certainly my dad- still had memories of the war and the Nazi occupation. What I remember of that ceremony? Three things: first, a person in the ranks fainted. He fell like a chopped tree. Second: it was the first time I saw a man in a kilt! Finally, it rained very hard and those soldiers of the honor guards didn't blink at all.
The monument in Flushing reads:
In memory of all ranks of nr. 4 commando who fell during the war 1939-1945
and to the local citizens of Flushing who were killed during the occupation and
at the hour of their liberation.
Last edited by thieuster; 4th December 2021 at 23:08.
See Unveiling Memorial To No. 4. Commandos 1952 for a little bit of history.
There are some more photos (and a map with other local memorials etc) at this link.
I think that I too have taken the ferry from Breskens across the Westerschelde, but only on my way up to Amsterdam by car.
Last edited by PickleB; 4th December 2021 at 23:53.
I watched it on Friday. Excellent and very moving.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
And here’s a pic I took last Summer in Domburg. It’s the local monument for the Norwegian Commandos who were part of this invasion.
The monument is on a dune top, overlooking the sea. What’s very symbolic: the monument faces north. On the map you can draw a straight line across the sea from the monument to the Norwegian southcoast.
Btw, Domburg is a small but fantastic family holiday destination. Lots of families with smaller children. Absolutely quiet after 10pm. Recommended if you want to spend a fantastic family holiday on the beach
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Last edited by thieuster; 5th December 2021 at 11:55.