The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Liberation of …canadianartillery.ca/files/lib-ned.pdf · The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery ... The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

Le Régiment royal de l‟Artillerie canadienne


Liberation of The Netherlands, 65th Anniversary

5 May 2010



A Great Team – They Make You Proud to be

Canadian

1RCHA, 7 Toronto, 11 Field, 56 Field and RHQ RCA



Celebrating and Commemorating the Canadian

Artillery‟s Role in the Liberation of The NetherlandsThe Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery commemorated its role in the

Liberation of The Netherlands in the City of „s-Heerenberg on May 5th, 2010, the

65th Anniversary of the Liberation of Holland.

A World War II Gun, the famed 25 Pounder, was dedicated on the market square

in „s-Heerenberg to memorialize the service of Canadian Gunners.

This monument will perpetuate the memory of the service of more than 29,000

Canadian Gunners in Holland who manned more than 1,100 guns in 38 Artillery

Regiments. Canadian Gunners suffered about 900 killed from D Day to VE Day.

The 25 Pounder was the principal artillery piece of the Canadian Artillery in World

War II, so it is most fitting that it represent the Gunners who served in Holland.

„s-Heerenberg is at the centre of the start of the Liberation campaign, when the

First Canadian Army, under command of a Gunner (General Harry Crerar) swung

north, crossed the Rhine and brought the occupying forces to capitulation.

This was the first major town liberated in Operation PLUNDER, commencing

March 31st 1945.



Liberation of „s-Heerenberg: A few Quotes

“The advance northward was launched by the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade on March 31 (1945).

They met little resistance and, on April 1, the Highland Light Infantry of Canada passed through to

clear the first Dutch town to be liberated, s‟Heerenberg, situated only a little more than a kilometre

north of Emmerich. Here “C” Company of the HLI met resistance at an anti-tank ditch in front of the

town. The ditch was bridged under fire and the advance continued against a number of

strongpoints based on a large castle and monastery.”

“When the 3rd Division surged through s‟Heerenberg as their advance got under way on April 1,

they found it difficult to pass through this town, despite the fact that German resistance had been

overcome. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders noted:

Progress was slow through the town because of the cheering and waving crowds of Dutch lining

the street. The First Canadian Army was liberating again and it certainly was a change from the

sullen mass of Germans we continually bumped into on the other side of the Rhine and up to

Emmerich…After five years of oppression, the Dutch people were expressing their joy and thanks

at being liberated.”

“But most impressive of all, after seeing deserted German villages and towns from the border into

the city of „s Heerenberg, was that there were now hundreds of civilians waving flags and cheering

the passing transport. There was damage in the city and in the following villages, but they were not

deserted, and everywhere civilians were cheering and Dutch national flags were flying from almost

every house and building – with a smattering of British flags too.”



The First Canadian Army – Liberation of Holland

„s-Heerenberg



The Liberation of The Netherlands

Sexton SP guns of the 8th Field Regiment,

R.C.A., firing 21 gun salute to celebrate VE Day,

Groningen, Netherlands, 8 May 1945.

Lieutenant-General Guy

Simonds (a Gunner)

inspecting Gunners of

II Canadian Corps



Canada‟s Artillery in World War II

"B" Troop, 5th Field Regiment,

firing 25-pounder near Malden,

Holland, 1 February 1945.

7th Medium Regiment, 12th

Battery, "A" Troop, fire on

Germans with 5.5 inch guns



The Liberation of the Netherlands, from September 1944 to April 1945,

played a key role in the culmination of the Second World War, as the

Allied forces closed in on Germany from all sides. The First Canadian

Army played a major role in the liberation of the Dutch people who had

suffered terrible hunger and hardship under the increasingly desperate

German occupiers. In early June 1940, Princess Juliana and her two

small daughters secretly boarded a Dutch vessel bound for Halifax.

Safe in the Ottawa region, Princess Juliana was able to take over the

reins of government-in-exile if the need arose. The birth of Princess

Margriet Francisca, the third daughter of Princess Juliana and Prince

Bernhard, was a symbol of hope and a source of inspiration for the

Dutch people who were fighting for their survival in Europe.

The Liberation of Holland



Liberation Day– Bevrijdingsdag

In The Netherlands, Liberation Day is celebrated each year

on 5 May, to mark the end of the occupation by Nazi

Germany during World War II.

The liberation of the Netherlands officially took place on May

5th 1945 when occupational forces signed the capitulation

treaty in Hotel „De Wereld‟ in Wageningen in the presence of

General Charles Foulkes (Commander-in-chief of the

Canadian liberation army) and Prince Bernhard of the

Netherlands.

On 4 May, the Dutch hold the Remembrance of the Dead for

the people who have fought and died during World War II,

and wars in general. Throughout the country, two minutes of

silence are observed at 8:00 p.m.

Liberation Day is commemorated and celebrated every year.

On 5 May, the liberation is celebrated and festivals are held

at most places in the Netherlands.



It took many hands to

make this possible!



65th Anniversary of The Liberation of „s-Heerenberg

5 May, 2010

Quite a Crowd: Estimated 1,900



Numerous Participants



The 48th Highlanders of Holland Pipes and Drums



The Streets were lined with Flags



Canadian Veterans and Families – Front & Centre



Canadian Veterans

Ron (Frenchie) Charland, WWII, Armoured Corps

Don Foster – Father was 12th Field Regt, RCA

Sylvia McTavish – Husband was 12 Fd Regt, RCABottom Photo: LCol Bart Gauvin

Rob Cullen – Father was 12th Fd Regt, RCA

Maj Lorne Plemel



Rob Cullen finds Photos of his Dad (12 Fd Regt) in

Hotel



Canadian Veterans Salute to “O Canada”



The Vets Still Have a Way with Pretty Girls!!



1. Look who turned up!!

2. Colonel Commandant Getting Advice, again!



BGen James Selbie, Mrs Beno, Col Comdt and the

Mayor of „s-Heerenberg, Her Worship Leppink



The QF 25 Pounder in „s-Heerenberg

The TAC Signs on this gun represent 11

Bty, 12 Field Regt, RCA – the first

Canadian Regiment to cross the Rhine.

12 Field was deployed within 4 kms south

of „s-Heerenberg in May 1945.

This gun was produced in Sorel - 1943



QF 25 Pdr Donated by Irish Artillery CorpsLt Col Edmond Fogarty

RSM WO2 John Morris

Colonel Declan Hayes

Col Declan Hayes, Director

of Artillery, receives

“Kneeling Gunner”



General Selbie helps unveil the Plaques



Colonel Commandant Presents the Gun, and a

Plaque to the Mayor Leppink of „s-Heerenberg



Team Canada



A Bit of Time Off



The Organizing Team

1st Lt Henk Groote

Netherlands Army

“Henk The Great”

Capt Geoff Popovits

RHQ RCA

Capt Rob

Vandermolen, 1RCHA

Mr. Wilco Bosch

Hotel de Lantscroon,

„s-Heerenberg



Outstanding Photography by Stef van Gessel

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The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Liberation of …canadianartillery.ca/files/lib-ned.pdf · The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery ... The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery