Cycle route 'The Story of Joe Mann'
Best, Liempde, Son en Breugel
Joe Mann was an American soldier in the Second World War. During airborne landings on 17 September 1944 in Operation Market Garden, he landed near Best. He was ordered to occupy the bridge over the Wilheminakanaal near Best. In the woods between Best and Son, the German troops were stronger than expected. The different American platoons that were on their way to the bridge could not get in contact with each other anymore. The mission could therefore not be carried out and they withdrew, except for one group that included Joe Mann. The next morning, the Americans saw the men blow up the bridge against a force of German troops. Joe Mann and Sergeant Hoyle took out two German guns with a bazooka. Mann was seriously wounded in the shoulders and arms. During this morning, Joe Mann was in a foxhole with six others. The Germans came upon them unexpectedly through the thick fog of that morning and in the ensuing battle a shell fell beside Joe. Because he had been wounded in the arm earlier, he could not throw back the grenade so he threw himself on his back on the grenade. In doing so he saved the others but unfortunately died in the explosion. Joe's story only became known some time later, after which several tributes were paid, including the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor. During this route you can visit the place where he died and a museum about this period. Also worth visiting is the pavilion named after him, where the staff can tell you everything about Joe.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Sonseweg , 5681 BH Best | 44.3 KM | |
|
From
17
to
41
|
2706 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head east on Sonseweg | 2.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
|
From
41
to
42
|
1271 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head east on Bestseweg | 197 M | ||
| Turn right | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 42 | 0 M | ||
|
From
42
to
43
|
2072 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head east on Kanaaldijk Noord | 19 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 87 M | ||
| Continue onto Kanaaldijk Noord | 130 M | ||
| Turn left | 790 M | ||
| Turn right | 49 M | ||
| Turn left onto de Bontstraat | 210 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zandstraat | 451 M | ||
| Continue slightly right onto Taylorstraat | 122 M | ||
| Turn left onto Airbornestraat | 111 M | ||
| Turn right onto Heistraat | 103 M | ||
| You are now at section 43 | 0 M | ||
|
From
43
to
40
|
1770 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head southeast on Markt | 348 M | ||
| Continue straight | 6 M | ||
| Turn left | 111 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oranjestraat | 230 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Oranjestraat | 21 M | ||
| Turn right onto Leeuweriklaan | 213 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Dommelpas | 305 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 403 M | ||
| Continue straight | 133 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
51
|
1690 M | 1.7 KM | |
| Head west on Thermaelaan | 749 M | ||
| Turn right | 36 M | ||
| Turn left | 9 M | ||
| Turn right onto Rooijseweg | 896 M | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
|
From
51
to
30
|
1302 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head north on Rooijseweg | 53 M | ||
| Turn left onto Bijenlaan | 5 M | ||
| Continue onto Bijenlaan | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
69
|
3018 M | 3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Ockhuizenweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Hoogstraat | 57 M | ||
| Turn left onto Sloef | 705 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
|
From
69
to
35
|
4090 M | 4.1 KM | |
| Head west on Vogelenzang | 195 M | ||
| Turn left onto Broekdijk | 483 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schoorse Hoefstraat | 681 M | ||
| Turn right onto Kalvereeuwsel | 640 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vernhout | 713 M | ||
| Turn left onto Goeiendonk | 998 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Ritaplein | 66 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Ritaplein | 314 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
|
From
35
to
34
|
1358 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Kremselen | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Liempdseweg | 276 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
|
From
34
to
55
|
2876 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head northwest on Liempdseweg | 277 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hulst | 2.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 55 | 0 M | ||
|
From
55
to
57
|
1804 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head east on Hezelaarsestraat | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Roderweg | 593 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
56
|
984 M | 1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Roderweg | 283 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on Roderweg | 17 M | ||
| Turn right onto Barrierweg | 180 M | ||
| Turn left onto Raadhuisplein | 23 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Raadhuisplein | 104 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Dorpsstraat | 377 M | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
|
From
56
to
39
|
3144 M | 3.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Kapelstraat | 139 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Oude Kerkpad | 143 M | ||
| Turn right onto Nieuwstraat | 6 M | ||
| Turn left onto Nieuwe Erven | 21 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Nieuwe Erven | 873 M | ||
| Turn left | 264 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vrilkhovenseweg | 638 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 7 M | ||
| Turn left | 43 M | ||
| Turn right onto Velderseweg | 781 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Velderseweg | 229 M | ||
| You are now at section 39 | 0 M | ||
|
From
39
to
18
|
2340 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Velder | 410 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on Velder | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Heerenbeek | 840 M | ||
| You are now at section 18 | 0 M | ||
|
From
18
to
16
|
1091 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southeast on Van Coehoornweg; van Coehoornweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
15
|
1372 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head east | 189 M | ||
| Turn right onto Woekensesteeg | 1.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
14
|
574 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head south on Liempdsedijk | 51 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lieringsedijk | 523 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
29
|
2402 M | 2.4 KM | |
| Head south on Lieringsedijk | 2.3 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Aarleseweg | 141 M | ||
| You are now at section 29 | 0 M | ||
|
From
29
to
73
|
948 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Kapelweg | 708 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Zessprong | 240 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
70
|
899 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Ringweg | 87 M | ||
| Turn right | 94 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Oirschotseweg | 458 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Oirschotseweg | 42 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Oirschotseweg | 218 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
12
|
2144 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head south on Spoorstraat | 525 M | ||
| Turn right onto Koningin Emmalaan | 112 M | ||
| Turn left | 9 M | ||
| Continue onto Michiel de Ruijterstraat | 374 M | ||
| Turn right | 18 M | ||
| Turn left | 32 M | ||
| Turn left onto Willem de Zwijgerweg | 4 M | ||
| Continue right onto Koningin Julianaweg | 154 M | ||
| Turn left onto Koningin Julianaweg | 5 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Koningin Julianaweg | 219 M | ||
| Continue onto Koningin Julianaweg | 231 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Koningin Julianaweg | 39 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Wilhelminaplein | 412 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dijkpad | 10 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
11
|
1814 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head northwest on Kanaaldijk | 1.4 KM | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Kanaaldijk | 386 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
17
|
2676 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on N.C.B.-weg | 29 M | ||
| Turn left onto Boslaan-Zuid | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Hogekampenweg | 435 M | ||
| Turn right onto Oude Sonsedijk | 200 M | ||
| Turn left onto Achterste Kampweg | 334 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sonseweg | 492 M | ||
| You are now at section 17 | 0 M |