Oosterhout, Dorst, Rijen

In 1944, the Allies advanced from France and Belgium towards the still occupied Netherlands. Meanwhile, the Germans tried with all their might to keep the bridge at Moerdijk open for retreating troops for as long as possible.

The fighting in and around the village of Dorst in October 1944 was so fierce that the Poles of the 1st Polish Armoured Division were forced to liberate it twice. A rain of artillery shells descends on Dorst and firefights play out in the streets. As the streets were bombed, residents sat anxiously in their cellars. Dorst was the first part of the municipality of Oosterhout to be liberated on 28 October 1944.

While cycling through the countryside and the peaceful surrounding forests, you can hardly imagine how frightened people were here. How many family and friends they had already lost and how they longed for freedom. Danger lurked everywhere in the form of German soldiers and day and night you could hear the sound of mortars, grenades and armoured vehicles. The ignorance: are your parents safe? Your children?

Meanwhile, the Seventh Armoured Division of the Second British Army (Desertrats) was ordered to advance towards Oosterhout to take up positions near the Wilhelmina Canal. Oosteind and Oosterhout were liberated by the Desertrats on 29 and 30 October.
It was only on 3 November that the first Polish armoured division led by General Maczek managed to cross the Marksluis, after heavy shelling the day before at Vrachelen.
On 4 November, after heavy shelling, Den Hout was also liberated.
But the misery is not over: the Germans then bombard the allies and civilians with shellfire for days.

After the liberation, the civilian population of Oosterhout suffered more casualties than during the war. German shellfire kills 32 Oosterhouters; thirteen people are killed by 'flying bombs' (V-1s )

Today, our freedom to go where we want is our greatest asset. We must never forget how many lives and how much fear this freedom cost. But in the meantime, today, let us celebrate our freedom above all!



This premium cycle route has been compiled by our editor: Yvonne Vlaskamp