Battle of Overloon

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British Churchill tank damaged in battle

The Battle of Overloon took place as part of Operation Constellation in September / October 1944 during World War II in the Netherlands . It was the biggest tank battle on Dutch soil.

initial situation

After the partially unsuccessful Operation Market Garden in September 1944, the Allies tried to advance eastwards from the corridor they had won to the German Reich border. The area between the Eindhoven - Nijmegen line and the Maas was therefore immediately reinforced by the German Wehrmacht .

The battle

The British 8th Army with its subordinate units was given the task of destroying the German forces between Overloon and Roermond .

The first British troops reached Overloon on September 24, 1944. After the first skirmishes and the onset of Allied artillery fire , the residents of the village were evacuated by the German troops.

After the 7th US Armored Division had been brought up and merged with the British 11th Armored Division, the Allies began their attack. From September 30th there was a tank battle lasting several days between the units of the Allied armored divisions and the German 107th Panzer Brigade, which only ended on October 8th. Due to major losses, the Allied troops initially withdrew.

German Panther tanks destroyed in the street fighting in Overloon

As part of Operation Constellation, the attack on the village of Overloon began again on October 12, under heavy artillery fire with air support. After bitter hand-to-hand fighting , the place was captured by Allied troops on October 15th. Most of the place was destroyed. After further hand-to-hand combat, which was costly for both sides, in the woods south of Overloon, the Allied troops pushed on towards Venray .

museum

South of the village, the Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum was set up in 1946 on part of the former battlefield . The exhibits were initially the military equipment left behind after the battle (see pictures). The museum received national status in 1960.

literature

  • Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum, museum guide 1980, 1992, 1997
  • Van Slagveld naar Liberty Park, Jan WV van Lieshout, ISBN 90-801906-7-5 .

Web links

Commons : Battle of Overloon  - Collection of images, videos and audio files