April 1945 : Canadians in West Frisia

A forgotten aspect of the war. While after the "Bridge too Far events", one mostly assumes that the north of the Netherlands was liberated only in May 1945 when the Germans surrendered.

In fact Canadians made it all the way to West Frisia (West Friesland) in April 1945!

I found this out out by coincidence while I was on a holiday there.

Browsing the internet I found this on a Canadian site :



http://www.mta.ca/owens/colville/timeline/1945_liberation_of_holland.php


and this picture on a Frisian site. it mentions the date of April 17th and the town of Balk.





http://www.langsdeluts.nl/Dubbelstraat%20A%20117.html.

Note the caption says" Frisia, Holland" : it should be West Frisia , the Netherlands (both Holland and Frisia are provinces and are separated by the Isselmeer.

 

Canadian Army Newsreel:

No.69:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suWnMBJBLFU&index=96&list=PLleZTAHrKS4EH5jAa5OiRfipt0O15HlmW

6. "Left of the Line" Advance: General H.D.G. Crerar, 4th Canadian Armoured Division crosses canal to Meppen, Germany; battle at [Sögel]; non-combatants arrest Germans; people with belongings; aggressive civilians are rounded up; people greet soldiers happily in Deventer, Holland; fire is extinguished; Ijssel River is crossed by amphibious tanks, rafts and a pontoon bridge; Canadian artillery and British army enters Arnhem.

No. 70:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiPkYQEoeac&list=PLleZTAHrKS4EH5jAa5OiRfipt0O15HlmW&index=97

5. North Sea and Zuider Zee Reached by Canadian Drive: The 4th Division at Friesoythe, Germany; Cloppenburg Airfield; prisoners and captured weapons; 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and 15th Canadian Division meet crowds of happy Dutch in Dieren, Zuider Zee; German prisoners of war in Apeldoorn; scenes of liberation in Harderwijk, Holland.