#operationinfatuate

[historyfoundhere]

Today is May 10th. 81 years ago German troops breached our borders and World War 2 started for The Netherlands. It left a lot of historical landmarks in our country. At the boulevard of Vlissingen we were walking along the shore of the Westerschelde when we noticed a large containerlike structure. Within a small submarine was displayed. This submarine is a “Biber” (beaver in English). The German Kriegsmarine produced these small Bibers during the last two years of the war. Bibers were manned by only one pilot and could be used along the coasts of occupied Europe and even in rivers. The Biber could fire two torpedoes. During Market Garden Bibers were even used to damage Allied portable bridges over the Rhine river. From September 1944 until May 1945 Bibers were mainly used to make sure no Allied ships could pass the Westerschelde and reach Antwerp, which was liberated early September 1944. Bibers were deployed from Hellevoetsluis, Maassluis and other ports along the Dutch coast. Approximately 28 Allied ships have been sunk in the Westerschelde by Bibers. This Biber was probably damaged during an attack by Allied forces in November 1944. A group of three Bibers was spotted and attacked during the Battle of the Schelde. One was destroyed, one was boarded and the third (this one) disappeared until it was found in 1950 when it washed ashore near Breskens. The German who steered the Biber was still in it. This navy man wasn’t identified and now rests in an unnamed grave at Ysselsteyn German War Cemetary. The Biber has been given a permanent exhibition at Uncle-beach where the invasion of Vlissingen took place in November 1944 during The battle of the Schelde. Along the boulevard multiple other monuments have been placed, which will feature in later posts. #vlissingen #vlissingenboulevard #battleofthescheldt #slagomdeschelde #biber #beaver #submarine #uboot #kriegsmarine #navy #torpedo #zeeland #westerschelde #operationinfatuate #marketgarden #ww2 #ww2history #ontdeknederland #heelnederland_fotografeert #unclebeach #walcheren #tweedewereldoorlog #tracesofwar #followme #bestoftheday #leukmetkinderen #ontdeknederland #dagjeuit #breskens #history #historyfound (bij Uncle Beach, Vlissingen) https://www.instagram.com/p/COq1-zChjn1/?igshid=14xik2lf1pwm3