Hello,
Recently I was able to buy a photoalbum grouping of soldiers that belonged to the first battalion of the 59th Infantry Regiment (19th Infantry Division), in the album are a serie of private made action pictures of the battle to cross the Schelde river.
Private made action picture are rather rare but very intresting they give a different image of the events then that of the official photographers.
Yesterday the weather was rather good and I visited the battlefield to make some then and now pictures.
- Between May 20 & 22 the German army tried to cross the Schelde river defence line, in the sector of the 19th ID the British Expeditionary Force, just South of Oudenaarde, defended their positions very hard.
- On May 20 1940 IR59 marched through the hills of Flanders in persuit of the allies, specially the BEF, with which they made contact again when they reached the Schelde river.
In the late afternoon of the next day they tried to cross the Schelde river, it wasn't a succes, the resistance of the British troops was harder then anticipated and their own artillery couldn't support the attack, some recon platoons made it across the river but they only managed to dig in just on the opposite bank, no real breakthrough was made.
The German commanding officers decide to try again the next day, new assault boats were brought forward and the heavy artillery was now available in full strenght and at 16h00 a heavy artillery bombardment of the British possitions started, an houre later the infantry assult started.
This time it was a succes, the artillery bombardement had done his job, and the BEF had left behind only a rearguard and a bridgehead was created; the BEF had retreated their main defence line more towards Kerkhove and Caster.
During the evening the fight for controle over the bridgehead is harsh; while more German troops are ferried across the river, the BEF retreats.
Enjoy watching the images.
Peter
Recently I was able to buy a photoalbum grouping of soldiers that belonged to the first battalion of the 59th Infantry Regiment (19th Infantry Division), in the album are a serie of private made action pictures of the battle to cross the Schelde river.
Private made action picture are rather rare but very intresting they give a different image of the events then that of the official photographers.
Yesterday the weather was rather good and I visited the battlefield to make some then and now pictures.
- Between May 20 & 22 the German army tried to cross the Schelde river defence line, in the sector of the 19th ID the British Expeditionary Force, just South of Oudenaarde, defended their positions very hard.
- On May 20 1940 IR59 marched through the hills of Flanders in persuit of the allies, specially the BEF, with which they made contact again when they reached the Schelde river.
In the late afternoon of the next day they tried to cross the Schelde river, it wasn't a succes, the resistance of the British troops was harder then anticipated and their own artillery couldn't support the attack, some recon platoons made it across the river but they only managed to dig in just on the opposite bank, no real breakthrough was made.
The German commanding officers decide to try again the next day, new assault boats were brought forward and the heavy artillery was now available in full strenght and at 16h00 a heavy artillery bombardment of the British possitions started, an houre later the infantry assult started.
This time it was a succes, the artillery bombardement had done his job, and the BEF had left behind only a rearguard and a bridgehead was created; the BEF had retreated their main defence line more towards Kerkhove and Caster.
During the evening the fight for controle over the bridgehead is harsh; while more German troops are ferried across the river, the BEF retreats.
Enjoy watching the images.
Peter
