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Dislocation of forces

Introduction

In this section there will be also some additional information on the events that followed after the capitulation of the islands Walcheren and Zuid-Beveland.

This final day has been divided into two parts. The first covers the events north of the Westerschelde, the second part the events south of the Westerschelde, as well as a balance and a brief elaboration on the many navy units that were involved in the Zeeland battle. An epilogue about the French follows in a separate section.

The final battle for Zeeland above the Westerschelde

Overnight the Germans had deployed their forces in Zeeland in such a way that again the 1st and 3rd Battalion of the SS Regiment Deutschland remained in first line, assisted by the reinforced 3rd Company of SS.AA. The 2nd Battalion had been left east of the canal and guarded the south coast of Zuid-Beveland against possible Allied threats. It was assisted by some units of the 225th Infantry Division, of which the balance was stationed in the western sector of Noord-Brabant, also covering the back of both SS regiments.

The SS Regiment Germania, assisted by the balance of the SS.AA battalion, made front against the Belgian/French forces north of Antwerp. The taskforce Gruppe Wirtz occupied Tholen and St. Philipsland and prepared for a crossing of the Zijpe in order to conquer the island of Schouwen-Duivenland.

The Germans had prepared for the final push. The question was, whether their opponents had ...