The civilians of Zeeland would suffer greatly during the eight days of war that lay ahead. Few fully understood the immense dangers that accompanied modern warfare. Many believed that war was merely a matter between opposing armies, each doing everything within its power to spare civilians from hardship and suffering. Such was the prevailing perception of warfare under the protection of international conventions. Yet that perception would prove tragically mistaken.
On the first day of the war, many civilians experienced the events almost as a sensational spectacle, with aircraft and anti-aircraft guns performing before their eyes. Soldiers stood along the quays and in other open places watching the diving Luftwaffe aircraft and the furious bursts of anti-aircraft fire rising into the sky. Much of the action took place over the open sea or across from Flushing, where the airfield was under heavy attack. People rushed out of their homes whenever German aircraft roared overhead, and the fierce aerial battles above the waters of the Westerschelde were often watched as though they were scenes from a Hollywood film.
Before long, however, the first civilian casualties revealed the grim reality of war, and panic frequently spread among the inhabitants of targeted areas. Over Flushing in particular, the Luftwaffe dropped numerous badly aimed bombs that fell far from their intended targets, devastating parts of the harbour district and killing or wounding many civilians. As the attacks intensified, large numbers of residents abandoned their homes and sought the relative safety of the surrounding countryside, mostly drawn westwards.
Meanwhile, the civil authorities warned the population of the dangers of war and instructed them to prepare for evacuation. During the mobilisation period, plans had already been drawn up for relocating the inhabitants of villages and towns likely to come under fire. On 10 May, the first 14,000 residents from areas designated for inundation - the flooding zones in front of the two defensive lines - or from places expected to fall within range of enemy artillery were ordered to leave their homes. Many evacuees were directed towards the western part of Walcheren.
Zeeland also witnessed numerous incidents connected to the so-called “Fifth Column” hysteria. The French were astonished by the degree of panic they encountered in some instances, although they themselves were all but strangers to the phenomenon. In their view, the Dutch appeared extremely susceptible to fears of enemy agents and sabotage. Any unusual beam of light, flickering lamp, or sudden torchlight could arouse suspicions of subversive activity.
These fears were not confined to civilians. Many soldiers likewise became caught up in exaggerated reports of alleged enemy infiltration and sabotage. In some places this led to near riots and seriously damaged the morale of entire units. Several individuals even lost their lives after being accused of assisting the enemy. Yet none of these cases was ever substantiated by any credible evidence...