Hardest Battle of the Scheldt (Clearing Walcheren and Beve Trivia Quiz | History

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When did the Allies capture the port of Antwerp?

Answer: 4th September 1944

On September 4, Antwerp was taken by British XXX Corp under the command of General Brian Horrocks with its harbour 90% intact.

2. Who was responsible for ensuring that Antwerp's port was captured intact?

Answer: Witte Brigade (Belgian Resistance)

The Witte Brigade (White Brigade) prevented the Germans from scuttling the port facilities' and infrastructure and were critical in ensuring that the port was captured intact and usable.

However, the port was not available for use because German forces had heavily fortified Walcheren island which was situated at the mouth of the Western Scheldt. These forces were well dug-in with artillery and were impervious to air attack. They effectively controlled access to the river which made it impossible for Allied minesweepers to clear the heavily mined river.

Hitler had personally designated the island "Fortress Walcheren", which he ordered to be defended to the last man.

3. Which German Army was responsible for the defence of the Scheldt estuary?

Answer: 15th Army

Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (7 November 1892 - 1 May 1964) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II and was the overall commander of the 15th Army in the Netherlands in 1944.

4. What delayed the operation to clear the Scheldt estuary?

Answer: Operation Market Garden

The operation to clear the Scheldt estuary of German troops was not able to start until early October due the primary Allied thrust being involved with Operation Market Garden.

One of the great 'what ifs' is had Montgomery secured the Scheldt Estuary in early September 1944 as Admiral Ramsay had strongly urged him to do, then Antwerp would have been opened to Allied shipping far earlier than it was, and the escape of the German 15th Army from Belgium would have been prevented. All of which could have had a dramatic effect on potentially shortening the war.

5. On 2nd October, Canadian forces advanced north of Antwerp to secure access to South Beveland along the land corridor - German resistance was strong and progress was very slow. Which German formation provided the backbone of their defence?

Answer: Kampfgruppe Chill

Kampfgruppe Chill became known as the 'fire bridge' and was made up of 6th Parachute Regiment and supported by multiple Assault Gun Companies.

6. Operation Switchback commenced on 8th October and was the 2nd Main operation and focused on clearing of German Troops from the Southern side of the Scheldt estuary by Canadian forces. What was this difficult clearance operation to become known as by the Allies?

Answer: Breskens Pocket

The operation was a slow and costly assault by Canadian 3rd Infantry and Canadian 4th Armoured Divisions, heavily supported by the Allied Bombing.

The Breskens pocket was held by the German 64th Division commanded by General Knut Eberding, who was regarded as an expert in defensive strategy. Following the retreat of 15th Army an enormous number of guns and a large quantity of ammunition ended up in the Breskens Pocket, including one hundred 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. Besides the 20-mm guns, the 64th Division had 23 of the famous 88 mm flak guns, known for their power to destroy an Allied tank with a single direct hit, together with 455 light machine guns and 97 mortars.

7. What did 13th October become known as?

Answer: Black Friday

On October 13, on what would come to be known as "Black Friday" the Canadian 5th Infantry Brigade's Black Watch was almost completely wiped out in an unsuccessful attack. The Black Watch attacked German positions, already known to be well defended and they attacked without support from the rest of the Canadian 2nd Division.

Black Friday effectively finished this Regiment off from taking any other operational roles in the assault.

8. On 22nd October, Operation Vitality commenced which involved taking South Beveland with a continued attack along the isthmus as well as an amphibious assault by which aptly named formation on 24th October?

Answer: 52nd (Lowland) Division

The 52nd Lowlands Division was another one of the elite divisions of the British Army and was later to play a decisive role in the taking of Walcheren Island.

9. Operation Infatuate heralded the final phase of taking the island of Walcheren and commenced on 31st October. Which battleship supported the landings?

Answer: HMS Warspite

HMS Warspite was a veteran battleship of the Queen Elizabeth class launched in 1913 and saw service at Jutland as well as throughout WW2. This action was the last time that she fired her eight 15-inch guns in anger and she was decommissioned in February 1945.

HMS Rodney was performing escort duties for convoys to Russia
HMS Erebrus and HMS Roberts were RN Monitors which also supported the assault on Walcheren Island.

The final assault on Walcheren was a genuine all arms assault that took place involving Royal Marines (4th Special Service Brigade, 79th Armoured Division and supported by the Royal Navy and RAF. The Island finally fell under Allied control on 8th November.

10. The 5-week offensive to clear the Scheldt estuary was a costly but ultimately successful campaign. RN Minesweepers cleared the Scheldt channel of sea mines but when did the first allied convoys reach Antwerp?

Answer: 28th November 1944

The Canadian First Army had taken 41,043 prisoners during this campaign but suffered 12,873 casualties (killed, wounded or missing) 6,367 who were Canadian.

It had taken the Allies nearly 3 months to start using Antwerp.

Source: Author JJMcGiver

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Battle of the Scheldt (Clearing Walcheren and Beve Quiz

This quiz is about the operations associated with the clearing of the Scheldt Estuary in late 1944 thereby allowing the use of the Deep Water Port of Antwerp for the supply of Allied Armies as they build to cross the Rhine into Germany.

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