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Ambush at Oldeholtpade
Ambush at Oldeholtpade
On 12 April, the bridge over the Tjonger in Mildam fell into the hands of the Royal Canadian Dragoons reconnaissance regiment. Because the occupier had blown up many other bridges, the Canadians attached great importance to preserving this bridge for the crossing of other Canadian units. That is why dozens of armoured cars, mobile artillery guns and numerous other vehicles were sent to Mildam that day to reinforce the bridgehead over the Tjonger.
In one of those armoured cars, a Staghound, was 24-year-old Trooper Wilfred Robert George Berry from Ontario. The young Canadian had volunteered for military service in Europe. And had already fought with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Italy. At the end of February 1945, they were transferred to Northwest Europe.
For Berry, the war ended in Friesland. In Oldeholtpade, on the road to Wolvega, his vehicle drove into an ambush along with at least one other Staghound. In the vicinity of a broken-down German car, German soldiers had hidden with Panzerfausts. The Panzerfaust was a very powerful and easy-to-use anti-tank weapon. The first shot missed, but the second projectile hit the front Staghound, on the side where driver Wilfred Berry was sitting at the time.2 The Staghound went off the road and overturned. The three other crew members got injured, but were able to leave the vehicle and took cover behind the second Staghound. One of them stated:
"[…]Flames burst through the turret, where the officer and I were half in and half out of the hatches. Any skin surface not covered was burned and the flames badly singed our eyebrows, eyelashes, moustaches and hands, sending me and the officer both wounded to the field hospital."3
Immediately after the first Staghound was hit, the second Staghound opened fire on the Germans. Seriously injured, Wilfred Berry remained in the vehicle. After about fifteen minutes of shooting back and forth, the other Staghounds retreated towards Oldeberkoop. The exact reason for this remains unclear. Berry was already dying and was briefly cared for by the elderly Andriesje Dekker-Oosterhof in the vehicle when the shooting had stopped. The tragedy had unfolded right in front of her house. He died in the wreck shortly afterwards.
Berry's remains were eventually transferred to the farm on "De Bult" in Oldeberkoop and buried there. After the war he would be reburied at the Canadian war cemetery in Holten. The other crew members were eventually able to return to their units after receiving medical treatment. The commander only had burns on his face.
The event made a deep impression on the inhabitants of Oldeholtpade. In 1945, a monument to Berry was erected. And in 1965, a street was named in his honour.
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Vakantiewoning Echten
Vakantiewoning Echten
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Minicamping Friesland
Minicamping Friesland
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Ronald McDonald Hoeve
Ronald McDonald Hoeve
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Pannenkoekboerderij Koepelbos
Pannenkoekboerderij Koepelbos
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Blotevoetenpad Gaasterland
Blotevoetenpad Gaasterland
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De Mouterij Franeker
De Mouterij Franeker
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Fûgel frij
Fûgel frij
Direct boekbaar
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Westhoek (De Westhoek)
Westhoek (De Westhoek)
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Samen sterk door sport eindpunt
Samen sterk door sport eindpunt
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Camping Hindeloopen
Camping Hindeloopen
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Veerpont Vlieland
Veerpont Vlieland
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Kerkhof van Wierum
Kerkhof van Wierum
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8. Nieuwe Willemshaven
8. Nieuwe Willemshaven
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Eleven fountains of Friesland
Eleven fountains of Friesland
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Holiday park De Friese Wadden
Holiday park De Friese Wadden
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Het Kleine Paradijs - Boomhut Uilenspiegel
Het Kleine Paradijs - Boomhut Uilenspiegel
Direct boekbaar
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Van der Valk Hotel Drachten
Van der Valk Hotel Drachten
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Watervillapark Idskenhuizen - Grutte Pier
Watervillapark Idskenhuizen - Grutte Pier
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Het Cachot
Het Cachot
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't Hummelhûs
't Hummelhûs
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Artillerie bij Herbaijum
Artillerie bij Herbaijum
Voordat de Canadese infanteristen de aanval op Harlingen konden inzetten, moest eerst het 20 mm Flak en ander geschut worden uitgeschakeld.
Harlingen werd niet alleen aan de zeezijde door de Duitsers verdedigd maar ook aan de oostzijde waren er verdedigingswerken. Zo waren daar mijnenvelden aangelegd, was er een tankgracht gegraven en stond er op de Midlumerweg (nu: Midlumerlaan) ook een stuk 47 mm geschut opgesteld. Bovendien waren bij het bunkercomplex in de Engelse Tuin ook betonnen bunkers en mitrailleurnesten aangelegd. Op de tekeningen hieronder zijn de alle Duitse verdedigingswerken weergeven.
De artillerie en de zoeklichten die, die nacht van 16 op 17 april het luchtruim boven Harlingen verlichtten, waren in de omgeving van Herbaijum opgesteld. De beschieting werd uitgevoerd door het 14th Field Regiment en 7th Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery. En werd van de kant van de weg bij een boerderij voorbij het Oude Station geleid.
Na de beschieting, waarbij zes van de negen 40-mm kanonnen door voltreffers werden uitgeschakeld, trokken de circa negenhonderd infanteristen van de Highland Infantry of Canada ondersteund door Sherman tanks van de Sherbrooke Fusiliers op richting Harlingen.
De professionele wijze waarop onder andere vanuit de jeep de beschieting werd geleid en het vuur zo nodig werd verlegd maakte grote indruk op de Harlinger sectiecommandant van de Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten, de heer Heeger. Dat gold ook voor de nonchalant fluitende en rokende Canadezen die, in tegenstelling tot wat ze gewend waren van de Duitse militairen, aan beide zijden van de weg voorbij trokken in de richting van Harlingen.
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Het Admiraels Huys
Het Admiraels Huys
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Oudega
Oudega
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