Locations
1177 to 1200 of 2303 results
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Eleven Cities Monument Tegeltjesbrug Gytsjerk
Eleven Cities Monument Tegeltjesbrug Gytsjerk
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Tourist Information Heerenveen
Tourist Information Heerenveen
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Groate Kerk church in Sint-Jacobiparochie
Groate Kerk church in Sint-Jacobiparochie
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Opende Blotevoetenpad Barefoot Trail
Opende Blotevoetenpad Barefoot Trail
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Veldman Yacht Charters
Veldman Yacht Charters
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Zuid4 Food & Drinks
Zuid4 Food & Drinks
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Cannon Firing in Sloten
Cannon Firing in Sloten
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Spokeplas Lake
Spokeplas Lake
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WestCord WTC Hotel - Executive Suite
WestCord WTC Hotel - Executive Suite
Direct boekbaar
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Bootsma’s Poel Hiking Trail
Bootsma’s Poel Hiking Trail
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Public toilet Stadsfenne in Stavoren
Public toilet Stadsfenne in Stavoren
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Railway Bridge Klifrak
Railway Bridge Klifrak
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Blokslootpolder Nature Reserve
Blokslootpolder Nature Reserve
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Beach Resorts Makkum - Strandvilla 4 persoons
Beach Resorts Makkum - Strandvilla 4 persoons
Direct boekbaar
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Boutique Hotel Joure - Standaard kamer
Boutique Hotel Joure - Standaard kamer
Direct boekbaar
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Aldehoeve-logies - Appartement Ien
Aldehoeve-logies - Appartement Ien
Direct boekbaar
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Terherne
Terherne
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Wonsstelling
Wonsstelling
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Iselmar Sporthotel - Comfort hotelkamer
Iselmar Sporthotel - Comfort hotelkamer
Direct boekbaar
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Natuurkampeerterrein minicamping Singel
Natuurkampeerterrein minicamping Singel
Direct boekbaar
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Saint Martin's Church Gytsjerk
Saint Martin's Church Gytsjerk
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Aqua State - Brekkense Wiel 226
Aqua State - Brekkense Wiel 226
Direct boekbaar
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National Park 'Drents-Friese Wold'
National Park 'Drents-Friese Wold'
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The battle for the Tjonger bridge in Mildam
The battle for the Tjonger bridge in Mildam
In the afternoon of 12 April, rumours had reached Mildam that Englishmen or perhaps Canadians had been sighted at Peperga. The Canadian vanguards had entered Friesland. For the inhabitants of Mildam it was still a surprise when at first one and shortly afterwards another military vehicle with a few men in khaki-coloured overalls stopped at the bridge.
These vehicles were part of a patrol of "D" Squadron Royal Canadian Dragoons commanded by Lieutenant Homer Thomas. These Canadians established that unlike other bridges, the bridge in Mildam over the Tjonger had not yet been blown up by the occupying forces. The fact that the Tjonger bridge in Mildam had not been destroyed was due to the local resistance movement. The Germans had indeed planned to blow up this bridge as well. But at the risk of their own lives, resistance fighters had removed the detonators from the explosives affixed to the bridge.
The Squadron Commander immediately ordered all units to secure the bridge. And the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces were also requested to provide men. The precautions turned out to be justified. In the night of 12 to 13 April, German troops launched one of their few counter-attacks in the province of Friesland. From Heerenveen, they managed to surprise the Canadians in Mildam. They tried to regain control of the bridge three times. During the fierce fighting, Canadian vehicles were knocked out. But the Dragoons stood firm, and the Germans were driven off again. Mildam was freed.Four Canadian soldiers were injured in the fighting. The number of casualties on the German side is unknown. There was property damage in Mildam, but no civilians were killed. With a little less luck, though, there would have been several Dutch casualties. In the early morning of 13 April, a group of dozens of resistance fighters approached the bridge at dusk from the direction of Nieuweschoot. This was the reinforcement requested by the Canadians on 12 April when the undamaged bridge was discovered. The resistance fighters were partly carrying captured German weapons and were not noticed by the Dragoons in the semi-darkness until late.
Lieutenant Thomas, mentioned earlier, almost gave the order to open fire. It was only at the last moment that it became clear that they were not Germans. The resistance members had managed to make themselves known by singing songs in English.
The preservation of the bridge was important. During the following days, the Canadians would make extensive use of the bridge to advance further in the direction of Leeuwarden and liberate the province of Friesland.
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