De Slag om de Schelde (serie), 7. Landing op Walcheren

West-Zeeuws-Vlaanderen en Zuid-Beveland zijn na een hevige strijd bevrijd. Walcheren is de volgende horde met als einddoel de kustbatterijen aan de zuidkust. West-Zeeuws-Vlaanderen en Zuid-Beveland zijn na een hevige strijd bevrijd. Walcheren is de volgende horde met als einddoel de kustbatterijen aan de zuidkust, die hun wapens op de Scheldemonding hebben gericht. Ter voorbereiding van een invasie hebben de geallieerden het eiland al onder water gezet. Op 1 november begint met de landing op het strand bij Vlissingen Operatie Infatuate. Enkele uren later gaan ook in Westkapelle geallieerde commando’s aan wal.

[@fransvanherk8344]

Dappere mannen

[@alancruickshank5596]

Sorry, but you've got it mostly wrong!
Firstly look at the uniforms of the seaborne troops.
Commandos wore soft hats and para-smocks, a sort of camouflaged jacket.
The 52nd Lowland Division, in this case, the K.O.S.B regt.
Together with other regiments of the Scottish 52nd Lowland Division who had trained in the Highlands of Scotland with the intention of the Liberation of Norway, had trained as the mountain and arctic troops for that roll. They also had Norweigen interpreters who had trained with them.
They were the only allied troops to be issued with a special wind smock. Looking at the attacking infantry the ones wearing steel helmets and wind smocks were part of the 52nd Lowland Division, they were the ones who cleared the seafront defenses and Vlissingen of the enemy, not Commandos. The Commandos were responsible for making a beachhead together with the K.O.S.B. regt.
Sadly there is never a mention of the 52nd Lowland Division. Mountain, the division that liberated Walcheren and was together with the Commandos the first wave to land on the beach at Vlissingen.
Oh, by the way, the gallant Canadian troops never made it onto the fortified island of Walcheren.
The Battle of the Causeway was made possible by the actions of the 6th Battalion Cameronians and H.L.I. also part of the Scottish 52nd Lowland Division.
They were also responsible for clearing the southern half, the heavily defended part of South-Beveland.

[@chasc301]

Alan, my Grandfather was in the K.O.S.B. within the 52nd Lowland Division; Fred Coaton. Part of ‘Mountain’ he went through all the training you describe. I have the official history of ‘Mountain’ he owned, still in its original box. He never spoke of his war experience. At 6’4” and so highly trained he and his mates must have been some very effective troops. The 52nd get few mentions unlike the 51st Highland. Kind regards.

[@roy9294]

My Uncle Don was with the 5th batallion HLI at Walcheren. I've a letter he sent home mentioning the surrender of General Daser and around 3000 German troops to some of his unit, and he also mentions being filmed "loaded up with a Bren gun in one hand and a mortar bomb in the other, slipping and sliding in the mud trying to get into the small assault boat, while all the time a cameraman was busy 'shooting' us".

[@jantjebeton584]

6:02 german rifle

[@tombrydson781]

Cameronians took part

[@alancruickshank5596]

They did indeed, both the 6th battalion & 7th battalion, together with other members of the Scottish 52nd Lowland division.
I must at a later date give details as they were the division that took Walcheren and is hardly ever mentioned.