The Commonwealth War Cemetery in Bergen op Zoom has 1,284 fallen sailors, soldiers and airmen of World War Two, of which 116 are unidentified. There are also seven WWI burials and 21 war graves of other nationalities, among them Czech and Polish RAF members buried here.
This cemetery is directly next to the Canadian War Cemetery with fallen soldiers of WW2.
Operation Infatuate
Many of the casualties fell during the Battle for Walcheren executing Operation Infatuate, at the start of November 1944 as part of the Battle of the Scheldt. This Anglo-Canadian operation had the goal of opening the way to the Port of Antwerp for Allied shipping and shorten the supply lines of the front moving further Northeast. The Island of Walcheren dominated the entrance of the rivers estuary and was heavily fortified by the German 15th Army, determined to deny them access at all cost.
While the 4th Special Service Brigade and the 52nd (Lowland) Division performed two assault landings from the sea, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division would force a crossing of the Walcheren Causeway from the Southeast. With the Island partly inundated and the Allies having to cross many miles of open terrain without any cover, the Battle claimed many casualties.
Visit
The Commonwealth War Cemetery in Bergen op Zoom is open to the public.
