The map diagrams Walcheren Island and the actual battle. Allied air strikes and naval bombardment did not destroy many German gun positions, but they did hit important ammunition supplies and somewhat suppressed the German fire. German coastal guns hindered the landing operations, but did not cause high losses.

The Canadian attack across the causeway failed, but the waterborne assault across the Scheldt (INFATUATE 1) succeeded in capturing the town of Flushing (Vlissingen in Dutch and per Europa map 16A) by November 3, after heavy house-to-house fighting.

The seaward attack (INFATUATE II) was the key to success, with the commandos moving along the coast to capture battery after battery. After a week, the Germans had had enough. A column of LVTs (called Buffalos by the British) swam across the flooded interior of the island to Middleburg, and accepted the surrender of the garrison from the 70th Infantry Division commander, General Daser.

The Scheldt was still heavily mined. The Royal Navy undertook a major sweeping effort, but even so, Antwerp was not clear until November 26. The first convoy arrived in the harbor on November 28.

Operation Infatuate The Battle of Walcheren Island: November 1-8, 1944

Introduction and Rules
Allied Order of Battle
Axis Order of Battle
Pronounciation
Europa as History
First Walcheren Campaign 1809
The Real Battle
Rules Questions