The Battlefield - Then & Now

[Militariasales]

The following photo was taken on the Zwijndrechtse Brug.
Dutch soldiers were stationed in front of the Bridge.
The smoke on the photo is from air attacks (12 may 1940).
I think this photo was taken during a break.
The standing German Paratrooper is ( leutnant Plasschaert )
The Vickers Machine Gun are captured from the Dutch troops.

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The following photo was taken at the Zwijndrechtse Brug on the 14th of may 1940.
You can see the white flag on the Church tower.
There is a lot of destruction in this area because of the battle.

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The following photo was taken at the Vrieseplein.
German soldiers are posing in front of a Dutch PAG Canon.

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The following photo was taken at the Vriesestraat.
Between the Vriesestraat and the Vrieseplein is a bridge.
On the 13th of May, German tanks tried to capture this bridge but in the Vriesestraat was this 7-Veldgeschut Artillery Canon.
Soldier O.Kruithof decided that he could use a Artillery gun against the German tanks...
A heavy battle began and he missed the first shot.
The second shot was a direct hit on a Panzer II and he knocked him out.
Then another German Panzer fired a shot right into the Canon Barrel and the Fight was over...

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The following photo was taken at the Vriesestraat.

Two Dutch woman are posing with the Canon for a photo.
In the back is the Fruitstore of Family Mol.
A few man are reparing the damage on this building.
The photo was taken on the 14th of May 1940.

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A another shot but now without the two woman.

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The following photo was taken at the Vriesestraat.
Two members of the Luftwaffe and two Dutch civilians with the Destroyed Artillery Canon.

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The following photo was taken at the Bagijnhof.
The Bagijnhof was barricated with a lot of sandbags on the 10th of May 1940.

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The following photo was taken at the Bagijnhof.

As you can see there are a lot of sandbags and the so-called K-rolls to shut down the exits between the sandbags.
The photo was made on the 12th of May 1940.
There is nobody on the street, they are all waiting for the final battle..

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The following photo was taken at Bagijnhof 4.
Here was the Shoes shop of Mr. Bennkom.
It was destroyed by during the fight between the Dutch soldiers and the German Panzers.

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The following photo was taken at the Spuiplein.

In front of the cafe was a Dutch PAG Canon.
On the 13th of May 1940 a few German Tanks drove across the Spuiweg and the Canon fired at the tanks.
After a short but hard fight the Canon was destroyed.
On the old photo you can see some Battle damages next to the door of the cafe and today you can still see it.
The owner of the cafe didn't knew this story and he was very happy to hear that he will get a copy of the Then & Now photo's.

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The Battle damage...

I'm hope I will find some more wartime photos of Bar's of Cafe's

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The following photo was taken at the Zuidendijk 51.
The houses were destroyed during the battle.

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Zuidendijk 51 - Destroyed houses

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The following photo was made at the Bosboom Toussaintstraat in Dordrecht:

On the corner of the Bosboom Toussaintstraat - Betje Wolffstraat in Krispijn.
You can see a Dutch PAG Canon vehicle.
There are also a few German Soldiers in a vehicle with a Flak 8,8 cm.
The German soldiers are collecting the Dutch material from the Battle.