Susteren Netherlands Memorial

Posted on by Thor

This is a 88mm PAK 43/41 Anti-tank gun which was captured by the Allies after heavy fighting between September 1944 and January 1945. Major John Edward Evens gifted the cannon to Susteren Netherlands when the city was still on the front lines of the fighting. The mayor of Susteren decided to leave the cannon in the public square as a constant reminder of the war. Major Evan’s is commemorated in the town of Susteren with a street named after him (Major Evanslaan). An oak tree was planted in the town square in his honor in 1985. The tree is stately and tall right next to the cannon. When I was sketching. I didn’t know the tree was planted in his honor, thankfully it is in the sketch.

Susteren Netherlands was liberated on January 17, 1945 after very heavy fighting. Residents of the town had been forced to evacuate by the Germans in November 1944. The British B-Company of the Queens Royal Regiment were responsible for capturing the town.

In May of 2001 the gun was fully restored and it now has its original sand and camouflage coloring. Susteren is one town North East of where the 75th infantry, C-Company had been stationed in Buchten and Born Netherlands They would have been in this area around March 2-3, 1945.

I am finding that on this trip I only end up eating once a day. The hope each day is to finish 2 or 3 sketches and if I do that there isn’t much time left for relaxing and eating in a restaurant. Most of the locations I am sketching are outside, so my first thought each morning is the weather. I like to check The Weather Channel app. Part of the reason is that I like the opening logo graphics. It flashed a sun, a rain drop and now a snow flake. The opening message says “Be a force of nature.” I like that. I need that little pep talk before I put on all my layers to head outside.

I now wear 2 pairs of long pants. One is the light weight camping pants with the legs that can be zippered off, then I wear the thicker pants on top of that. It is working well so far to keep my legs warm. I wear the lumberjack shirt I bought in Oregon every day and then layer a light down shell and a rain jacket on top of that. It might not rain every day, but the outer jacket kepts the heat in and the wind out.

Margraten Netherlands: Prelude to the Rhine Crossing

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Margraten Netherlands is the burial site for all the American soldiers who died crossing the Rhine River and encircling the Ruhr Industrial Pocket. Margraten is the only American cemetery in the Netherlands.  8,301 American soldiers are buried here. This is where the soldiers who died under the command of 1st Lieutenant  Arthur Thorspecken would be buried. So Margraten was not on the route of the 75th Infantry as they pressed forward into Germany but it became the final resting place for many. The names of 1722 Americans whose remains were never recovered or not identified are listed 0n two long walls on either side of the Court of Honor. There are 106 graves marked “unknown”.

At the entrance to the cemetery are two large stone murals that depict the movements of all the allied troops as they attacked Germany in 1945. The maps were protected by waste high glass partitions that discouraged visitors from touching the wall. I was surprised at how many people visit this cemetery even on a cold morning in September.

There was one very large map that depicted the entire history of all the troop movements. Then there was the second tall mural which depicted the movement to cross the Rhine River into a Germany. On this map, I could find the movements of the 75th Infantry Division. The 75th wasn’t specifically identified, but they had been assigned to the US XVI Corps as part of the 9th Army and that division was on the map. I recognized the cities I had already sketched and the cities I was about to sketch.

Depicted on the cemetery map was OPERATION GRENADE in which the 75th infantry as part of the 9th Army advanced from the Ruhr River to the Rhine River which was the final water barrier before advancing towards Berlin Germany. I only drew the movements of the 75th infantry and ignored everything else. Operation Grenade began February 5, 1945 and went through March 5, 1945. The Germans had blown up a dam up river which flooded the entire Roer River valley which delayed the beginning of the campaign. The German General Field Marshall Gerd von Rinstedt wanted to withdraw behind the Rhine, but Hitler would not allow him, saying that it would only delay the inevitable fight.

Engraved in the granite walls was the description of the Allied advance. “In the early morning hours of 23 February, following an intense artillery bombardment, the leading units of the 9th Army lowered their boats into the swirling waters of the still flooded Roer River. The swift currents and enemy artillery fire at the crossing sites made passage across the river hazardous. Once across the river the US 9th Army offensive rapidly gathered momentum. On 25  February, the XVI Corps crossed on the left flank. Armored units were committed as the direction of the advance turned northward and broke through enemy lines.”

The 75th Infantry Division, C-Company would cross the Rhine on March 24, 1945 late in the afternoon.

 

 

Overloon Netherlands: Russian Tank

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The Russian tanks in WWII never went as far west as Overloon Netherlands. The Russians stopped when they got to Berlin Germany. I was advised by the director of Museum44 in Overloon Netherlands to go to the  Oorlags Museum of Overloon. This Russian tank was parked in the woods leading to the museum.

The Battle of Overloon was fought in the Second World War between Allied forces and the German Army which took place in and around the village of Overloon in the south-east of the Netherlands between 30 September and 18 October 1944. The battle was an Allied victory, after the Allies launched Operation Aintree. Signs in the wooded area leading up to the museum reminded visitors that much of the fighting happened right in this wooded area

This tank is the T-34 with an 85 mm cannon. It weighs 35 tons. It was a notorious tank because it had firepower, solid armor and was very mobile. It’s designed allowed for mass production. About nine times more T-34s left the factory than German Panzer tanks. Since these tanks were fighting on Germany’s eastern front, 1st Lieutenant Arthur Thorspecken probably never saw a T-34. He most certainly would have seen German Panzer tanks.

The director of Museum44 was kind enough to call someone he knew at the Oorlags Museum so that a curator could show me items in the museum that tied in directly to the period I was researching which was in late February and early March of 1945.

The Oorlags museum is cavernous with hundreds of military vehicles on display. Having the curator walk me directly to several American Sherman tanks made my life so much easier since I am no expert on makes and models of military hardware.

One entire area of the museum is devolved just to displaying the thousands of different types of shells that were in use to kill the enemy. War is a crazy vicious business. As I was doing this sketch it started to rain. Those are the explosions you see all over the page.

March 2, 1945 Holtum Netherlands

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On March 2, 1945, the entire 75th Infantry Division  was moved 33 miles by motor troop carrier trucks from Helden Netherlands to new assembly areas at Buchten Born and Holtum Netherlands. These small villages are near Venlo Netherlands which had just been liberated on March 1, 1945. After a few hours on Buchten Born and Holtum the troops were again moved to an area near Venlo. They were being moved into position to help clear out any last German resistance in Venlo and Roermund Netherlands.

At a camp of the American troops the Museum44 director found holes, craters that were full of glass. Much of the glass was from broken Coke a Cole bottles. Most were broken, a few were complete and some were still full of Coke. The Americans always had more than enough supplies.

After the Netherlands was liberated, the American government printed Dutch currency. The bills were printed using American plates so in some ways they resemble American currency. Other money was printed because there was a fear that Germans would counterfeit the money, which was indeed a problem. Germans printed British pound notes in an effort to disrupt the economy. Each time America liberated a country they printed this liberation currency.

Officially there were three divisions on this area of the Netherlands. Soldiers used poisoned wood alcohol to clean their boots. The alcohol wasn’t actually poisoned it was just given that name so the soldiers would not drink it. While exploring the top floor of Museum44, there were wasps buzzing at the insides of the windows. The director became very quiet. 8There was a display that resembled an American encampment. I figured if I didn’t disturb the wasps, they would ignore me. It is hard not to swat at a wasp when he buzzes by your ear. I finally shouted “retreat!” and made my way quickly down the ladder to the floor below.

The Saint Martin’s Church which I sketched in Holtum, dates back to about 1200 when an aisle less church was built next to a feudal lord’s home. The tower was added in 1460. The ancient medieval structure is largely intact to this day.

Overloon Netherlands: Museum44

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Overloon is the town just west of Born, Netherlands where the 290th Infantry, 75th Infantry division was stationed for a short time in the Netherlands. Overloon was the site of a large tank battle back in 1944. A lot of stuff from that battle was left behind. Overloon was liberated on the 18th of September and the 19th of September 1944. The River Maas is right next to the museum. A small battle group of about 80 German soldiers made it across the river to the Belgian side at night. The Americans decided to fall back to avoid casualties that night. The Air Force was useless at night, the same with artillery and tanks, they could not fight an enemy they could not see.  There is a bridge less than a quarter mile north of Overloon which I had driven by when trying to get to the museum. That bridge was there in 1945 and the Germans wanted to keep it open for an attack west towards the Netherlands.

The next morning there was light and good weather conditions. The Americans moved back forward into Overloon, but the Germans had already retreated back across the river. So the town was liberated twice. There was a German anti tank gun next to the chapel in Overloon. It knocked out 2 or 3 Sherman tanks. The crews survived. The curator recovered some of the Sherman tracks a few yards from the museum. The were less than a foot under ground.

The museum building was occupied by Germans. The tall chimney of the building has bricks which allow footholds for a cleaner to climb inside. Wedged in the top of the chimney was a bottom plate of a German trench periscope. A German must have been sitting in the chimney to watch the surrounding landscape. Rather than take it down, it is still wedged in the chimney. It is part of the museum’s history.

The British who had liberated Overloon halted their advance. Because of this stall, the Germans were able to dig in. They also placed a large amount of land mines. There were more land mines placed north east of Overloon than 0n the beaches of a Normandy.

The 75th Infantry Division had a field artillery battalion with them, the 75th Field Artillery Brigade. They fired from Overloon. The Americans could not advance but they could offer support. The 75th was stationed in tents but if a private residence was made available it was a priority. The museum director’s grand parents hosted some British soldiers in the attic. One soldier got a serious fever. The grandmother told home to come downstairs to sleep on a proper bed instead of the hay upstairs. A British office found out and said there was no need for the soldiers to sleep in the bed. Grandma held her ground saying it was her house, so the soldier stayed in bed. She overruled the officer.

Cases of foot powder were left behind for the American soldiers feet. They had the same socks for over 4 months and their socks got crusty and wet, which would cause trench foot, which would result in bleeding blisters. Once a soldier got trench foot they could not fight. On my trek to sketch the 75th Infantry division I am having to find ways to dry my sock each night.

All the American soldiers were volunteers. There was no draft at the time. People back then were most concerned about what they could do for the country. Now Americans are more self centered. The only/ concern is what is in it for me? That is part of the reason I went on this trip to focus on a time when Americans had different ideals. Today there is no space for dialogue, only fighting. When I look at Social media on X, I turn it off any time I see someone throwing a sucker punch. I tend to not look at social media as much because of this refusal to watch senseless violence.

 

 

Born Netherlands Memorial

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On March 2, 1945 the 290th Infantry Division was moved by a motor convoy from Helden Netherlands to Buchten, Born and Holtum Netherlands. Like the rest of the Netherlands, Born was under German occupation from 1940 to 1945. The period of occupation was a difficult time for the Dutch people, with food shortages, persecution, and forced labor. The Jewish Population in particular suffered during the occupation. 3/4 of the Dutch a Jews did not survive the war.

The official day that all of Netherlands was liberated was May 5, 1945 which would be 2 months after the 290th Infantry was in Born. On September 12, 1944, the first American troops of the 30th Infantry division first set foot on Dutch soil. The next day the Limburg Capitol of Maastricht was reached. The US 9th Army stayed in Maastricht from October 22, 1944 to March 10, 1945. Other US troops were stationed in South Limburg thus the region became the most “Americanized” part of the country.

During the winter of 1944-1945 only the southern cities of the Netherlands were liberated. A German blockade after a strike of the National Railway Company cut off food and fuel shipments to the Netherlands. 4.5 million people began to starve. Many ate tulip bulbs in an effort to stay alive. Many died. It is estimated that 18,000 Dutch people died of malnutrition. The Americans initiated Operation Chowhound to relieve the famine.

It is estimated that between September 1944 and May 1945, about 13,000 Allied troops lost their lives in the fighting in the Netherlands. The Americans lost about 1,135 men. Much of the fighting happened in the air. Of the 3,850 allied aircraft that were shot down over the Netherlands, about 1/5 were American.

The memorial I sketched in Born Netherlands was to honor two Dutch soldiers who gave their lives at this spot on May 10, 1940 in the struggle for freedom and peace for their people and their fatherland. May 10, 1940 was the first day of the German invasion of the Netherlands. The Netherlands surrendered 4 days later when Germany flattened Rotterdam with a bombing campaign and threatened to do the same to other Netherlands cities if they continued to fight.

The memorial plaque says “Piet Walraeven from Maastricht and Harie Custers from Einighausen gave their  lives here on May 10, 1940 in the fight for freedom and peace for their people and country.”

 

 

Overloon Netherlands: Museum 44

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In the town right next to Born Netherlands where the 75th Infantry was stationed is Overloon Netherlands. Although not a town 1st Leutenant Arthur Thorspecken would have been to, it had a World War II museum that I could not resist seeing. I called a head of time but didn’t get through to anyone directly. I decided to go, in the rare hope that messages had been checked and they might be expecting me.

The big blue wooden front doors were locked. There was no answer. To keep the morning from being a complete loss. I set up across the street and drew the building, called Grevenbicht, which was once a corn mill. The water from the Meuse River still flows under the building for powering the grist mill stone.

Demolition was happening on the building across from the museum. Young men would come down periodically and throw cinder blocks and other building materials in the dumpster. A Virgin Mary had her own little diorama box on Grevenbicht. Grape vines were hanging on to the gutters and building facade. The tall industrial chimney often had pigeons. At the base of the chimney were some tank treads. The director of the museum is an avid collector of WWII memorabilia and he often scours the countryside with a metal detector finding such things as the abandoned tank treads, butter shells, buttons and coins.

After my sketch was done I started to pack up. I gave the front door one more try, but no luck. Then a woman looking over a fence introduced herself. I let her know I was hoping to get into the museum and it turned out she is the wife of the museum director. He was away at a collectors convention of some kind, looking for more items for the museum, I am sure.

I showed her the sketch I had done, and she was delighted. She invited me into the back yard for a coffee. They have a beautiful garden in back and she had been working on it all morning. She called her husband and we arranged to meet at the museum the next day.

The Battle of Overloon happened between September 30 and October 18th of 1944, before the 75th Infantry Division was in the area in early March 1945. The primary American army unit that took place in the battle of Overloon was the 7th Armored Division. On the flank was the 29th Infantry Division, but most of the fighting was carried out by the 7th Armored.

Over coffee I learned quite a bit about the museum but we needed a translator. The woman’s son spoke English quite well, to be honest, so did she. The son said he should be allowed to give tours of the museum, but his dad hadn’t approved the idea yet. I was given advice to sketch a memorial just past the river going back towards Born Netherlands. She even gave me a dive on where to park. I had another sketch opportunity and the next day I could see the museum.

March 2-5, 1945: Buchten, Netherlands

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On March 2, 1945, the 290th, 75th Infantry was moved by motor convoy to an assembly areas in  Buchten, Born and Holtum, Netherlands. They only spent a few hours in these locations before being moved again by motor convoy to an Area near Venlo, Netherlands. They didn’t get comfortable in Venlo, because they were then almost immediately alerted that they were to move forward to another assembly area in Westerbrock, Germany. This is where the 75th infantry entered Germany for the first time. Troops were anticipating a final push into Berlin to end the war.

While doing this drawing, a woman asked if I would like a coffee. She lived across the street behind where I was sketching. Before she came back with the warm drink, it started to rain, so I decided the sketch was done. I ran for the cover of a building awning and packed up my art supplies in my day bag. I was debating if I should wander off, but then heard the woman shouting, “Come inside”. It turns out she is an artist as well. She works somewhat abstract with patched of gold leaf in the paintings. She was working on a floral mural in the hallway of her home which will look amazing when done.

Then I met her husband and her son and his friend who were maybe around 10, or 12. I had actually seen these two several times as I was sketching, but they were always playing off to my right, so I didn’t include them in the sketch. I explained my project as we had coffee. Thankfully the woman and he husband spoke English. Then there was a video call to the daughter who is getting married soon and is living in NYC and planning to become a lawyer. It was fun talking to her since ai lived in NYC for 10 years. Then the daughter said, “Alright mom, I’m going to leave you to your new bestie.” It was endearing to see mom test up after the video call was over.

Then outside in the distance I could hear a band playing with snare drums and brass, and the marcking music got closer. Mom shouted that I had to see the parade. It was a celebration for the master marksman in town. He wore a vest of large golden metals and was escorted by a mysterious woman all in black. Behind the marksman marched a phalanx of men all holding rifles. The rifles were just carved pieces of wood. This tradition has been going on since long before WWII so I was told I had to see it. There was no time to set up and get a sketch. I took 2 quick iPhone photos and the moment was gone.

After the parade was over, mom took me in her car to see the local military cemetery where some British soldiers are interned. I took a photo of the cemetery entrance so I could return. The woman told me she had recently met a rather famous magician who did sleight of hand tricks. He offered to do a performance for her and her friends and they were all amazed. I wondered if it was an amazing sleight of hand magician I had met at the Orlando International Fringe Festival, but I doubt it. She couldn’t recall his name. She felt that she h as started meeting more talented people, but that is what happens when you are curious and open to what the universe throws your way.

Roermund Netherlands: Munster Church

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It seems everyone is riding bikes in the Netherlands. There are dedicated bike lanes in every city and through the countryside. It is a culture I rather like. In Orlando Florida I know of several people who lost their lives because they were hit by cars while biking. Biking in Orlando is a hazard.

There were dozens of bikes lined up in this Roermund inner city square. Bikers came and went while I sketched. I sat down at a spot under a tree, but always felt I was a little in the way with all the comings and goings.

The Munster Church was first built in the 13th Century. It was one part of a huge Abby most of which was demolished in 1924. Between 1863 and 1869 the church underwent a large renovation. The church name comes from the Latin word, monasterium, meaning monastery.

Roermund was occupied by Germany from 1940 to 1945, and liberated by the 35th US Infantry Division on March 1, 1945 which would be shortly before the 75th Infantry would set up a command post in the city. The liberation came about as part of Operation Blackcock. This military offensive started in January of 1945 to clear the area between the Meuse and Roer rivers. The German paratroopers put offered considerable resistance in the areas south of Roermund. Allied troops in particular the 52nd Lowland Division suffered serious losses.

Munster Church was slightly damaged during the fighting to liberate Roermund in March of 1945. Roermund suffered from up to 90% of its buildings being destroyed.

Roermund Netherlands

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Roermund Netherlands was a 75th Infantry Division Command post sometime between February 21 and March 11, 1945. The 75th Infantry Troops secured a 24 mile front on the west shore of the Maas River. There were nightly patrols where a squad of men would cross the river to find out anything possible about German defenses. While the troops dug in along the river the big brass got to enjoy this gorgeous historic city.

During the winter of 1944-45 Roermund was a frontline city when the initial Allied advance stalled. The city was heavily shelled by the Allies while it was under German occupation, and most of the civilian population was evacuated. The Germans occupied the city since 1940 but in February 1945 the Allies pushed their way into the city.

Construction first started on theSaint Christopher Cathedral in 1410. It has been the backbone of the Catholic faith in Roermund since then. The retreating Germans blew up the Cathedral tower on the day before the cities liberation. The tower was restored after the war.

Since I knew of this historic photo of the destroyed bell tower, I decided to find the spot where the photographer took the shot. There is a sweet little foot bridge that crosses over a Roer River tributary. It was a glorious hot day as I sketched. I was afraid I might get a sun burn. Occasionally people would stop and watch me work. If they commented, I would assume it was a compliment and say “Bedankt”, which is the one Dutch phrase that came in quite handy.

One couple turned out to be Urban Sketchers from England who spoke English. They were riding their bicycles over the bridge and they suggested I go to a war memorial site. I also got to flip through his sketchbook to see his wonderfully loose and spontaneous sketches. It felt so good to discuss art with them.

This WWII sketch project has had me living in complete isolation for several months now. It turns out I crave a little conversation in my native tongue now and then. The only conversations I have now are with my iPhone Google Maps navigator lady. She is usually quite reliable but tends to go stone silent when I need her help the most. She tends to tell me to tun to early and several times sent me down walking trails. We argue a bit. Or rather I argue and she ignores me as I get mad.

So, was 1st Lieutenant Arthur Thorspecken in Roermund, probably not. He would likely send a messenger to the command post if communication was needed. Or better yet radio communications back from the front lines. Then again if granted a few days leave, he might just explore the city which at the time was 90% destroyed.