#Monument
Green Beach - Operation Vitality II, Amphibious landing in South Beveland
On the night of 25-26 October, several thousand Scottish soldiers of the 156th Infantry Brigade boarded Buffalo amphibious vehicles and sailed across to South Beveland. This operation, Vitality II, took place from Terneuzen to two landing sites near Baarland (code-named Amber Beach) and Hoedekenskerke (code-named Green Beach). With these landings, Allied troops came out behind the German defence line at the Canal through Zuid-Beveland. Soon the Allies managed to create a bridgehead on Amber Beach and unite it with the bridgehead on Green Beach. The German defenders were taken by surprise. From Walcheren, German troops took the landing areas under fire, sinking several vessels. The scottish troops managed to hold out, taking Baarland and Oudelande and coming out of the battle relatively unscathed. In Hoedekenskerke, several buildings were damaged and there were many civilian casualties.
Prior to the landings, Allied artillery shelled the landing sites from across the Scheldt. As a result, many houses in Hoedekenskerke were destroyed and many civilians were killed.
When the Scottish units went ashore, they encountered little resistance. During the morning, they eventually managed to merge both bridgeheads. At that time, the first reinforcements arrived with Buffalo and Terrapin amphibious vehicles. In the following days, German prisoners of war, Allied wounded personnel and Dutch citizens were evacuated across the Scheldt while the Scottish 157th Infantry Brigade was shuttled towards the battlefield.
Fierce fighting took place at Hoedekenskerke over the course of three days before the village was liberated. Farms were severely damaged, or went entirely up in flames, and many houses were destroyed. These last few days of the war caused the death of 26 civilians.
Visit the Zeeuwse Ankers website (Zeeland Anchors) for comprehensive information, personal stories and videos about the Battle of the Scheldt.