Drama at the Overweg

From this building, the railway line, Coehoornsingel and Deventerweg could all be targeted by German fire. A group of fanatical, very young Fallschirmjäger defended the house with machine guns and rifles, causing numerous casualties.

Rather than risking further lives, the Canadians decided to neutralise the position by setting the house on fire using a flamethrower mounted on an armoured vehicle. None of the German soldiers survived the attack. The charred walls of the destroyed houses stood for years as silent witnesses to the events of that day. In 1949, the corner house (Nieuwstad 105–111) was rebuilt. The neighbouring property (Nieuwstad 103) was reconstructed a few years later.