Название: Walcheren 1944: Storming Hitler's Island Fortress
Автор: Richard Brooks
Издательство: Osprey Publishing
Серия: Osprey Campaign 235
ISBN: 978 1849082372
Год издания: 2011
Язык: English
Cтраниц: 100
Формат: PDF
Размер: 10,8 MB
In the fall of 1944, Walcheren had the most heavily fortified coastline in the world. Its seaward defences consisted of 30 coastal and field batteries, mounting 50-60 guns from 75mm to 220mm in caliber, manned by high quality naval personnel behind massive concrete emplacements. Supporting strongpoints had anti-aircraft guns, flame-throwers rocket-launchers and Goliath remote controlled demolition vehicles. The sand dunes protecting the low-lying island from the North Sea were laced with barbed wire, mines and dragon's teeth. Defending infantry came from Generalleutnant Wilhelm Daser's 70.Infanterie-Division, a 'white bread division' consisting of men with gastric problems. Allied intelligence estimated the total garrison at 4,000, but 8,000 eventually surrendered.