Bentheimerbridge

 memorial, Second World War 1939-1945, place with historical importance, moveable bridge, bridge, war memorial

The monument on the Bentheim Bridge to Coevorden was established in memory of the Dutch military Bernardus Drenth and Jitse Veenstra who died during the border near Coevorden on May 10, 1940. Also recalls the monument to the liberation on April 5, 1945 by the Canadians.

On May 10, 1940 at half past four in the morning blew the Dutch border troops Bentheim Bridge to slow the advance of the attacking Germans. That was the extent successful, that the advancing cavalry unit is split in half, then one half was stopped for hours in the Oosterhesselsebrug by a section of the Dutch army and the other at the 'bridge Goselink' about Lutter Head Quarter.

In the latter location were the four opportunity soldiers held up for hours from a bunker. Two other soldiers, Bernardus Drenth and Jitse Veenstra, along the Canal Coevorder the invading Germans innocently meet cycled, were shot at the 'bridge Noppers' halfway through the channel without warning. The plaque on the right side of the Bentheim Bridge to honor their dead.

On 5 April 1945, the Bentheim Bridge blown up again, this time by the Germans at the approach of the Canadian liberators. The first transmission carrier, which approached the town of Coevorden, near the customs office was hit head-on by a Panzerfaust, fired by two Germans. Two liberators, Mervin Brampton and Montgomery Cliff, were killed and two Germans immediately afterwards.

When the first Canadian Sherman Tank arrived at the destroyed bridge, he was taken from the tower of the Reformed church by three Germans with a machine gun under fire. The first shot back tank shell hit the mark and took the three Germans, the machine gun and a part of the tower with it. The Canadians went the next day into the city and then it was really Coevorden freed. At this event the plaque on the left style of the bridge. recalls.

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