PART 4, SECTION E
THE BATTLE AT THE SOUTHERN FRONT OF THE FORTRESS OF HOLLAND
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SUMMARY
The Southern Front of the Fortress of Holland ran from the estuary at Brielle (now dammed off),
along the coast of the North Sea, the Haringvliet and Hollandsch Diep and the river Nieuwe
Merwede as far as Kop van't Land, 5 km south-east of Dordrecht.
The initial garrison consisted of a reinforced Infantry Battalion, two Artillery Battalions with
obsolete 15 cm guns, and three Coast Artillery Batteries. In the middle of April 1940 this garrison
was extended with a Brigade extracted from the Eastern Front of the Fortress of Holland, con
sisting of two Infantry Regiments, two MG Companies, two Pioneer Companies, an Artillery
Regiment of three Battalions with 7 cm quick-firing guns and another Artillery Regiment of three
Battalions equipped with obsolete 12 cm guns.
After the above mentioned reinforcements had been distributed over the Southern Front, this
front became subdivided in two sectors, viz the „Spui" and the „Kil" sector 2).
Since no capable senior-officer of sufficient high rank could be made available to take overall-
command of the Southern-Front, the two Sector-Commanders were directly subordinate to the
Commander of the Fortress of Holland, who had his headquarters in the Hague. The absence of a
Front-Commander, who could make important decisions and take necessary measures on the spot,
was strongly felt during the crucial days of 10-14 May.
Two separate bridgeheads had been established at the Southern border of the Hollandsch Diep;
in case of war each one was to be defended by one Infantry Battalion. They were located respectively
near Willemstad and on either side of the railway- and road-bridges near Moerdijk, small detach
ments of security-troops guarding the bridges and the defences of the bridgeheads. The battalions,
selected for the defence of these bridgeheads were at the time performing guarding duties in the
surroundings of Breda and Roosendaal. In case of war they first had to execute several planned
demolitions before they should take up their positions at the bridgeheads.
The city of Dordrecht was situated inside the Southern Front-area. The garrison of this city
consisted of the depot of pontoneers and torpedists (troups, trained to lay mines and obstacles in
waters and to patrol on inland waterways). The garrison was not concerned in the defence of the
Southern Front.
Rotterdam and nearby Waalhaven Airforce-Base were situated about 15 kilometers behind the
centre of the Southern Front. Important road and railway communications to this port-town ran
past the outskirts of Dordrecht, a railway- and a road-bridge leading the traffic across the Oude
Maas.
Except for the rather weak Air Defence of the front (two AA Batteries and five AA machine-gun
platoons), the detachments guarding the bridges, the coast garrison and some infantry machine-guns
in AA position, no special precautionary measures had been ordered for the units, holding the
Southern Front. The Commander of the Fortress of Holland had considered this front to be
situated far enough from the eastern frontier of the country to enable him to alarm the troops in
good time in case of a German invasion. The events on May 10th were to teach us the bloody lesson,
that there is no question of a hinterland or of second line troops in a war against an opponent who
has a superior air force and well-trained para-units at his disposal.
The Southern Front was surprised on May 10th by an attack of paratroops with the result that
the bridges across the Hollandsch Diep and near Dordrecht, as well as those at Rotterdam and
Waalhaven Air Base fell into German hands undamaged, while the greater part of the infantry
and artillery on Dordrecht Island 3) was taken prisoner.
The commander of the Kil Sector established a new front along the river Dordsche Kil, the water
way connecting Dordrecht with the Hollandsch Diep, and tried to recapture in co-operation with
0 In contrast to a British Brigade, a Brigade of the Netherlands Army bore resemblance to a small
Division; it was composed of infantry-, artillery-, engineer-, etc. units.
2) The Spui and the Kil were two rivers.
3) Dordrecht Island, whereupon the city of Dordrecht lies, is the area, surrounded by the rivers
Merwede, Nieuwe Merwede, Hollandsch Diep and Dordsche Kil.
