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the Dordrecht garrison - the Dordrecht bridges. He did not succeed however, as the enemy soon
got reinforcements from Waalhaven Air Base, where German troops had been landed by aircraft.
1 he battalion from Breda, that had to occupy the Moerdijk-bridgehead, tried in vain to advance
to the bridges from the south. A similar attempt, made by a French detachment on May 11th was
not successful either, as it was nipped in the bud by a German air attack.
As part of the operation plan, since the morning of May 10th the Light Division was in advance
from the province of North-Brabant to the provinces of North- and South-Holland, to act as a
reserve for the Commander-in-Chief.
i his division already had lost part of its effective strength. One squadron of armoured vehicles
was attached to the light troops at the Veluwe; after the events in Norway and Denmark on April 9th
one regiment of hussars motor-cyclists and the second squadron of armoured vehicles had been
moved to the province of South-Holland and kept ready for action against possible airborne assaults.
In addition, in the early morning of May 10th the other hussars motor-cyclist regiment was moved
eastwards in order to fight the Germans who, by means of an armoured train, had penetrated into
the Peel-Raam position.
As a result the Light Division now only consisted of two Cyclist Regiments of three battalions
each (including anti-tank guns and mortars), an Artillery Regiment (consisting of two Battalions,
each of two batteries with 7 cm field guns), a Machine-gun Squadron, a Pioneer Company, a
Pontoneer Company and Trains.
The move of the Division had been arranged in such a way that the motorized part had to proceed
along the bridges at Moerdijk, Dordrecht and Rotterdam. However the air attacks made it necessary
to direct these units to the other two marchroutes, which ran, the one via Geertruidenberg and
Gorinchem (the river Merwede had to be crossed with ferries) and the other 12 kilometers further
eastward via a military pile bridge across the river Bergsche Maas and a military pontoon bridge
across the river Waal. During this move the division got orders to cross the river Noord in western
direction at Alblasserdam and to recapture Waalhaven Air Base.
The battalion marked out for the bridgehead of Willemstad was ordered to cross the Hollandsch
I ep and the river Oude Maas instead, and to attack Waalhaven Air Base from a southern direction.
The Light Division did not act with much élan and did only proceed as far as the river Noord.
J .ie Germans had hastily sent there some troops and the division did not succeed in crossing the
river. She was then ordered to establish a defensive front along the river Noord, to clear Dordrecht
I and from Germans and then to attack Waalhaven Air Base with her main force. For this purpose
she had to make a detour via Wieldrecht (river Dordsche Kil) and Barendrecht (river Oude Maas).
Although the attack on Dordrecht Island was supported by the offensive actions of an Infantry
Battalion of the Kil Sector, she did not succeed in clearing Dordrecht Island from enemy troops
timely.
>n May 12th parts of 9 (German) Armoured Division, coming from the province of North-
Brabant, arrived at the scene of the battle and as a result the Light Division as well as the Dordrecht-
garrison had to withdraw from the Island. Meanwhile the attack of the battalion, coming from
Willemstad, had also failed.
I he Germans advanced to Rotterdam and managed to disorganize the defence along the river
Dordsche Kil by making attacks at several places, also attacking from the North at Barendrecht.
ie defence of the river Dordsche Kil was therefore given up and a new front was established along
the river Spui, running some 20 kilometers more westward.
I he Commander of the Kil Sector now also assumed command of the troops in the Spui Sector,
aus, too late however, the unity of command at the Southern Front was achieved,
he combat activities came to an end on May 14th, the date on which arms were laid down.
