#OTD October 2 1944: The Battle of the Scheldt: The Victory That Opened Antwerp In the autumn of 1944, Allied forces captured Antwerp—one of Europe’s largest ports. But there was a problem. Antwerp was about 80 kilometres inland, connected to the North Sea by the Scheldt estuary. German forces still controlled its shores, making the port unusable. Without Antwerp, Allied armies advancing across Europe faced a growing shortage of food, fuel and ammunition. Opening the Scheldt fell largely to the First Canadian Army. Beginning in October, Canadians fought across flooded fields, muddy roads and heavily defended dykes. They crossed the Leopold Canal, cleared the Breskens Pocket and battled their way toward South Beveland and Walcheren Island. It was a brutal five-week campaign. More than 6,300 Canadians were killed, wounded or reported missing. But they succeeded. The Scheldt was cleared, the mines were removed, and on November 28, the first Allied convoy entered Antwerp—led by the Canadian-built freighter Fort Cataraqui. The Battle of the Scheldt is not as widely remembered as D-Day. But without it, the Allied advance might have stalled. Canada did more than help liberate Europe. Canadian forces opened the route that helped make victory possible. #Canada #History #Scheldt