Clearing of mines in the Scheldt estuary after Walcheren was captured

How long after after the capture of Walcheren did the first Allied vessel with supplies entered the Antwerp harbour? Or, how long did it take to secure a safe passage through the mine fields?

 

The first convoy of ships arrived in Antwerp on the 28th November 1944 after 219 out the 242 berths had been cleared of mines.

See my War Memoirs page 11 .

Joe Brown.

 

The first ship to enter the port was the Canadian built frieghter the 'Fort Cataraqui' which arrived on the 28th & unloaded on the 29th Nov.
Best
Rob

Fort Cataraqui, unloading Oil, Antwerp 29th Nov 1944

 

:smile: Thank you very much!

 

A bit off topic but here are a few photos that might be of interest. They were taken by my Father from LCI 245. I assume he was part of Infatuate and the titles with the photos were under the photos in the small album he made during WW2.

 

I wonder if anybody might find this useful:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/33562964/Scheldt-Estuary-Campaign-1944

21 Army Group Report.

 

I looked at some photos I took when I did a day trip to Antwerp in 2014 as the building to the right looked familiar. A bit of a then and know.

This is the place where this ship unloaded, which is quite close to the centre of the old part of Antwerp. The top of the building at the end no longer exists.







The memorial plaque about the liberation of the port and the arrival of the first ship on 28 November 1944.