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Article by Kaj Metz
Published on February 27th, 2024

Árpád Line

"It is beyond dispute that defence merely postpones the decision, even in the best-case scenario. Victory – in other words: imposing our will on the enemy – is only possible through attack. Even then, it is an age-old tradition for the defender to set up fortifications. If he loses, it is not due to the construction of his fortifications. He finds himself in that defensive position because he perceives himself as weak. Without the defender’s fortifications, the task of the aggressor becomes only easier. We can only hear the voice of the victor after a concluded battle, and no one will grapple with the next problem: how much effort was required for him to achieve this victory?"
-Colonel of the Engineer Corps and architect of the Árpád Line, Hárosy Teofil-

Article by Pieter van Wijngaarden
Published on February 29th, 2024

August-Euler-Flugplatz in Darmstadt

Which university in Europe has its own airport? The Technical University in Darmstadt does have one, due in part to the presence of a special wind tunnel. At the airport there is still this remarkable tall building containing large fans. It was a design by Dr.-Ing. Nicolaus Scheubel built in the years 1934-1935, commissioned by the Technical University-Darmstadt-Griesheim. Here air currents were calculated on military aircraft designs for Nazi Germany. In the final days of World War II, the facility was dismantled and destroyed to prevent it from falling into American hands.

Article by Peter ter Haar
Published on March 30th, 2020

Fliegerhorst Havelte

In May, 1940 the Luftwaffe took over the captured Dutch airfields. They were soon enlarged in the framework of the war against Great Britain. At first, only two new airfields were constructed: Volkel in North-Brabant and Peest in North-Drenthe near Norg. The last one was ultimately not used due to the ground water of the place. Only in the end of 1942 was construction started of a third new airfield, at Havelte in Southwest-Drenthe.

Article by Gerd Van der Auwera
Published on September 29th, 2013

KW-line

Belgium strongly figured in her defenses on the protective power of the Albert Canal. When the German troops marched into Belgium on May 10, 1940, it was of great importance that the allied troops had enough time to reach the Albert Canal, so they could fight the Wehrmacht together with the Belgian troops. This soon proved vain hope. Despite many defenses, gun emplacements and -fortress Eben-Emael which was considered to be invincable, the line at the Albertkanaal was overrun in two days. The Belgian troops retreated towards the KW-Linie, the "iron wall" between Koningshooikt and Wavre.

Article by Peter Kimenai
Published on November 13th, 2015

Maisy Battery

On D-Day,the American Rangers, specially trained elite soldiers, captured in a spectacular way Pointe du Hoc, a cliff of over 30 metres high between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach.Pointe du Hoc had been designated as one of the prime targets for the landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944 by the Supreme Commander Dwight D.Eisenhower. According to allied intelligence services, there were six 155mm howitzers, but when the Rangers took the Pointe du Hoc it turned out that the German artillery was not present. Still Omaha Beach and to a lesser extent Utah Beach, were shelled for days by enemy artillery fire. The American invaders initially had no idea where the fire came from.

Article by Frank van der Drift
Published on May 18th, 2015

Mulberry harbours for Overlord

The allied invasion on the European mainland brought several problems with it. The most important was the problem of supply. Next to supplying the troops that had already landed new divisions had to be transported in order to expand the force on shore. These troops had to be supplied as well.

Article by Paul Moerenhout
Published on September 9th, 2016

RAF-base Downham Market

RAF Bomber Command used The Royal Air Force (RAF) base RAF Downham Market during World War Two. Bomber Command executed many bombing missions during World War Two. These missions were aimed at cities and military targets in Germany, Italy and several other occupied countries. RAF Downham Market functioned from its opening in July, 1942 as an auxiliary base for RAF Marham. RAF Marham, which had its origins in the Great War, had become too busy because of the increasing flying movements. RAF Downham Market served as a back-up for the increasing bomber movements so that they could safely land. A fully equipped squadron was transferred from RAF Marham to RAF Downham Market. Two months before the airfield was opened, the first aircraft had landed.