On Tuesday, April 17, 1945, a reconnaissance patrol of the Allies drove back to Renswoude. The bridge was fine, everything seemed calm and people thought they had already been liberated. The next day, however, this changed and the German and Dutch SS occupied the village. In response, the village was shelled by the Allies with artillery. Attack of the Allies A week later an attack by allies, the Germans, followed had already blown up the bridge and dug in on the south side of the water. Canadian tanks coming from Barneveld were already warned and were diverted to the Dennen by the resistance. The bridge on the Utrechtseweg was soon conquered there, after which they could continue in the direction of Renswoude. The Engineer troops wanted to build an emergency bridge, but this was prevented by the German and Dutch SS with anti-tank weapons and machine guns. A second group of tanks was able to attack the Germans in the back via a detour and with success! After this a Bailey bridge could be built. Lieutenant Ken Robertson was killed and 4 other soldiers were also killed in this battle. This bridge was baptized as "Ken Bridge" by his comrades. Counter-attack and liberation of Renswoude The counter-attack followed on 25 April. The population had already been evacuated by order of the English as this counter-attack was expected. Next came the Leicestershire Regiment (part of the Polar Bears) of Lieutenant N.C.W. Rowe to lie under heavy German artillery fire, also called "The Battle of Renswoude". On April 26, during a truce, Lieutenant N.C.W. Rowe was killed by German shellfire near Dennen. In memory of Lieutenant Rowe, his name was attached to this bridge. The counter-attack was repelled and Renswoude was liberated, but it took another week before the population could return to the heavily damaged village. The following soldiers died in this battle: Leicestershire Regiment: • Corporal Colin Hendry Guntrip - April 23, 1945 • Private Maurice Lee Holmes - April 24, 1945 • Lance Corporal Raymond Percy Binks - Apr 24, 1945 • Corporal Sidney Preston - April 24, 1945 • Private Stanley William Ward - April 24, 1945 • Noel Claude Walter Rowe - April 26, 1945 143rd Field Regiment Royal Artillery: • Kenneth Craufurd Robertson - April 24, 1945
Translated by Google •
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