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French Memorial Sloedam The Causeway

(Netherlands, the - Zeeland - Arnemuiden)

The French monument recalls the French soldiers who were killed in May 1940, during the battle of Zeeland at the Sloedam Causeway.
Before and during World War II the Causeway was a dike with a length of a kilometer and only 45 meters wide. At the dike were the Post Road and the railway line from Flushing to Bergen op Zoom and so on in the country. On either side was the Sloe. A muddy area. The Causeway was the only link of Walcheren to South Beveland and further inland. After the capitulation of the Netherlands on May 14, 1940, the battle in Zeeland continued for a few days thanks to the aid of the French troops who helped. On May 11, French infantry with artillery landed in Flushing and in both west and east Zeeuws-Vlaanderen a French infantry division led by Maj. Gen. Deslaurens and Beau Frere appeared. The objective of the French was the security of the Scheldt estuary and the creation of connections with the Allied front in Belgium.
On May 17 the French withdrew from the Causeway fighting back to the Westerschelde in Flushing to get to Belgium through France and continue the fights.

The text on the French monument:
A La Mémoire
Des Soldats Francais Tombés
Dans Les Combats
15.16.17 Mai 1940
224e R.I. - 271e R.I.
68e G.R.D. - 89e R.A.
Which means:
In memory
of the French soldiers
that fell in action
during the battles
15.16.17.May 1940
224th R.I. – 271st R.I.
68th G.R.D. – 89th R.A.

The plaque with The Exhortation to the Causeway is a gift from the Foundation to Support the Liberators to commemorate all the dead soldiers who gave their lives for our liberation.

Text of The Exhortation on picture 5:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, not the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Pictures 1, 2 and 3 French monuments and plaques at the monument.
Picture 4, A picture of the Memorial Sloedam Causeway.
Picture 5, The Exortation.

Source

• Text: Mia van den Berg
• Photos: Mia van den Berg