THE LINE CROSSER
Van Tienhoven van de Boogaardstraat, 4251EM, Werkendam (Altena), North Brabant, The Netherlands
The monument 'De line-crosser' in Werkendam (municipality of Altena) is a bronze sculpture of the two resistance heroes Arie 'Aaike' van Driel and Kees van de Sande. The sculpture is placed on a natural stone pedestal. A plaque is attached to it. Next to the sculpture is a memorial stone on which the names of war victims are recorded.
LANCASTER LM508
Grotewaardweg 5, 4251 NV, Werkendam (Altena), North Brabant, The Netherlands
On June 30, 2016, the monument to the crashed Lancaster bomber LM508 was unveiled near Werkendam. This took place at the site where it crashed on 21 June 1944 and was recovered in October 2014. The remains of Sgt John E. Keogh were recovered during this operation. The monument is made from parts of the aircraft.
KAPELSCHE VEER
Veerweg, 5161, Sprang-Capelle (Sprang-Capelle), North Brabant, The Netherlands
In 1985 the monument Kapelsche Veer in Sprang-Capelle was unveiled. This memorial consists of a black plaque, framed by red bricks. The memorial is placed in an embankment at the foot of a willow. The large central plaque has been replaced. The other 4 small plaques have been replaced by 10 small white plaques.
HALIFAX LV905
Oranjepolderweg, Hank (Altena), North Brabant,
The Netherlands
The Halifax LV905 MK III, a bomber of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), crashed in the night of 24 to 25 May 1944 in the Oranjepolder near Hank
The monument in Hank stands on the spot where the plane crashed and commemorates the crew who died.
THE BRIDGE OF SINT JAN
Drimmelen (Drimmelen), North Brabant, The Netherlands
The bridge of Sint Jan
in the Biesbosch commemorates the resistance by people in hiding, their helpers and line crossers. On this bridge, 75 German soldiers were disarmed by soldiers from the underground resistance.
At the end of the Second World War, the southern Netherlands had been liberated, but the northern Netherlands had not, and the Biesbosch lay between them. The area was used by Germans to reach the northern Netherlands and by Jews and stranded pilots to reach the southern Netherlands. This connection was provided by line crossers. They regularly crossed the little bridge over the Sloot van Sint Jan. The resistance intercepted many Germans near the little bridge.
A plaque has been placed on the bridge to commemorate this.
The text reads:
'Symbol of resistance, by people in hiding,
their helpers and line crossers.
Point of disarmament of 75 enemy soldiers
by the people in hiding commando.'
MERWEDEGIJZELAARS
Sasdijk 58, 4251 AC, Werkendam (Altena),
North Brabant, The Netherlands
The Merwede hostages were a group of hundreds of young men (aged 18 to 26) who were rounded up in villages on both sides of the Merwede river during a raid on 16 May 1944 and taken away by the German occupiers. This raid was a reprisal for an attack by the resistance on a group of Landwachters (civilian militia) on the night of 9 to 10 May 1944 at the Helsluis. The occupiers asked the perpetrators to report themselves, but they did not. To exert pressure, the occupiers decided to arrest a large group of men as hostages.
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On 3 October 2020, a monument (triptych) was unveiled in the towns of Sliedrecht, Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Werkendam (municipality of Altena) in memory of the Merwede hostages. The monument was created on the initiative of a few relatives and supported by the three municipalities. Designed by Richard van der Koppel, the monument is about loss and change and about the past, present and future. The empty pedestals symbolise the men who never returned. The number refers to the three locations.
HALIFAX LV905
Vijverplein, Sleeuwijk (Altena), North Brabant,
The Netherlands
The resistance monument in Sleeuwijk (municipality of Altena) was erected in memory of 34 resistance fighters from the Land van Heusden en Altena who lost their lives in the fight against the occupying forces.
The monument was unveiled on 3 May 1952 by the Queen's Commissioner in North Brabant, Prof. J.E. de Quay.
Every year on 4 May, a commemoration ceremony is held at the monument. This is organised by the 4 May Committee Sleeuwijk, in consultation with the municipality of Altena.
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The resistance monument in Sleeuwijk is a column of French Varion natural stone, placed on a pedestal. On the front of the column is an image of a fist with a sword, held in check by a muscular hand. On the left side is the coat of arms of Altena, on the right side the coat of arms of Heusden. On the back is the Dutch Lion is depicted.
The column is 2 metres 80 high, 90 centimetres wide
and 90 centimetres deep.
The text on the monument reads:
'DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF THE RESISTANCE IN
THE LAND OF HEUSDEN AND ALTENA AND THE BIESBOSCH.
1940-1945.'