Escaut - Schelde: Resistance on the Scheldt
After the loss of the Ghent bridgehead, the Belgian troops were tasked with defending the line along the Upper Scheldt. They fulfilled this duty with honor and remarkable courage.
On May 20, 1940, German forces crossed the river and infiltrated the Scheldt loop between Gavere and Oudenaarde. The 10th Belgian Infantry Division counterattacked at Zingem, and with the support of precise artillery fire, they drove the enemy back to the eastern bank.
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) had taken up positions behind the Scheldt south of Oudenaarde, extending to the French border. The Allied plan was to destroy all bridges over the Scheldt, which both British and Belgian sappers successfully accomplished; none fell intact into German hands.
After their defeat at Zingem, the Wehrmacht regrouped on the rear slopes of the Koppenberg and launched a new offensive on May 21. Despite fierce resistance by British troops, German forces, supported by the Luftwaffe and the unusually low water level of the river, managed to secure a foothold on the west bank. This allowed them to advance toward the Lys, the Belgian Army’s last stand, and the coast.
King Leopold III of Belgium signed the nation’s capitulation on May 28, 1940.
The stage is set, the troops are in position, and the rest is history!
6 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies – 5
Axis – 6
Complexity:
3
Conditions:
Countryside
Context:
Historical
Location:
Belgium
Year:
1940
Theater:
Western
Campaign:
Codename:
Summary:
Objectives:
6 VP’s, plus Exit Rows for Axis; a town medal for Allies, and a Permanent Medal if the Allies blow up two bridges.
Battlefield:
Countryside with a river cutting across the field.
Troops:
Allies – 9 Infantry, some with machine guns, 1 Artillery
Axis – 9 Infantry, some with machine guns and mortars , 2 Armor, 1 Artillery
Allied Strategy:
1.
Axis Strategy
1.
Battle Reports
Author:
Originally prepared for Belgium 2022; also used in The Finest Hour Open, Chicago 2025
Link:
