Chapter 4: No surrender, my fellow Dutchmen!
The winter months of 1941
At the beginning of 1941, the situation for Winkelman and the Dutch people looked grim. The Netherlands were surrounded, being the last allied power on the continent. During 1940 this country and it's people had become an example of the epic struggle against fascism. However, Winkelman was sad. He knew it would be a very long time until the Dutch would be able to turn the tide.
The Dutch fortress surrounded by the German aggressor
All the German attacks seemed to be focussed on Den Helder, and indeed it became a struggle to hold on to this coastal fortress. The Luftwaffe bombed the Dutch and allied troops over and over again, and manpower was simply lacking. Many divisions would be halved in strength and some even decimated in Winkelman's desperate attempt to hold Den Helder. He knew he could not hold for long.
However, seeing that any German breakthrough was only possible using the Luftwaffe's airpower and the United Kingdom reluctant to provide air support, Winkelman ordered the production of four squadrons of the licence-built British Hurricane MK. II interceptors.
Although production started in February, it remained yet to be seen whether the first interceptor group would be finished in time to protect our troops in Den Helder against another German attack.
In order to provide enough pilots for these interceptors and fully reinforce all other Dutch divisions, Winkelman decided to disband the only Dutch division not yet equipped by artillery. This would free up enough manpower to reinforce his troops and give the Army Air Arm sufficient amounts of pilots and ground
personnel.
Disbanding the 8th Division
By the end of February, Winkelman's mind was only occupied with the planned German spring-offensive. The sheer size and brutality of the German forces would make any normal head of state shiver in terror and go insane. Winkelman just drank five beers instead of his standard four every evening, and so far it worked fine.
The Allied defensive positions during the relatively calm winter months
The terrible battle of Den Helder
March started with a shock. The Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht attacked Den Helder with enormous force. For every corps attacking and getting halted at the Den Helder fortifications, a fresh one would take its place. By the 13th day of fighting Winkelman had already shifted many troops, and the constant air attacks caused enormous casualties.
British divisions holding Den Helder, while Greek troops act as reserves. Dutch troops had retreated earlier, after sustaining horrid losses because of the German Stukas.
By April 1941 the Greeks and British had already retreated once, and now the New Zealanders and Canadians attempted to hold the line.
By the tenth of April, the Greeks and Dutch were ordered into battle again after reinforcing and reorganizing. However, Winkelman saw he would have to abandon Den Helder: The manpower losses could not be sustained.
By the 13th of April, Winkelman ordered a retreat to Amsterdam. Den Helder was lost. The strait of water between Den Helder and Western Friesland was a terrible sight: Littered with dead German soldiers, tank wreckages, and trucks. Hitler had pushed for a costly victory. Many battles had been fought over this fortress, so the total number of German casualties during the course of 1939, 1940, and 1941 must have been enormous.
The loss of Den Helder.
Under air attack the former defenders of Den Helder retreated to the fortress of Amsterdam.
The retreat of the allied defenders.
The new front-line, which leaved very little room for the Dutch troops to manoeuvre. HQs could not be placed behind the front any more, and disorganized troops would always risk retreating to a place that was also being attacked. However, Winkelman knew that victory was possible in the end. There will be no surrender!
