Operation Suitcase
The liberation of Central and West Brabant started on 20 October 1944 with Operation Suitcase south of the border at Wuustwezel. Two days later, the attack on 's-Hertogenbosch (Operation Pheasant) began and gradually all Allied divisions became involved in the combined operations. The last division to leave was the 1st Polish Armoured Division of Major General Stanisław Maczek. On Friday 27 October 1944, their attack started from the area around Alphen.

On the attack
The Polish division's task was to tie up as many German troops as possible. In order not to get caught up in the Chaam Forests, Maczek chose to attack directly north in the direction of Gilze. He expected the usual German resistance, but a pleasant surprise awaited him. Due to an Allied breakthrough at Udenhout the day before, the German front in the entire North Brabant had had to be taken back that night. Therefore the Polish forces advanced in a vacuum and reached Gilze around noon. A group of tanks then captured the Gilze-Rijen airfield while another reached the Tilburg-Breda road. There was a moment of confusion when the front tank was shot at by a Sherman tank, but it was quickly knocked out. Not knowing whether the tank is one of their own or not, they find out that fortunately it was a vehicle that had been captured earlier at Goirle and was infact in German military service. A group of Cromwell tanks raced further north, but they got stuck in the mud south of the Wilhelmina Canal and could not be pulled out until two days later.

Conclusion
Here, the Polish advance came to a halt. Rijen was stubbornly defended by a German Engineering unit and was only liberated the next day by parts of the British 4th Armoured Brigade. By then the Polish forces are already on their way to Breda, a city that will forever be held in Polish hearts.