German soldiers were ready to blow up the bridges. If that happened, the Germans gained time to slow the Allied advance. An extra German division was already on its way from the Netherlands.

A Belgian plan

Near the Fort of Breendonk, a Belgian man was able to stop the first British tanks, just out of sight of the Germans on the bridges of Boom. It was Robert Vekemans, a former engineer officer. He drew the Allies' attention to the danger of the bridges of Boom blowing up and suggested an alternative. In Willebroek there was an unguarded pontoon bridge over the canal, a bit further in Klein-Willebroek a bridge over the Rupel. The latter had explosives on it, but it was barely guarded.

The Germans surprised

The Allies went along with Vekemans' plan. He led three tanks via the alternative bridges over the canal and the Rupel, in Willebroek and Klein-Willebroek. The Germans failed to blow the latter. The tanks then advanced further to the Rupel Bridge in Boom and attacked the Germans in the back. These were taken completely by surprise and surrendered. The main bridge over the Rupel had been captured. The road to Antwerp lay open.

Tourist information

www.boom.be, www.scheldeland.be

Cycling routes

Tourism Province of Antwerp has created liberation routes along the cycle junction network. Cycle and walk past the places where it all happened, for example monuments, military cemeteries and crash sites. For the liberation routes, go to fietsroutes.provincieantwerpen.be