Peel-Raam Line
Encyclopedia
The Defence line was situated behind the Maas Line (about 9 km until 21 km distance). The defence line starts at Grave, were a barrack complex was build as part of the Peel-Raam line. From there, the line passed by Mill
Mill, Netherlands
Mill is a village in the Dutch municipality Mill en Sint Hubert, in the province of North Brabant. Mill is known from the Battle of Mill, a two day fight during the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940....
, Peel
Peel, Netherlands
thumb|250px|A peat lake near [[Griendtsveen]].thumb|250px|A barn roof with vegetation typical of the region.De Peel is a region in the Southeast of the Netherlands that straddles the border between the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg....
along the Zuid-Willemsvaart
Zuid-Willemsvaart
The Zuid-Willemsvaart is a canal in the southern Netherlands, providing a shortcut in river Meuse between the cities of Maastricht and 's-Hertogenbosch...
until the Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border nearby Weert
Weert
Weert is a municipality and city in the southeastern Netherlands. As of 2010, Weert had a population of 48,405. It lies on the Eindhoven–Maastricht railway line, and is also astride the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal.- Population centres :* Altweerterheide...
. In the North the defense line was connected with the Grebbe line
Grebbe line
thumb|right|230px|GrebbelinieThe Grebbe Line was a forward defence line of the Dutch Water Line, based on inundation. The Grebbe Line ran from the Grebbeberg in Rhenen northwards until the IJsselmeer....
.
The defence line could profit from the natural protecting of the swamps, rivers and canals in the area. In the northern part an artificial barrier was made, the Defensiekanaal (a canal). The defence line was made of Casemates (with a distance of 200m) and barbwire obstructions. The railway bridge on the Defensiekanaal near Mill had also a spargel-obstruction (precursor of the Rommelspargel
Rommelspargel
Rommelspargel were logs that were placed in the fields and meadows of Normandy to cause damage to the expected invasion of Allied military gliders and paratroopers. Also known in German as Holzpfähle , the wooden defenses were placed in early 1944 in coastal areas of France and Holland against...
which the German army used from 1943 on). The first day of the German invasion, 10 may 1940, a German train crashed on this spargel-obstruction.
There were not many communications lines between the Casemates and the main force of the infantry was far behind the line of Casemates.
The Dutch would like to have connected the defence line with the defence line along the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
in Belgium. But the Belgian army wanted a new defenceline (the Orange Line (Dutch Oranjelinie) along the line Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
-Waalwijk
Waalwijk
Waalwijk is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands.It is a member of the Langstraat.It has a population of around 38,920 and is located near the motorways A59 and N261...
and the Bergsche Maas. Because of the defence line was vulnerable the enemy could go around the defence line crossing Belgium soil.
The Line Today
The Peel-Raam Line is for most part intact. In the area in the north it is good recognicible in the landscape. The part between GriendtsveenHorst aan de Maas
Horst aan de Maas is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands, in the province of Limburg. In 2010 the municipalities Sevenum and part of Meerlo-Wanssum joined the municipality.- Population centres :...
and De Peel Air Base
De Peel Air Base
De Peel air base is a military air base in the Netherlands used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force guided missile division...
and the spot nearby Mill
Mill, Netherlands
Mill is a village in the Dutch municipality Mill en Sint Hubert, in the province of North Brabant. Mill is known from the Battle of Mill, a two day fight during the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940....
are worth a visit. The Fortifications and Casemates in the municipalities of Deurne, Venray
Venray
Venray is a municipality and a town in Limburg, Netherlands, 115 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam. Venray has about 43,000 inhabitants.- Population centres :...
and Mill en Sint Hubert
Mill en Sint Hubert
- Population centres :*Langenboom*Mill*Sint Hubert*Wilbertoord-External links:*...
are protected as National monuments
Rijksmonument
A rijksmonument is a National Heritage Site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.-History and criteria:...
.
See also
Dutch waterlines- Defence Line of AmsterdamStelling van AmsterdamThe UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
- Dutch Water LineDutch Water LineThe Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defences conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century, and realised by his half brother Frederick Henry...
- IJssel Line
- Maas Line
- Grebbe lineGrebbe linethumb|right|230px|GrebbelinieThe Grebbe Line was a forward defence line of the Dutch Water Line, based on inundation. The Grebbe Line ran from the Grebbeberg in Rhenen northwards until the IJsselmeer....
Other
- Defence lines of the NetherlandsDefence lines of the Netherlands-Old Defence Lines: Circumvallatielinie van Groenlo *Frisian Water Line Groningse Waterlinie Helperlinie Linie Bergen op Zoom - Steenbergen Linie van Beverwijk Linie van de Eems Linie van de Eendracht Linie van Noord-Holland Oostfrontier...