Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
During the Second World War the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade was a military unit initially formed from approximately 1500 Dutch troops, including a small group guarding German POWs, who arrived in the United Kingdom
in May 1940 following the collapse of the Netherlands. Elements of this force became the nucleus of what was originally called the “Dutch Legion.” Although augmented by conscription among overseas citizens from Canada
, the United States
, the Middle East
, Dutch Antilles, Argentina
, Dutch Guiana
and South Africa
; the Dutch force grew very slowly as troops were detached for other duties i.e. the Commando's, the Navy etc. On 11 February 1941 by approval of Queen Wilhelmina
the Dutch Legion gained a new name, the Prinses Irene
Brigade (P.I.B).
On 6 August 1944 the first troops of the P.I.B landed at Graye-sur-Mer
Normandy, France
. Later the main force landed and the P.I.B served under the Canadian 1st Army until it moved forward with the British 2nd Army. Heavy fighting took place around the Chateau St Come (Hellfire Corner) and the brigade liberated Pont Audemer in the progress.
In mid September the P.I.B became involved in fighting with German forces at the town of Beeringen and crossed into Dutch territory on 20 September 1944 at Borkel en Schaft
. Around this time the brigade was also involved in combating the Dutch Waffen-SS
volunteer formation the Landstorm Nederland. From the 26 September the P.I.B guarded the bridge at Grave, which was then the longest bridge in Europe.
After Operation Market Garden
, the operation to capture bridges across the Rhine at Arnhem
, the P.I.B moved south. On the 24 October the P.I.B was ordered to go to Tilburg
to attack the town from the south while the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division attacked from the east. The P.I.B was unable to get to Tilburg and was stranded at Broekhoven, where fighting took place and four soldiers were killed.
The Prinses Irene Brigade spent the winter of 1944/45 in the region of Walcheren
and North Beveland
(Zeeland), losing several soldiers. From Zeeland
the P.I.B went back to Noord-Brabant.
On 31 March 1945 the commander of the P.I.B, Colonel de Ruyter van Steveninck, said goodbye to the three platoons of Marines; the latter subsequently formed II Independent Company and were sent to the USA to join the Royal Netherlands Marines Brigade
, who had originally assigned these troops to the P.I.B so the brigade would have enough troops participating in the liberation of Europe, as requested by the British government. The gap left by the Dutch Marines was filled with replacements from the volunteers from the liberated parts of the Netherlands, who had been trained at Bergen Op Zoom
under the command of Frank Looringh van Beeck, a South African officer.
On the 2 March 1945 the P.I.B was put under the command of the Netherlands District, under Major General Galloway, based at the HQ in the town of Tilburg.
, north of Den Bosch, on the river Maas in April 1945. The P.I.B. was to link up with the 30 Royal Marine Commandos, of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines
, at Kerkdriel
in an attempt to liberate the Bommelerwaard
. However the Royal Marines
gave up due to German opposition in the town of Kerkdriel, leaving the P.I.B. stranded at the bridgehead of Hedel. The Prinses Irene Brigade was under command of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines at this time. Still, they fought the Germans with great gallantry, and were able to hold the town for three days. In these fights, the P.I.B. lost twelve men; around thirty were wounded. Several Gallantry medals were later awarded for actions in Hedel. At 11:15 hours on 25 April the order to withdraw from the bridgehead, in Hedel, came from 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines. At 23:30 hours III Independent Company withdrew from the town as the last unit to the south side of the river Maas. This effort was completed at 00:30 hours on 26 April.
The Prinses Irene Brigade entered The Hague
on 9 May 1945 as liberators. After the war, the traditions of the brigade were perpetuated by the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in May 1940 following the collapse of the Netherlands. Elements of this force became the nucleus of what was originally called the “Dutch Legion.” Although augmented by conscription among overseas citizens from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Dutch Antilles, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Dutch Guiana
Dutch Guiana
Dutch Guiana, also known as Netherlands Guyana or Dutch Guyana , is the name given to various Dutch colonies on the northern coast of South America, created by the Dutch West India Company...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
; the Dutch force grew very slowly as troops were detached for other duties i.e. the Commando's, the Navy etc. On 11 February 1941 by approval of Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
the Dutch Legion gained a new name, the Prinses Irene
Princess Irene of the Netherlands
Princess Irene of the Netherlands is the second child of the late Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.-Childhood and ancestry:thumb|left|215px|Princesses Margriet, Irene, and Beatrix in 1944...
Brigade (P.I.B).
On 6 August 1944 the first troops of the P.I.B landed at Graye-sur-Mer
Graye-sur-Mer
-References:*...
Normandy, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Later the main force landed and the P.I.B served under the Canadian 1st Army until it moved forward with the British 2nd Army. Heavy fighting took place around the Chateau St Come (Hellfire Corner) and the brigade liberated Pont Audemer in the progress.
In mid September the P.I.B became involved in fighting with German forces at the town of Beeringen and crossed into Dutch territory on 20 September 1944 at Borkel en Schaft
Borkel en Schaft
Borkel en Schaft is a former municipality in the Netherlands, consisting of the villages of Borkel and Schaft. It was a separate municipality until 1934. The area is now part of the municipality of Valkenswaard....
. Around this time the brigade was also involved in combating the Dutch Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
volunteer formation the Landstorm Nederland. From the 26 September the P.I.B guarded the bridge at Grave, which was then the longest bridge in Europe.
After Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, the operation to capture bridges across the Rhine at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
, the P.I.B moved south. On the 24 October the P.I.B was ordered to go to 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....
to attack the town from the south while the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division attacked from the east. The P.I.B was unable to get to Tilburg and was stranded at Broekhoven, where fighting took place and four soldiers were killed.
The Prinses Irene Brigade spent the winter of 1944/45 in the region of Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
and North Beveland
Noord-Beveland
Noord-Beveland is a municipality in the southwestern Netherlands and a former island, now part of the Walcheren-Zuid-Beveland-Noord-Beveland peninsula....
(Zeeland), losing several soldiers. From Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
the P.I.B went back to Noord-Brabant.
On 31 March 1945 the commander of the P.I.B, Colonel de Ruyter van Steveninck, said goodbye to the three platoons of Marines; the latter subsequently formed II Independent Company and were sent to the USA to join the Royal Netherlands Marines Brigade
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Korps Mariniers is the marine corps and amphibious infantry component of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines are trained to operate anywhere in the world in all environments, under any condition and circumstance, as a rapid reaction force. The Korps Mariniers can be deployed to a given...
, who had originally assigned these troops to the P.I.B so the brigade would have enough troops participating in the liberation of Europe, as requested by the British government. The gap left by the Dutch Marines was filled with replacements from the volunteers from the liberated parts of the Netherlands, who had been trained at Bergen Op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city located in the south of the Netherlands.-History:Bergen op Zoom was granted city status probably in 1266. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a lordship as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate...
under the command of Frank Looringh van Beeck, a South African officer.
On the 2 March 1945 the P.I.B was put under the command of the Netherlands District, under Major General Galloway, based at the HQ in the town of Tilburg.
Operation "Orange"
The P.I.B was involved in heavy fighting in the town of HedelHedel
Hedel is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Maasdriel, and lies about 7 km northwest of 's-Hertogenbosch.Hedel was a separate municipality until 1999, when it was merged with Maasdriel....
, north of Den Bosch, on the river Maas in April 1945. The P.I.B. was to link up with the 30 Royal Marine Commandos, of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines
History of the Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines, the infantry land fighting element of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, was formed as part of the Naval Service in 1755. However, it can trace its origins back as far as 1664, when English soldiers first went to sea to fight the Dutch....
, at Kerkdriel
Kerkdriel
Kerkdriel is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Maasdriel, and lies about 8 km north of 's-Hertogenbosch.In 2001, the town of Kerkdriel had 6195 inhabitants...
in an attempt to liberate the Bommelerwaard
Bommelerwaard
Bommelerwaard is a district in Gelderland, Netherlands.The Bommelerwaard is situated among three rivers: the Maas in the south, the Waal in the north and the Afgedamde Maas in the west. It is formed by the area of two municipalities: Zaltbommel and Maasdriel....
. However the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
gave up due to German opposition in the town of Kerkdriel, leaving the P.I.B. stranded at the bridgehead of Hedel. The Prinses Irene Brigade was under command of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines at this time. Still, they fought the Germans with great gallantry, and were able to hold the town for three days. In these fights, the P.I.B. lost twelve men; around thirty were wounded. Several Gallantry medals were later awarded for actions in Hedel. At 11:15 hours on 25 April the order to withdraw from the bridgehead, in Hedel, came from 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines. At 23:30 hours III Independent Company withdrew from the town as the last unit to the south side of the river Maas. This effort was completed at 00:30 hours on 26 April.
The Prinses Irene Brigade entered The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
on 9 May 1945 as liberators. After the war, the traditions of the brigade were perpetuated by the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene
Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene
The Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene is a regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named after Princess Irene, the sister of Queen Beatrix. It is one of two regiments, along with the Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers, to be classed as 'Guards'...
.
Order of battle (1944)
- I Motorized Independed Infantry Company
- II Motorized Independed Infantry Company
- III Motorized Independed Infantry Company
- Reconnaissance Company (Disbanded 31 March 1945)
- One Artillery Battery (six 25 poundersOrdnance QF 25 pounderThe Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
) - Brigade Signals
- Brigade Maintenance