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This war memorial stands under overhanging trees on the edge of a wood on the outskirts of Ede. It is close to the N224 and Langenberg roads, near two former military barracks; this location was chosen because, according to historical documents, it was where Allied tanks rolled in to liberate Ede on 17 April 1945 (source: Wikipedia.nl).
It is located opposite a pancake restaurant that used to be a German headquarters during World War 2 (source: Panzermaus).
The memorial consists of a Sherman tank and a commemorative sign. The sign reads:
| BEVRIJDING EDE | EDE LIBERATION |
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Op 17 april 1945 is het dorp EDE
bevrijd door het Canadese
“CALGARY” Regiment met
Sherman tanks. Deze eenheid
maakte toen deel uit van de
Britse “POLAR BEAR” Divisie | On 17 April 1945 Ede village
was liberated by the Canadian
“CALGARY” regiment with
Sherman tanks. This unit
was part of the
British “POLAR BEAR” Division |
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here or on the image for this tank's profile page
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Unique ID: |
2351
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Serial Number: |
1302-47 (Mantlet): “E6257 [□] S” cast and “1302-47” stamped into right of mantlet.
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Registration: |
T212125 (Canadian): “T212125” painted on hull sides.
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Name: |
“COUGAR” painted on hull sides.
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Other Identification: |
“4794” cast into left of mantlet. “D7067B [T]LOH OHK” cast into left turret ring armour. “(W)” cast into turret rear. “13” in green edged black circle painted on turret sides. Canadian emblem painted on left of glacis and left hull rear. Unit insignia painted on right of glacis and right hull rear.
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This is a restored M4 Sherman tank. Sherman tanks were used by the Canadian Calgary regiment, part of the British Polar Bear Division (49th (West Riding) Infantry Division) when Ede was liberated on 17 April 1945. This tank was stored after the war and restored in the late eighties with the support of the municipality, businesses and individuals from Ede. In 1990 the tank was moved to its present location where it was placed on a pedestal. The monument was unveiled on 5 May 1990 by Mayor W. Blanken of Ede and two Canadian veterans, J. Davies and R.J. Maltby. (Source: Wikipedia.nl).
This type of tank, a howitzer-armed M4, was not used by Canadian forces but by US forces during the war; many were supplied to US Allies post-war under the Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP), including to the Dutch Army (source: M. Krauss/AFVNDB). This particular example was used for anti-tank training at the Ginkelse Heide, a heath near Ede (source: Preserved tanks.doc, author unknown).
The unit insignia is “175” painted in white over a blue and yellow rectangle; this indicates the King’s Own Calgary Regiment, also known as the 14th Canadian Armoured Regiment. This regiment fought against the Germans in Italy, then was transferred through the port of Marseille to Belgium. From 15 March to 8 April 1945 the regiment was stationed in Belgium before departing to the German Reichwald and the area around the river IJssel. The regiment went to Arnhem, Apeldoorn and Ede and stayed there until the end of hostilities on VE Day, 8 May 1945. After various administrative moves, the unit was transferred to Leeuwarden and then through England back home to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The unit was officially disbanded on 15 December 1945. (Source: Pantser.net).
Another Sherman tank, an M4A1, stood on the heath near this location until the 1970s (source: Oorlogsmusea comments).
This tank has lengths of track welded to its glacis. It is fitted with fake machine gun barrels and its main armament barrel has been plugged. It has two plaques fixed to the left hull side; these read:
RESTORED BY
8TH CANADIAN HUSSARS
(PRINCESS LOUISE’S)
MAINTENANCE TROOP
CAPT.CARIGNAN C.W.O.CLOUTIER
SGT.ELLIS M/CPL.BEERS
M/CPL.COLBOURNE M/CPL.JONCAS
CPL.DOW CPL.POITRAS
CPL.BRANCH CPL.ARSENAULT
CFN.GUY
10 MARCH 1990 |
Dit monument kwam tot stand dankzij medwerking van
A.N.W.B. te Den Haag
Bruil-Apeldoorn BV. wegen – en utiliteitsbouw te Ede
Donkelaar Fa. te Ederveen
8th. Canadian Hussars te Lahr (BRD)
EZ&PC “Polar Bears”
Gemeente Ede
Ministerie van Defensie
Roseboom BV. Aannemers – Transport bedrijf
Rotary club Ede
Rotary club Ede - Hoekelum
Rotary club Ede - Kernhem
Rijkswaterstaat
SOMA, school voor machinisten/monteurs GWW – machines te Ede | This monument was made thanks to the cooperation of
A.N.W.B. of The Hague
Bruil-Apeldoorn BV. roads - and utility in Ede
Donkelaar Fa. of Ederveen
8th Canadian Hussars of Lahr
EZ&PC “Polar Bears”
Municipality of Ede
Ministry of Defence
Roseboom BV. Contractors - Transport co.
Rotary club Ede
Rotary club Ede - Hoekelum
Rotary club Ede - Kernhem
National state water
SOMA, school for engineers / technicians GWW - machines Ede |
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