Following the start of this operation from Arnhem-Noord, the Canadians and Brits advanced quickly by way of Deelen airbase and Terlet towards the Hoge Veluwe National Park. Here, they were enthusiastically received by staff and patients of the emergency Red Cross hospital accommodated at Museum Kröller-Müller.
On Sunday, 15 April 1945, the first Canadian tanks approached the village by way of De Houtkamp Farm. Preparatory artillery bombardment by the Canadians also killed the first two civilian victims on Hoenderloseweg. Shortly afterwards, a German 88 mm gun set up at Café De Waldhoorn knocked out the first Canadian tank to enter the village. Because this immediately killed three men and gravely wounded a fourth, the Canadians withdrew again into the Hoge Veluwe.
On Monday morning, the Canadians returned and Otterlo was quickly liberated. The Canadians and Brits set up their headquarters around the village and they believed they could now focus on the further advance via Barneveld towards Harderwijk, the final goal.
But a formation of German troops, numbering an estimated 800-1,000 men, approached from Hoenderloo along the Hoenderloseweg road. This fairly chaotic group aimed to force a breakthrough, escaping via Otterlo to the west and towards the Grebbe Line, behind which the Germans were still in control.
The German attackers arrived in Otterlo in the night of 16 to 17 April 1945 at around midnight. They unleashed a wild attack that surprised the Allies. A fierce battle broke out that night, and only in the early morning of 17 April did the Allies prevail with the help of several vehicle-mounted flamethrowers and British tanks.
A total of 17 Canadians, 6 Brits and 4 civilians lost their lives in this short but very fierce fighting. A large numbers of Germans died as well. Three-quarters of the buildings in the village were destroyed or damaged, but Otterlo had now finally been liberated!
Do you want to experience this story in its original location? Then visit the information panel on the corner Hoenderloseweg/Dorpsstraat in Otterlo.
