Westkapelle's inundation

A terrible disaster has struck our village

“A terrible disaster struck our village. A tremendous bombardment that lasted 2 ¼ hours. The consequences are terrible.” These are the first lines from a letter Maatje Roelse wrote to her niece Piete on October 26, 1944. Because this letter provides insight into the feelings of and consequences for survivors, some quotes from her letter have been reproduced.

On October 3, 1944, the first bombing of Westkapelle took place. The Allies had decided to flood Walcheren in order to weaken the German defenses. Not only the dike, but also most of the buildings were destroyed. The death toll was enormous: 180 people perished.

Fleeing to 'safer' places

“Yes Piete, a lot I lost. Mother, my sister, brother-in-law, uncle, niece, nephew and a friend. What misery is brought upon the world.” Warnings to leave for “safer” places on the island were underestimated, but the ferocity of the bombardment and the sheer force of the incoming sea water caused a flood of refugees toward the surrounding villages that very night.

“Now we are in Oostkapelle on a country estate.... And the consequences. Entire village destroyed, all arable land under sea water. Now you live almost as if in a daze and sometimes do not yet realize what you have lost because you are not at home. But if you start thinking then you can't get out of it.”