Sat 23rd, Overloon & Steenbergen

Last 'mission' is to get to Gibson & Warwick's graves in Steenbergen. Originally planned to go there on way to ferry on Sunday but I've got time to do it Saturday. First off  though is a couple of hours at the museum in Overloon on the Dutch/German border. This place was opened by the Dutch to commemorate the second world war battle of Overloon and started with preserving tanks and vehicles left on the battlefield. Its expanded a bit since then and contains no end of army vehicles - one looking much like another by the time I was half way round!!

Museum is located in the Liberty Park in Overloon

Just under 3 hours spent staring at green lorries & armoured vehicles later, I'm on the way to Steenbergen and back on the Dambusters trail.

On 19th September 1944, Guy Gibson was flying a Mosquito with Jim Warwick as navigator. They were returning from a raid on Moenchengladbach when they crashed mysteriously near Steenbergen in the Netherlands. Various theories exist for the reason for crashing, from runnning out of fuel to being shot down by friendly fire from a Lancaster. Take your pick, but crash they did and apparently not much left of either of them.

The actual crash site was a field in 1944, but is now an industrial estate. Gibson and Warwick have a street named after each of them (Gibsonstraat and Warwickstraat) The Gibsonstraat and Warwickstraat meet on the location of the fatal crash, the location of which is apparently marked by a pattern of the Union Jack on the road - couldn't quite make it out myself though as it was circular for a start on the junction.
Update - the memorial with the union jack marked out in stone sets at the crash site is around the corner on Mosquitostraat

Crash site?, junction of Gibsonstraat and Warwickstraat).

Close up of street sign - 'James Warwick squadron leader RAF with G.Gibson in this street crashed and killed 19-9-1944'. (translation courtesy of Ken)

Close up of street sign - 'Guy Gibson, wing commander RAF holder of Victoria Cross for "bounce bombing" the Ruhr Dams 16-5-1943. In this street crashed and killed 19-9-1944' (translation by Ken)

There is also another Dambuster Memorial in a park in Steenbergen. I didn't have time I'm afraid to check it out, but its a stone pillar with a damaged propellor on it - the prop coming from a Lancaster that crashed in the vicinity.

Trip now done and off back up to Amsterdam for a Saturday night out with the brother. I got the14:30 out of the Hook on Sunday to Harwich. Roads were dry, but snow & ice on the verges. The worst road surface that I came across for the whole trip was 100m off the ferry - the spiral ramp you go up at Harwich to get over to customs/passport control hadn't been cleared properly and had a fair bit of compacted ice on it from thaw/freeze. Only became apparent as you get on it  and then its too late to get off.  After nearly 1400 miles in the cold & snow, be a bummer to come a cropper on this. Patches of ice & snow at the passport booths as well, not impressed at all with Harwich International Ports efforts i'm afraid. As soon as out of the port, roads clear getting back to Lincoln at 23:00 - again nice & toasty warm in me heated jacket despite temps hovering around zero all the way.

Next outing is 7 days in France end of May.

Track for Sat 23rd