Codeword DANZIG - Blitzkrieg in the West

In the early hours of the 10th of May 1940, just prior to the initiation of the German Invasion plan for the Blitzkrieg in the West, specially trained German Paratroops boarded gliders at their bases in Germany, they were then towed into the dawn sky by a fleet of Junkers Ju52 transport aircraft.

Their orders were to capture intact the vital bridges over the Albert Canal at Vroenhoven, Veldwezelt and Kanne in Belgium, whilst simultaneously silencing the mighty Belgian fortress of Eben Emael. This operation was crucial to the success of the opening stages of the German Invasion.

Their months of top-secret training were at an end, today, they would make history. Today they would take part in the first airborne glider assault and hold until relieved.

This historical guidebook has been written to enable the Battlefield Explorer to visit the area and to appreciate the scale and significance of the actions which took place.

The author has also included a section on the Liège Fortresses of the Position Fortifée de Liège PFL 1 and PFL 2 so that the visitor can plan visits to those locations and discover the importance of the area and fortifications both in the First and Second World Wars.

The guidebook is extensively researched and indexed, many of the photographs, sourced from across Europe have never been published before and are unique to this publication.

To aid the battlefield explorer there are many maps and drawings which will help to clarify the actions and technological aspects of the equipment used.

Empire Battlefield Tours is proud to release this guidebook in memory of all those who went before.