Dutch Soldiers Surrender at Lutterhoofdwijk (1940)

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Date: Friday, 10 May 1940
Place: Lutterhoofdwijk Canal, Drenthe, Netherlands
Photographer: S. Pfitzer

Exhausted Dutch soldiers from 2e Compagnie / eerste Grensbataljon - who fought in the casemate 3056 at the 'Goseling' bridge over the Lutterhoofdwijk Canal - surrender to the Germans after heroic defense on 10 May 1940. From left to the right: privates Martinus Vugteveen, Sipke Beetstra, Barend Schuiling, and Sergeant Klaas van der Baaren. The sergeant in the background is equipped with the hemet M.27, while the other three soldiers in the front wear the helmet M.34. Sergeant K. van de Baaren and three of his men succeeded in surprising and halting a German reconnaissance group from a well camouflaged casemate at the Lutterhoofdwijk Canal on the southernmost tip of the Q Line. They were able to hold out for nearly four hours against a force of up to three squadrons of the reconnaisance group from 1. Kavallerie-Division. After the four exhausted defenders had finally surrendered, a further drama was only narrowly avoided. The irritated Germans, who had seen a well-loved officer killed, wanted to put them up against the wall as they had apparently misused the white flag during the battle. Luckily, the local innkeeper reported that he had waved a white cushion out of fear. The mayor of Coevorden, who happened to be passing, was able to convince the German officers that the defenders could not have seen the white flag from their casemate. The incident blew over. This picture was taken by S. Pfitzer and later published in the German magazine "Die Woche" for propaganda purposes.

Source :
"May 1940: The Battle for the Netherlands" by Herman Amersfoort and Piet Kamphuis
"The Dutch Steel Helmet 1916-1946" by Kevin de Joode
http://www.drentheindeoorlog.nl/?pid=45&Duitse%20inval