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Object of the Month – May 2025
A Technical Tool in Coastal Defense
In the collection of the Liberation Museum Zeeland, there is a remarkable calculation slide rule originating from the German coastal battery at Dishoek on Walcheren. This battery was part of the Atlantic Wall, the massive defensive line that Nazi Germany constructed along the Western European coast. The slide rule served as a calculation instrument for ballistic computations, determining the angle and range of the artillery. This was crucial for effectively targeting enemy ships and landing craft.
With twenty bombproof bunkers, including ammunition storage facilities, troop quarters, and a hospital bunker, the Dishoek coastal battery was one of the most heavily equipped medium-sized batteries along the Dutch coast. Its strategic location on the Western Scheldt made it a key target for the Allies during the Battle of the Scheldt.
Fierce Battles in the Dunes
In the autumn of 1944, the battle for access to the port of Antwerp intensified. Although the city was successfully liberated on September 4, 1944, the Western Scheldt remained under German control, preventing the Allies from using the port. The fighting on Walcheren, where coastal batteries like the one in Dishoek played a key defensive role, became a crucial phase of this battle.
On November 1, 1944, the Allied assault on Walcheren began with a large-scale landing at Westkapelle. The coastal batteries, including the one at Dishoek, put up fierce resistance, making the Allied advance particularly difficult. On November 2, intense fighting took place in the dunes of Valkenisse and Dishoek, resulting in the deaths of dozens of soldiers on both sides. It was not until the morning of November 3 that the Dishoek battery fell into Allied hands, breaking German control over the Western Scheldt once and for all. This marked a turning point in the battle: the port of Antwerp became operational and could from that moment be used to supply the Allied forces in Western Europe.
From Military Instrument to Everyday Tool
After the war, many objects from the Atlantic Wall were forgotten or repurposed for other uses. The calculation slide rule from the Dishoek battery was no exception. Likely, after losing its military function, it was used as an ordinary ruler, giving this object an intriguing second life.
At some point, the slide rule came into the possession of Dr. Ad van Dijk from Vlissingen, who received it from a patient. Van Dijk was not only a respected general practitioner but also a passionate collector of historical objects and stories from the region. His interest in local history ensured that this calculation slide rule was preserved and eventually found its way to the Liberation Museum Zeeland.
