War museum Overloon

The failure of the Allied operation at Arnhem left large numbers of troops confined within a narrow supply route known as “the Corridor.” As the Allies sought a way forward, German forces, now fully alerted, established strong defensive positions around Venlo. From 26 September 1944, heavy fighting erupted in the area around Overloon.

The forces involved included the U.S. 7th Armored Division, the British 3rd Infantry Division and the British 11th Armoured Division. Opposing them were the German 107th Panzer Brigade, Fallschirmjäger units and other German formations.

The initial attacks were carried out by American troops. On 7 October, they were relieved by British forces, who prepared for a decisive assault. On 12 October, more than 300 British artillery pieces opened a massive bombardment. Overloon was systematically reduced to rubble and only once the town had been virtually destroyed did the British advance. By 14 October, Overloon was firmly under Allied control.

German resistance, however, had not yet collapsed. Fierce fighting continued along the Loobeek stream, where the British suffered heavy casualties. The area was heavily mined and crossings were limited to exposed bridges under intense enemy fire. The stream soon earned the grim nickname “Bloedbeek” (Blood Creek). After several more days of combat, the nearby town of Venray was liberated, bringing the battle to an end on 18 October 1944.

It is estimated that more than 1,000 soldiers were killed during the Battle of Overloon, with a similar number wounded. These engagements rank among the heaviest battles fought on Dutch soil during the Second World War.

The War Museum Overloon

“War belongs in a museum” is the guiding principle of the War Museum Overloon. The museum explores the origins of the Second World War, its impact on millions of people and how civilians endured shortages, restrictions and occupation. Special attention is given to daily life, resistance and persecution under German rule.

At the heart of the museum is the Battle of Overloon itself. The brutal fighting between Allied and German forces in 1944 is vividly illustrated through original vehicles, artillery pieces and battlefield relics, bringing one of the Netherlands’ fiercest wartime battles to life.

The museum owes its existence to Harrie van Daal, a civil servant from Overloon. Deeply affected by the devastation of his village, he walked through nearby forests after the liberation and saw them littered with destroyed military equipment. Convinced that such sacrifice should never be forgotten, he proposed creating a permanent memorial to the liberators. As a result, on 25 May 1946, the first war museum in Western Europe opened its doors in Overloon.

It is the biggest WW2 museum in Europe. The museum has free parking. Experience it for yourself in D-Briefing, a groundbreaking new AI experience at the museum. Discover the remarkable reconstruction of Lancaster NN775 at the Overloon War Museum. Crafted from more than 2.000 recovered fragments, the bomber’s striking silhouette stands as a powerful tribute to the seven crew members who lost their lives, preserving both their memory and the legacy of RAF Bomber Command.