Battle of the Hague 1940
In the German plans for the attack in the Netherlandsin 1940 the 7e Flieger Division (Fallschirmjäger) were to occupy the bridges between Moerdijk and Rotterdam. The Main German thrust would be through Noord-Brabant, over these bridges andthan on to occupy wat was called "vesting" (fortress) Holland. On Hitlers own initative a “coup de main”was added. The 22e Luftlande Division (Infanterie) would land with Junkers 52 transportplains on the airfields around the Hague Ypenburg, Ockenburg en Valkenburg to arrest the Queen, the governement and Army high command. Germans managed to capture the airfields but the planes were damaged on the airfields blocking the runways. The Germans could no longer fly in reenforcements and the Airfields were retaken by Dutch troops. The Queen and Governement managed to escape to England via hoek of Holland. German troops under Luit.General Hans Graf von Sponeck, retreated on Schiedam/ Overschie.
Although the Battle of the Hague ended in a German defeat, it prevented Dutch reserves to be deployed at Moerdijk and Rotterdam. The German advance could not be prevented, and the Dutch army could do nothing but capitulate.
The daytrip includes a visit to the the airfields, sites of the Hague and the route of von Sponneck in may 1940.
