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During the night of Saturday, April 7 to Sunday, April 8, 1945, the final Airborne operation in the Netherlands took place over the eastern province of Drenthe. A total of 702 French SAS paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines with the mission to support the continued advance of the Second Canadian Army Corps toward the city of Groningen.

On Saturday, April 7, 1945, at around 21:00, 46 four-engined bomber aircraft took off from three secret airfields in southeast England. On board were two French battalions of the SAS Brigade (“Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes”). This marked the official start of Operation Amherst. As anticipated, the paratroopers faced difficult conditions during the drop. Poor visibility, high jump altitude, and active German radar interference all contributed to the challenges. Additionally, wind speeds of up to 25 km/h caused the 15-man sticks to be widely scattered across the drop zones, complicating coordination and regrouping.

Commander Kapitein Pierre Sicaud from the 2e Company 3 R.C.P. with the French flag at the bridge in Appelscha, april, 13th 1945.

Following the landings in the province of Drenthe and parts of southeast Friesland, fighting erupted rapidly. Some groups of paratroopers unfortunately landed directly on or near German convoys, making regrouping nearly impossible. Other units managed to regroup and successfully set up ambushes, particularly in the forests of northern Drenthe. Across the region, the French paratroopers launched a series of commando-style operations—some highly successful, others met with heavy resistance and losses.

In the village of Gasselte, four French SAS units successfully attacked the local NSKK command post (the Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrer Korps, a transport unit of the German army often staffed by Dutch collaborators). During the raid, 18 Germans—including two officers—were captured and taken into the nearby woods. Several were wounded, and one French paratrooper was killed in action. That evening, German troops returned from Borger to Gasselte. In retaliation and suspecting local support for the French forces, they rounded up the male population and locked them inside the village church. Plans were made to execute the hostages. What could have become a massacre was narrowly avoided. Sixteen civilians were taken to Assen as prisoners but were eventually liberated by advancing Canadian forces on April 13.

French losses during Operation Amherst totaled 34 men: 5 officers, 7 warrant officers, and 21 corporals and soldiers. Of these, 32 were killed in the province of Drenthe and one in Friesland, near Haulerwijk. The Germans executed seven captured paratroopers, and two others drowned during the landings—both near Assen. In addition to the fatalities, around 60 paratroopers were seriously wounded, including several with broken bones. Another 69 were taken prisoner and transported to the POW camp at Wesermünde, where they were eventually liberated by British forces on April 30, 1945.

Battlefield Tours offers battlefield tours for both private and mixed groups in the province of Drenthe. Battlefield Tours can provide specific programs for larger groups, schools and scouting groups. The Battlefield Tours in Drenthe require motorized transport because of distance and tour length. Battlefield Tours can provide transport for groups up to 8 persons. But if you feel more comfortable in your own car, you can follow us using your car also. Groups larger than 8 persons will have to provide for (additional) transport themselves. The tour in Drenthe takes a full day.

Tour highlights*

• Memorial Spier
• Memorial commemorates Jean Salomon Simon Spier (French soldier of the Special Air Service)
• Execution Memorial April 10, 1945 Spier
• The Fighting around Spier
• The fighting for the Stokerverlaatbrug in Appelscha
• The fighting for the presbytery in Gasselte
• Memorial commemorates Fernand Beque (French soldier of the Special Air Service)
• The fighting for Orvelte
• Memorial commemorates Antoine Treis (French soldier of the Special Air Service)
• The fighting in Westerbork

Duration
The tours in the province of Drenthe takes a full day. Combination with other tours into a multiple day tour is possible.

Possible tour days
Our private tours can be booked all year round and all week to availability.

Price, bookings and payment
Different prices for a private tour may apply depending on group size. Prices, terms and conditions can be found here. You can easily book the tour via the booking form on this page, or by contacting us directly. By submitting a booking you agree to our terms and conditions. After receipt of you booking request we will verify availability on the tour date(s) requested. If needed we will contact you to discuss details or other options. Presuming a requested tour date is possible we will sent you a confirmation email containing an invoice stating the total amount due and the deposit amount (if applicable) needed to complete your booking. Full payment is due 10 days prior to the start date of the tour.

Transport and pick up location
This is a bustour. We start the Battlefield Tours from the train station in Meppel. If you arrive by plane, you will probably fly to Schiphol, Amsterdam’s airport. The easiest way to get to Meppel is by train. There is a direct train from Schiphol to Meppel, which leaves every hour. You can plan your train using the journey planner of the Dutch railways. You should select Schiphol as your departure station and Meppel as your destination. Overnight accommodation is as varied as the city and province of Drenthe itself. Book overnight accommodation via this website.

Dutch documentary about Operation Amherst