Woensdrecht facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Woensdrecht
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Sint Gertrudiskerk, Ossendrecht
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Location in North Brabant
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| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | North Brabant | ||
| Government | |||
| • Body | Municipal council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 91.91 km2 (35.49 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 91.55 km2 (35.35 sq mi) | ||
| • Water | 0.36 km2 (0.14 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 24 m (79 ft) | ||
| Population
(May 2014)
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| • Total | 21,656 | ||
| • Density | 237/km2 (610/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Woensdrechter | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postcode |
4630–4645
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| Area code | 0164 | ||
Woensdrecht (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋunzdrɛxt]) is a municipality, which is like a local government area, in the southern part of the Netherlands. It is named after the village of Woensdrecht.
This area is also home to the Woensdrecht Air Base. This important air base is found near the villages of Woensdrecht and Huijbergen.
Contents
Discover Woensdrecht's Past
Woensdrecht During World War II
On October 2, 1944, a big battle called the Battle of the Scheldt began. Canadian soldiers started moving north from Antwerp. They faced very tough fighting in Woensdrecht on October 6. The German army wanted to hold this area because it controlled access to South Beveland and Walcheren Island.
The fighting was very hard, and many soldiers were hurt. The Canadians had to attack across open, flooded land. Heavy rain, hidden traps, and land mines made it very difficult to move forward.
On October 13, a day known as "Black Friday," a group of Canadian soldiers called the Black Watch faced a very difficult attack. They suffered many losses. However, another group, the Calgary Highlanders, had more success. Their Carrier Platoon managed to capture the rail station at Korteven.
There was also heavy fighting in Hoogerheide. But by October 16, Woensdrecht was finally secured. This cut off the land route to South Beveland and Walcheren. The Canadian soldiers successfully completed their mission. After this, ground forces called the Buffaloes helped secure the Breskens pocket on the north side of the Scheldt river.
The Cold War Era
In 1983, there was a plan to place 48 nuclear armed cruise missiles at the Woensdrecht air base. This would only happen if the Soviet Union (USSR) did not reduce their own missiles. By 1985, the USSR had not reduced their missiles, so the plan to station the missiles was going to move forward.
Many people in the Netherlands protested against this plan. However, the plan was cancelled in 1987. This was because of an agreement called the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which helped reduce the number of certain types of missiles.
Main Villages in Woensdrecht
Woensdrecht municipality includes several villages. Here are some of the main ones and their populations:
- Hoogerheide (population: 8,268)
- Ossendrecht (population: 5,300)
- Putte (population: 3,860)
- Huijbergen (population: 2,180)
- Woensdrecht (village) (population: 1,470)
Woensdrecht's Climate
The weather in Woensdrecht usually has mild changes between its highest and lowest temperatures. There is also enough rainfall throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Woensdrecht has a marine west coast climate. This type of climate is often shown as "Cfb" on climate maps.
Famous People from Woensdrecht
Several notable people have come from the Woensdrecht area:
- René Pijnen (born 1946): He is a former racing cyclist. He won an Olympic gold medal in the 100 km team time-trial at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
- Adri van der Poel (born 1959): He is a retired Dutch cyclist who competed in both road cycling and cyclocross.
- Demi de Jong (born 1995): She is a professional road cyclist.
Images for kids
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Hoogerheide, de Onze Lieve Vrouw Hemelvaartkerk
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Mattemburgh
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Ossendrecht
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Meeven
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See Also
In Spanish: Woensdrecht para niños
