One of the most disastrous Allied mistakes of WW2 was capturing Antwerp on Sept 23 1944 without proceeding to capture the approaches along the Scheldt Estuary. Thus making Antwerp useless. Admiral Ramsay saw the mistake (in part Monty’s) and Ike queried the wisdom of Monty’s Arnhem adventure without first securing the supply base of Anwerp. But didn’t force the issue. With the failure of Arnhem, and thus the need for a major amphibious crossing of the Rhine, the importance of opening the passage to Antwerp became imperative. But it took 20,000 Allied casualties (mostly Canadian). To tour the northern battlefield we were based at Middleberg on Walcheren Island, a delightful town despite being bombed extensively. And to tour the approaches to the Scheldt from the south we were based in Bruges which is the most picturesque of cities and one where, if you know where to avoid tourists, you can wander unvexed by modern life through medieval streets. The Battle of the Scheldt (2 Oct – 8 Nov 1944) was one of the war’s nastiest battles fought in wet mud; and one of its most avoidable.