Clarification

To the Germans, the defense of port cities was critical in preventing a seaborne invasion. For this reason, cities such as Vlissingen, were assigned the status of Stützpunkt or Strong point . This status meant strict defense conditions should be met regarding a possible attack from the sea. An attack from the sea would have to be blocked by the land front, while an attack from the inland side would have to be defeated by that same land front. The course of that front was determined by the military objects to be enclosed(?). As of October 1942, the Verteidigungsbereich [Defense Zone] Vlissingen was expanded to include the towns of Groot-Valkenisse and  Koudekerke up to the canal traversing the island of Walcheren. This Bereich further included Nieuw Abeele and Groot-Abeele and Fortress Rammekens. This zone was designed to include the Dishoek-Valkenisse drinking water catchment area, safeguarding the supply of drinking water for the city and the troops. Existing waterways were excavated and adapted to form an 11 kilometer water-filled anti-tank ditch, which formed the zone’s main defense line. In some locations, excavation of an anti-tank ditch was impossible, so a 1.5 km tank wall comprised the eastern section of the front. On the western edge of the catchment area,  the ditch followed a more northerly course away from the dunes, because of the possibility of salt water seepage from the ditch into the drinking water supply.