Ockenburg
Encyclopedia
During May 10 to May 12, 1940, Ockenburg, a small Dutch
auxiliary airfield near The Hague
, was the scene of bitter fighting
between German airborne forces
and Dutch defenders during World War II
.
A German formation of one airborne company of Fallschirmjaeger Regiment 2 and a battalion of Air landing troops of IR.65 (22.ID) was envisaged to take the small Air Force Base
(AFB) by surprise attack. The strike was part of the grand strategy
to seize the Dutch city of the Hague, where the Dutch Royal Family, Cabinet (government)
and Military headquarters
were situated. The German battle-plan incorporated large combined airborne and airlanding elements to land at the large Dutch AFB's at Valkenburg (South Holland)
and Ypenburg and a smaller party at Ockenburg. These three AFB's were situated east, south and west of the Hague. Around 8,000 Germans were scheduled to land and march onto the Hague, snatching the Dutch Royal Family and beheading the Dutch military by capturing their command-centres.
The German air-operation against the Hague failed utterly. At Ypenburg AFB the German airborne battalion and follow-up air landing units initially gained some successes, but they were rapidly pushed into defence. Many were captured or killed. Some hundreds managed to sustain Dutch counter-attacks isolating themselves in the hamlet Overschie
.
At Valkenburg
the Germans first managed to seize the airfield running the Dutch defenders off. But after re-grouping the Dutch countered the German pocket and pushed the about 1,000 men strong German presence into a tight defence in the village Valkenburg itself. The Dutch wouldn't manage to force the surviving Germans into surrender though.
The landing at Ockenburg too resulted into initial German seizure of the AFB during which 25 Dutch defenders were KIA. But within short the German landing party - no more than around 400 men - were driven off of the pitch and pushed into the dune area between the AFB and the North sea
. In a daring attempt to break out during the following days, the German force (led by the commander of 22.ID, Lieutenant General
Hans Graf von Sponeck
himself) managed to outmanoeuvre quite substantial Dutch formations and eventually reach the German held pocket at the hamlet Overschie
. At that position a combined remnant force of around 1,000 German invaders managed to hold out until being relieved by German ground-forces in the evening of May 14, 1940, after the Rotterdam Blitz
.
The German offensive against the Hague constituted a considerable operational loss to the Germans. The operational goal was not achieved, notwithstanding the fact that large Dutch formations had been tied around the German pockets for quite some time. Formations that thus could not be assigned other tasks. The Luftwaffe
lost around 250 airplanes in the area of the Hague, 500 men KIA and about 1,250 airbornes, air-landing troops and Luftwaffe
personnel being evacuated as POW's to the UK on the 14th of May, 1940. Those were lost to the German cause for the duration of the war. That event outraged Hermann Goering when he got word of it.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
auxiliary airfield near The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, was the scene of bitter fighting
Battle for The Hague
The Battle for the Hague was the first paratroop assault in history. It took place on 10 May 1940 as part of the Battle of the Netherlands between the Royal Netherlands Army and Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger . German paratroopers dropped in and around The Hague and were given orders to capture Dutch...
between German airborne forces
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
and Dutch defenders during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
A German formation of one airborne company of Fallschirmjaeger Regiment 2 and a battalion of Air landing troops of IR.65 (22.ID) was envisaged to take the small Air Force Base
Air Force Base
An Air Force Base is a military airbase of any of a number of air forces, such as the United States Air Force or South African Air Force ....
(AFB) by surprise attack. The strike was part of the grand strategy
Grand strategy
Grand strategy comprises the "purposeful employment of all instruments of power available to a security community". Military historian B. H. Liddell Hart says about grand strategy:...
to seize the Dutch city of the Hague, where the Dutch Royal Family, Cabinet (government)
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
and Military headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
were situated. The German battle-plan incorporated large combined airborne and airlanding elements to land at the large Dutch AFB's at Valkenburg (South Holland)
Valkenburg (South Holland)
Valkenburg is a village and former municipality in the province of South Holland, in thewestern Netherlands. Valkenburg is now part of the municipality Katwijk....
and Ypenburg and a smaller party at Ockenburg. These three AFB's were situated east, south and west of the Hague. Around 8,000 Germans were scheduled to land and march onto the Hague, snatching the Dutch Royal Family and beheading the Dutch military by capturing their command-centres.
The German air-operation against the Hague failed utterly. At Ypenburg AFB the German airborne battalion and follow-up air landing units initially gained some successes, but they were rapidly pushed into defence. Many were captured or killed. Some hundreds managed to sustain Dutch counter-attacks isolating themselves in the hamlet Overschie
Overschie
Overschie is a former village in the Dutch province of South Holland, and now a neighbourhood of Rotterdam.The village of Overschie was located on the intersection of four rivers called "Schie": the Delftsche Schie, Schiedamsche Schie, Delfshavensche Schie, and Rotterdamsche Schie. It was a...
.
At Valkenburg
Valkenburg (South Holland)
Valkenburg is a village and former municipality in the province of South Holland, in thewestern Netherlands. Valkenburg is now part of the municipality Katwijk....
the Germans first managed to seize the airfield running the Dutch defenders off. But after re-grouping the Dutch countered the German pocket and pushed the about 1,000 men strong German presence into a tight defence in the village Valkenburg itself. The Dutch wouldn't manage to force the surviving Germans into surrender though.
The landing at Ockenburg too resulted into initial German seizure of the AFB during which 25 Dutch defenders were KIA. But within short the German landing party - no more than around 400 men - were driven off of the pitch and pushed into the dune area between the AFB and the North sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. In a daring attempt to break out during the following days, the German force (led by the commander of 22.ID, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Hans Graf von Sponeck
Hans Graf von Sponeck
Hans Graf von Sponeck or Hans Emil Otto Graf Sponeck was a German General-Leutnant during World War II who was imprisoned for disobeying orders and later executed. He was the father of Hans von Sponeck....
himself) managed to outmanoeuvre quite substantial Dutch formations and eventually reach the German held pocket at the hamlet Overschie
Overschie
Overschie is a former village in the Dutch province of South Holland, and now a neighbourhood of Rotterdam.The village of Overschie was located on the intersection of four rivers called "Schie": the Delftsche Schie, Schiedamsche Schie, Delfshavensche Schie, and Rotterdamsche Schie. It was a...
. At that position a combined remnant force of around 1,000 German invaders managed to hold out until being relieved by German ground-forces in the evening of May 14, 1940, after the Rotterdam Blitz
Rotterdam Blitz
The Rotterdam Blitz refers to the aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the German Air Force on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance and force the Dutch to surrender...
.
The German offensive against the Hague constituted a considerable operational loss to the Germans. The operational goal was not achieved, notwithstanding the fact that large Dutch formations had been tied around the German pockets for quite some time. Formations that thus could not be assigned other tasks. The Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
lost around 250 airplanes in the area of the Hague, 500 men KIA and about 1,250 airbornes, air-landing troops and Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
personnel being evacuated as POW's to the UK on the 14th of May, 1940. Those were lost to the German cause for the duration of the war. That event outraged Hermann Goering when he got word of it.