Type Defensive line In use 1939–1940 | Built 1939–1940 Controlled by Netherlands | |
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Materials Flooded plains, earth walls, brick, concrete, steel Battles/wars Battle of the Netherlands (Battle of Mill) | ||
The Peel-Raam Line (Dutch: Peel-Raamstelling) was a Dutch defence line built in 1939 and attacked and conquered on 10 May 1940 by the German forces.
The Defence line was situated behind the Maas Line (about 9 km until 21 km distance). The defence line starts at Grave, where a barrack complex was built as part of the Peel-Raam line. From there, the line passed by Mill, Peel along the Zuid-Willemsvaart until the Belgium border nearby Weert. In the North the defense line was connected with the Grebbe line. The defence line could profit from the natural protection of the swamps, rivers and canals in the area. In the northern part, an artificial barrier was made, the Defensiekanaal (a canal). The defence line was made of Casemates (200m apart) and barbwire obstructions. The railway bridge on the Defensiekanaal near Mill, also had a spargel-obstruction (precursor of the Rommelspargel which the German Army used from 1943 onwards). On the first day of the German invasion, 10 May 1940, a German train crashed into this spargel-obstruction.
There were not many communication lines between the Casemates and the main force of the infantry was far behind the line of Casemates.
The Dutch would like to have connected the defence line with the defence line along the Albert Canal in Belgium. But the Belgian army wanted a new defenceline (the Orange Line (Dutch Oranjelinie) along the line Tilburg-Waalwijk and the Bergsche Maas. Because of this, the defence line was vulnerable and the enemy could go around the defence line crossing into Belgium soil.
The Line Today
The Peel-Raam Line is, for most part, intact; the northern part, in particular. The stretch between Griendtsveen and De Peel Air Base and the spot nearby Mill features several visible remains. The fortifications and casemates in the municipalities of Deurne, Venray and Mill en Sint Hubert are protected as National monuments.