Waddinxveen.
WBN, KVA Dordrecht, Waddinxveen, Vordere Wasserstellung. (2)
Driving from Gouda via the Juliansluis towards Waddinxveen via N456 and then the N454. When you are almost in Waddinxveen driving over the Kanaaldijk, you have to go to the left, towards a railroad viaduct.
Most part of the railroad track between Gouda and Waddinxveen was part of the Vordere Wasserstellung because of its structure with heights and waterways.
Then you drive from Waddinxveen towards Boskoop via the N455. Driving on this road/dike you will see at your left side (west) a polder, and some small road between the houses (private land) brings you to the former anti tank ditch. The German extended the current water way into the size of a anti tank ditch to be a part of the Vordere Wasserstellung in combination whit other obstacles.
The "Vordere Wasserstellung" was a German retardation line about 30-50 km's land inwards behind the dunes. In case of a landing on the Dutch coast and a break trough they could fall back on this prepared line to slow down the advance of troops from Amsterdam to Dordrecht. The Germans used the technique of inundation, by setting parts of the land underwater with about 60cm. They also made light defence objects like field gun emplacements, barbed wire lines and mine fields to close the gaps in between.
See also the locations:
Gouda,
Boskoop,
Moordrecht and
Alphen aan de Rijn.
Types:
1x Defence line/position.
1x Antitank ditch.
