October 2, 1944–November 8, 1944 This was another operation aimed at opening a port city. Antwerp had been captured in early September, but the Scheldt Estuary, which allowed access from the North Sea to the city was still in German hands. The First Canadian Army (a mix of Canadian, Polish and British troops) was tasked with clearing the area and opening Antwerp to Allied shipping. The month long battle was highlighted by nearly endless amphibious assaults and water crossings, extensive German mining of the river and heavily fortified defensive strong points. It was not until the capture of Walcheren Island, on November 5, that the estuary was secured, though Antwerp wasn’t opened to shipping until November 28, because of mining and damage to the port. Hz1tlzr felt that Antwerp was such a strategically important city to the Allies, it’s capture was a main objective of The Battle of the Bulge.