eland ic ▁Fland ers ▁( s outh ▁of ▁the ▁Sch eld t ) ▁and ▁Z uid - Be vel and ▁( to ▁the ▁north ) ▁were ▁fre ed ▁from ▁German ▁control ▁by ▁Canadian ▁forces . ▁However , ▁Wal ch eren ▁island , ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁mouth , ▁still ▁contained ▁a ▁large ▁German ▁force ▁that ▁controlled ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Sch eld t . ▁De ▁Slo ed am ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁access ▁road ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁island ▁of ▁Wal ch eren . ▁ ▁The ▁Canad ians ▁reached ▁the ▁dam ▁from ▁Z uid - Be vel and . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁well ▁prepared , ▁and ▁had ▁established ▁multiple ▁well - prep ared ▁mort ar ▁sites ▁that ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁fire ▁on ▁every ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁dam . ▁The ▁Canadian ▁attempts ▁to ▁reach ▁Wal ch eren ▁all ▁failed . ▁Two ▁Dutch ▁resistance ▁f igh ters ▁offered ▁their ▁assistance ▁to ▁the ▁Canad ians . ▁They ▁knew ▁the ▁sand bars ▁of ▁the ▁Slo e ▁that ▁ran ▁dry ▁during ▁low ▁t ide ▁and ▁they ▁led ▁a ▁pat rol ▁to ▁Wal ch eren ▁that ▁managed ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁dry ▁area . ▁After ▁a ▁short ▁reconna issance ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁positions , ▁the ▁pat rol ▁returned ▁to ▁Z uid - Be vel and . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁a ▁large ▁Canadian ▁unit ▁managed ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁Slo e , ▁once ▁again ▁a ided ▁by ▁the ▁resistance ▁men . ▁After ▁reaching ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Wal ch eren , ▁it ▁attacked ▁the ▁German ▁positions ▁from ▁the ▁rear , ▁man aging ▁to