Wadden Islands : Famous in Military History

The Wadden Islands (or Frisian Islands) in the north-west Netherlands are a group of 5 barrier islands that shield the mudflat region of the Wadden Sea from the North Sea. See more about this area here. The biggest is Texel. We camped on the sand and enjoyed the peace and solitude of miles of sand and scenery. We took the ferry across from the mainland – dogs and all.  See www.dogwilltravel.com

A ferry goes from the mainland across to the Wadden Islands.

Texel is, funnily enough, famous in military history as the only place where a Navy was defeated on horseback. Occupying Holland in 1795, the French Continental Army learned that the nightly Dutch Navy was frozen into the ice around Texel. Commandant Louis Lahure and 128 men rode up to it and demanded surrender. No shots were fired.

A canon looking out over the sea from Texel Island.

During WW2 the sea north of Texel was also the scene of what is known as the Texel Disaster – the sinking of 2 British warships and severe damage to a 3rd by German mines.