Originally reclaimed in 1924, the Carel Coenraadpolder became militarized in 1942. A laborers’ camp was converted into a military battery containing four 10.5 cm artillery guns. This battery was one of sixteen protecting the German port city of Emden, with four batteries situated in the occupied Netherlands. Batterie Dollart Süd’s primary task was to defend against air raids and monitor Allied shipping in the Ems-Dollard region. 

Approximately 150 Kriegsmarine artillerymen manned the battery, living in wooden barracks near the dike. Their daily life was marked by monotony, isolation, and a constant state of alert. With little interaction with the local population, soldiers filled their time with reading, music, and crafting. Although searchlights and flak fire were used against Allied aircraft, the battery had limited confirmed kills—perhaps one to three planes over the course of the war. 

As Allied forces advanced through the northern Netherlands in April 1945, the battery’s strategic location made it a final German holdout. On 25 April, the Regina Rifle Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division executed a bold assault to eliminate the strongpoint, which still contained several active artillery guns. 

At 0100 hrs, “A” Company, led by Captain John Ivan Nicholson, began the attack under cover of darkness. The leading platoon was soon pinned down by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. When its commander was killed, Nicholson advanced alone under point-blank fire, reorganized the disoriented troops, and led them forward. With grenades and exceptional courage, Nicholson personally silenced German gun crews, re-energized his company, and led the full assault. The result: over 130 prisoners taken, four 105 mm guns captured, and the battery eliminated with minimal Canadian casualties. For his bravery and leadership, Nicholson was awarded the Military Cross. 

Following the battle, the wooden barracks were set ablaze, and the battery ceased to function. The site was later repurposed for postwar needs. Between 1953 and 1961, it served briefly as a camp for Ambonese families, former colonial soldiers from the Dutch East Indies—and the Ambonezenbosje (“Ambonese Wood”) was planted there. 

Today, no major structures remain. Only subtle traces such as bomb craters and building remnants hint at the battery’s wartime past. A few nearby lodges still bear the name “Dollart Süd,” but most visitors are unaware of the site’s significance.