Dick had not left trouble behind him with the flying-bombs of Malines. On 1st December Eric Brewer wrote in his diary:
“Gerry started to flood the area. The water has risen 2ft, many Gerrys trapped.”
and on the next day:
“Water still rising – Gerry blew another dam last night and the place is quite bad. Many Gerrys gave themselves up because the flooding had trapped them. They are nearly all air force chaps.”
(From ‘Beaten Paths are Safest’ by Roy Howard, Brewin Books 2004)
Operation Noah was put into effect but many local men refused to leave 'the island' with the evacuation leading to its new name 'Men's Island'. Reading the account of looting on 'the island' by Easy Company (and the British!) in 'This Band of Brothers' one can understand why they were reluctant to leave.
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