The M114 155 mm Howitzer is based on a design from the Second World War (the M1 gun carriage). This was put into use by the Royal Dutch army (KL) after the Second World War as the main towed artillery piece. In the 60s and 70s the towing vehicle was the DAF YA616. In the 80s and 90s the DAF YHZ2300. The M114 was later improved to M114/39 with a new firing tube and longer range. It was decommissioned after the end of the Cold War. At that time the KL only had mechanized artillery. That means artillery on a tracked chassis such as the M109 and now the armored howitzer PZH2000.
The M114 and the towing vehicle come from the Field Artillery Corps Historical Collection. This is normally located in the Artillery Museum at the army site at Oldebroek; Eperweg 149, 8084 HE ‘t Harde. Website click here!
Recently a definitive agreement was made with the municipality of Meijerijstad with regards of the location of our base camp.
On the terrain of the former Dropzone-A directly behind the Koeveringsedijk we will make use of a lightly wooded terrain with roads. It is a beautiful location, close to the windmill at Eerde and it offers us the possibility to build stunning displays. The name of our new location: DZA Vlagheide.
On this exact location the 3rd battalion of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment / 101st Airborne descended by parachute on the afternoon of September 17th, 1944. This regiment had to capture the bridges at Veghel and secure the access roads, which ran through Eerde. This little village would be the location of a bloody battle later on in the operation.
The entrance for the public is on the Dakotaweg in Schijndel. The entrance for participants to the Vlagheide in Schijndel. Follow the signs.
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