Editing History of Belgium (section)

=== Allied liberation 1944–1945 ===
Belgium was liberated late in 1944 by Allied forces. On 3 September 1944 the Welsh Guards liberated Brussels. The [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]] seized [[Antwerp]] on 4 of September 1944, and the [[First Canadian Army]] began conducting combat operations around the port that same month. Antwerp became a highly prized and heavily fought-over objective because its deep-water port was necessary to keep the Allied armies supplied. The [[Battle of the Scheldt]] in October 1944 was fought primarily on Dutch soil, but with the objective of opening the way for boats to Antwerp. The port city was also the ultimate objective of German armies during the [[Battle of the Bulge|Ardennes Offensive]] which resulted in heavy fighting on Belgian soil during the winter of 1944–1945.

Following liberation, 10,000 Belgians who had remained in the country during the occupation were mobilised into the Belgian army in 57 "Fusilier Battalions".