Peel Divisie
Peel Division

The Peel Division was not a regular division, the division had been formed for the task of defending the river Meuse and the Peel-Raam line. This had consequences for the divisional organization: it was not organized into infantry regiments, but was split into five sectors (the vakken), that had to defend a specified part of the line. Each of these vakken had a number of infantry and border battalions and some support elements. The division's artillery regiment had been divided between the vakken. The regiment (20 RA) was formed in April 1940 and consisted of former coastal artillery personnel and very old guns (the 8 Staal, which were used by the army from 1880 to 1905, but had been recommisioned during the mobilization).
The division had to man three lines, with specific tasks:
- the first line was located near the Dutch-German border. Some border posts had been formed there. The men that were stationed here had to report the German border crossing, set demolitions and retreat across the river Meuse.
- the second line was the Meuse line. The personnel which was located here had to delay the Germans.
- the third and last line was the Peel-Raam line, where the main force of the division was located.

The division of the front line was as given below:
- Vak Schaijk: south of Nijmegen - south of Gennep;
- Vak Erp: south of Gennep - south of Vierlingsbeek;
- Vak Bakel: south of Vierlingsbeek - north of Venlo;
- Vak Asten: north of Venlo - north of Roermond;
- Vak Weert: north of Roermond - south of Wessem.

During the mobilization, the GBJ got a 3rd and 4th company, formed from strategic detachments:
3-GBJ: formed from gd Hilvarenbeek, gd Baarle-Nassau and gd Goirle;
4-GBJ: formed from gd Wilreit, gd Reusel, gd Bergeijk and gd Borkel.
One of the battalion's AT-platoons had been detached to troops in the Peel-Raam stelling or the Meuse line. However, the battalion had two extra infantry platoons from 3 GB: a platoon from 3-3 GB and a platoon from 3-4 GB. Both platoons were mounted on bicycles. One platoon of the 4th Company Korps Motordienst (4 KMD) had been detached to TBZL.

Links to the sector OOB's
- Vak Schaijk
- Vak Erp
- Vak Bakel
- Vak Asten
- Vak Weert

Notes
1. Composition: De verdediging van Noord-Limburg en Noord-Brabant, p.3-4
2. Organization as for the St.K. - Territoriaal Bevelhebber Noord-Brabant according to
Opperbevelhebber van Land- en Zeemacht, Afd. Landmacht, Sectie Ie, No.1188A (AHK, 7
maart 1940). Onderwerp: oorlogsorganisatie (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1226). Organization for
TBNBr: Oorlogsorganisatiën, p.143 and p.166; further changes in the organization: Bijlage bij
den Brief AHK, Afd. Landmacht, Sectie Ie, No.3431A Geheim van 13 April 1940. Wijzigingen
in de oorlogorganisatiën (bezettingsstaten) met ingang van 1 Mei 1940 (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 -
Inv.No.1226); Opperbevelhebber van Land- en Zeemacht, Afd. Landmacht, Sectie Ie,
No.2685A (AHK, 9 maart 1940). Onderwerp: Vbd.A. - Peeldivisie (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 -
Inv.No.1226)
3. Opperbevelhebber van Land- en Zeemacht, Afd. Landmacht, Sectie Ie,
No.2685A (AHK, 9 maart 1940). Onderwerp: Vbd.A. - Peeldivisie (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 -
Inv.No.1226); Oorlogsorganisatiën, p.94-95 and p.143
4. Samenstelling van een grensbataljon (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1224); one AT platoon had
been detached to one of the vakken according to Commandant van het IIIe Legerkorps, Sectie
I-2, No.187G (St.K, 22 maart 1940). Onderwerp: formeering van pag-onderdelen (Nationaal Archief
2.13.70 - Inv.No.849); attachments: Zuidfront Vesting Holland, p.79
5. Commandant van het IIIe Legerkorps, Sectie I-1, No.576G/’39 (St.K, 22 januari 1940). Onderwerp:
Reorganisatie strat. detachementen (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1263); Gegevens omtrent grenswachtdetachementen, kustwachtdetachementen en het detachement voor den bewakingsdienst op het Bijlandsch kanaal (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1323).
6. Commandant van het IIIe Legerkorps, Sectie I-1, No.576G/’39 (St.K, 22 januari 1940). Onderwerp:
Reorganisatie strat. detachementen (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1263); Gegevens omtrent grenswachtdetachementen, kustwachtdetachementen en het detachement voor den bewakingsdienst op het Bijlandsch kanaal (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1323).
7. Samenstelling van een grensbataljon (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1224) and Opperbevelhebber
van Land- en Zeemacht, Afd. Landmacht, sectie Ie, No.3798A (AHK, 3 april 1940).
Onderwerp: oorlogsorganisatie pantserafweergeschut. (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1226)
8. Zuidfront vesting Holland, p.79
9. Zuidfront vesting Holland, p.79
10. Oorlogsorganisatiën, p.116
11. Commandant Korps Politietroepen Litt. M/6 No.1139 Geheim (‘s Gravenhage, 28
september 1938). Onderwerp: personeel dat na mob. ter beschikking blijft (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 -
Inv.No.1261); Commandant van het IIIe Legerkorps, Sectie I.1, No.1B (St.K, 19 januari
1940). (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 - Inv.No.1263)
12. Commandant Korps Politietroepen Litt. M/6 No.1139 Geheim (‘s Gravenhage, 28
september 1938). Onderwerp: personeel dat na mob. ter beschikking blijft (Nationaal Archief 2.13.70 -
Inv.No.1261)