​​Westende-Bad en Lombardsijde, located in the municipality of Middelkerke, West Flanders, were liberated by The Essex Scottish Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.

In the nearby town of Middelkerke the German forces had already fled from and it had been liberated by The Manitoba Dragoons on 8 September 1944.

In Westende and Lombardsyde, however, there was still strong German resistance because of the stronghold of Stützpunkt Sedlitz. This Stützpunkt (German fortified point) was situated in the sand dunes, called Calidris, and was part of the Atlantikwall (Atlantic Wall). The latter was a large system of fortifications built by Nazi Germany during the war to defend against an anticipated Allied invasion of mainland Europe.

It took two days 10 to 12 September 1944 of heavy Canadian artillery bombardments from the Middelkerke and Nieuwpoort region before the Essex Scottish Regiment was able to conquer the area.

​According to the report of Lieutenant Colonel Bennet on 12 September, 316  German soldiers were taken prisoner. The regiment itself lost two soldiers and counted 3 casualties: Sargeant Edgar Rivait A/49863 died 10 September at the age of 26, and Private Douglas Smith Lyttle died 12 September at the age of nineteen. Both soldiers are buried at Adegem Canadian War Cemetary, Plot I, row C graves 8 and 9.