The bronze ‘Operation Oyster’ monument is located on the right side of the light tower on the square, opposite the WestCord Hotel on the edge of the Mathildelaan. The statue has the shape of an opened oyster, within which a bombed cityscape of Eindhoven can be seen. The outside of the oyster shows clear signs of damage.
This monument symbolizes the Allied mission ‘Operation Oyster’, of which the bombing of Eindhoven was a part. The hole at the top of the oyster depicts the bombing, while the destroyed buildings inside represent the city of Eindhoven after the attack.
It commemorates about 150 civilian victims of the British bombing of Eindhoven on 6 December 1942, known as the ‘Sinterklaas bombing’. This bombing took place on a Sunday during the day and was aimed at the Philips factories on Strijp S and along the Emmasingel, where Philips was forced by the German occupiers to produce radio tubes during the war. Unfortunately, many of the Royal Air Force bombs hit other targets, such as shops, homes, churches, and a hospital.
The bombing was carried out by 94 aircraft of the Royal Air Force, of which sixteen did not return. In addition to focusing on the past, the monument is an important reminder for visitors to Eindhoven of the impact of the war on the city.
Would you like to know more about the Philips fruit garden and the history of Philips? Then book our Philips Heritage tour.
