Liberation of Brussels and the 'Great Swan'

British Guards Armoured Division liberated Brussels on September 4, 1944, to enormous public celebration after four years of German occupation. The following day, Allied forces liberated Antwerp — with its critical port still intact (a rare occurrence). The rapid advance known as the 'Great Swan' saw Allied forces cover 300–400 miles in two weeks, liberating virtually all of France and Belgium and parts of the Netherlands. The headlong advance outran logistics; the Allied supply system, designed for a slower advance, could not sustain further offensive operations without a pause to consolidate.