LMCane said:

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planning early semi retirement july 2026 heading to Normandy

I hope I make it!

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I stayed here for 8 nights, and rented a car for my exploration

https://www.domaine-airborne.com/

Let's head up Hells Highway, and our first stop is the Liberation Garden Museum in Leopoldsburg



And we can visit the building that was the Cinema where the British had their briefing prior to the start of Market Garden

On Sunday, September 17, in three-quarters of an hour, more than 4.500 paratroopers are dropped in this area. This farm, Paulushoef, is an excellent landmark for the pilots because the name can be seen in large letters on the roof. After the paratroopers had landed, a further 53 gliders with troops and equipment also landed. Paul van Overveld is a boy of 15 and he sees it all.



then off to protect the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal.

Bridge in 1944:



the bridge today:

moving north on Hells highway and we arrive in Eerde near Veghel

Eerde near Veghel was one of the first villages to be liberated During Operation Market Garden. This massive airborne operation began on the 17th of September 1944. Thousands of American, British, and Polish paratroopers landed at different drop zones near Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. Their mission was to seize and hold the roads and bridges as quickly as possible so that the XXXth British Corps could advance along the road to Arnhem.

Paratroopers from the US 501st Parachute Regiment Infantry landed here at Eerde. Among other objectives, they captured the windmill and used it as a lookout post. However Operation Market Garden did not go as planned. On the 24th of September, German troops launched a counterattack from the Eerdse Bergen on the narrow strip of land that had been captured, the corridor. This attack proved fatal to the success of Market Garden. What's more, the windmill was destroyed by German artillery.



The Americans moved their lookout post to the church tower. This was also destroyed by German troops during the fighting. An American paratrooper did succeed in placing the American flag on the remains of the tower. Eerde remained in American hands.

82nd Airborne Dropzones at the villages of Overasselt and Nederasselt





On Sunday, September 17, 1944, one of the biggest airborne landing operations of all time took place above Overasselt and Nederasselt. The American 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment landed in the meadows to the north of the two villages.

This regiment formed part of the 82nd Airborne Division, which was dropped on that day between Eindhoven and Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden. General James M. Gavin and his men had the task of occupying the high ground near Groesbeek, thus protecting the bridges over the rivers Maas and Waal, and the Maas-Waal canal.

In the days after September 17, many Waco gliders landed in and around Overasselt and Nederasselt, as well as near Groesbeek, because thousands of troops had to be provided with material and supplies.

The Allied advance was hard-fought in this area, which for several weeks was on the front line. Once the tanks of the British 30th Corps finally crossed the River Maas and drove through the streets of Nederasselt and Overasselt, many locals were confident that the Liberation of the Netherlands was finally at hand. No one yet realized, however, that the population to the north of the great rivers would still face a long, hard Hunger Winter.

The John S. Thompson Bridge





The bridge over the Maas at Grave was an important strategic point in the route of Operation Market Garden. The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the American 82nd Airborne Division was ordered to capture the bridge undamaged. E-Company from this regiment would storm the bridge from the Brabant side. But the company jumped too early and landed far from its goal.

Thanks to his alertness, a small group of 16 men led by Lieutenant John Thompson, landed near the bridge. Thompson decided to immediately begin the assault because they still had the element of surprise. The rapid capture of the bridge was one of the most successful actions on September 17, 1944.

For the rest of the war, the bridge at Grave was important for the logistics build-up of the British XXXth Corps, which from February 8 to March 5 1945, under the code name "Operation Veritable", successfully attacked the German Rhineland the area around Nijmegen.

82nd crossing the Waal River at Nijmegen



On September 19, 1944, the Americans wanted to advance and capture Nijmegen's two bridges. The 2nd Battalion of the 505th Regiment and the Grenadier Guards were to take the rail, road, and post office. There were reports that the detonation equipment the Germans would use to blow up the Waal bridge was located in the post office. However, apart from the capture of the post office, the operation encountered difficulties.

Waffen-SS General Wilhelm Bittrich had sent units of the 10th SS Panzer Division to Nijmegen to defend the Waal bridges there. The Americans attempted to capture the bridges at Nijmegen and advanced to the southern bank of the river Waal. There, they were halted. The bridges would have to be captured from the northern bank. If this did not happen, the Allied troops fighting in Arnhem could not be supported and would be lost.

On September 20th, Major Julian Cook's 3rd Battalion of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment was ordered to cross the Waal and capture the bridges from the northern side. They made the river crossing in the canvas boats of the British XXX Corps, which were inadequate for the job. Once over the river, they were immediately plunged into hand-to-hand fighting. According to eyewitnesses, only 13 of the 26 boats that left the southern bank reached the northern side. The rest were either sunk during the crossing, or the engineers operating them were killed.

The troops who did manage to reach the northern bank then advanced towards the road bridge, bayonets fixed. The fighting was fierce, often hand-to-hand. Two hours after the river crossing, the Paras captured the rail bridge, inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. After another two hours, they held the north side of the rail bridge. At last, the tanks of the Grenadier Guards could roll across the river.

One Texan is on the monument at the Waal River, a PVT Louis Pounds Holt, from Bowie County.



Louis Pounds Holt was born on January 16, 1922, in Bowie County, Texas. He was the son of William Martin Holt and Elizabeth Steward Holt.

Louis served in Company H, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as a Pvt during World War II. He was Killed in action on September 20, 1944, during Operation Market Garden while participating in the Waal River crossing, the heroic crossing that liberated Nijmegen, The Netherlands. He was one of the 49 paratroopers killed during the assault on German positions on the opposite bank. Pvt Holt is now buried in the Old Salem Cemetery, New Boston, Bowie County, Texas, USA.

Airborne Monument Heelsum



On September 17, 1944, troops of the British 1st Airborne Division landed on the heath near Heelsum. This monument unveiled just one year later, was the first in the region erected by the population to commemorate the Battle of Arnhem.

The Airborne Monument in Heelsum consists of remnants of the airborne landings, such as equipment, airborne containers, and a cannon. It was put together entirely by volunteers. It originally stood on one of the
routes from the landing zones. When the road network was modified, it was moved to its current location.

Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein'



The Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein' shows the course of events during the Battle of Arnhem. This took place in September 1944 in the area between Ede and Arnhem and formed part of the Operation Market Garden. British, American, and Polish airborne troops were to take control of the river bridges from the Belgian border to Arnhem. The museum is situated in the former 'Hartenstein' Hotel. During the Battle of Arnhem, this hotel served as the headquarters of the British First Airborne Division, commanded by Major-General Roy Urquhart. The hotel was largely destroyed during the Second World War but was later restored. The Airborne Museum has occupied the building since 1980.

Airborne War Cemetery Oosterbeek



Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of 1,770 Allied troops. Most of them were killed during Operation Market Garden.

On 17 September 1944, the 1st Airborne Division began landing west of Arnhem, but German resistance, bad weather, and problems with supplies and reinforcements led to heavy losses, and their objectives were not taken. They were forced to form a perimeter at Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until 25 September, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine.
Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of most of those killed during the September landings and many of those killed in later fighting in the area. Both the Polish victims who fell on the north side of the Rhine and those who died near Driel on the south side found their final resting place at the Airborne War Cemetery in Oosterbeek.

From Driel to Oosterbeek
The Poles who died in Driel were with one exception buried in 1944 at the Catholic church in Driel. In August 1946, these victims were also transferred to Oosterbeek. They were buried at the edge at the back of the cemetery.

The Old Church





Many soldiers came back from Arnhem without having reached the bridge. Of these soldiers, from many different battalions, one new unit was formed. This unit was named Lonsdale Force, after Major Richard Lonsdale who commanded the unit. The Lonsdale Force defended the south-eastern corner of the perimeter and was constantly attacked by German troops. On Wednesday 20 September, the Lonsdale Force withdrew to the Old Church.

When the British units gave up their attempt to reach the bridge in Arnhem and withdrew to Oosterbeek, the Old Church was the first place where they could catch their breath. The Lonsdale Force was 500 men strong at this time and had three 17-pounder cannons at its disposal. This huddled group succeeded in keeping their positions near the Old Church until the evacuation over the Rhine.

The white house across the Old Church was the rectory which was inhabited by Jan and Kate ter Horst. During the Battle of Arnhem, the rectory became a medical post where hundreds of wounded were taken care off. The rectory and the Old Church were on the front line. This made it impossible to bury the deceased. After the battle, in the backyard of the rectory, a field grave was found with the bodies of 57 deceased soldiers.

White Ribbon Mile

Less known and often overlooked is the difficult and rapid withdrawal of soldiers from the perimeter in Oosterbeek to the Rhine. The challenging conditions under which this retreat took place are also frequently forgotten. In the dead of night from Monday, September 25 to Tuesday, September 26, 1944, over 2,300 soldiers had to retreat across the Rhine near Driel. This evacuation was codenamed Operation Berlin.

White ribbons along the route, made from parachutes, marked the path to the river. These ribbons became a lifeline for the soldiers. Losing sight of the ribbon or losing contact with the soldier ahead of you could mean getting lost or worse. A ribbon became a lifeline for these ordinary young men, these soldiers. Exhausted from the battles, they had to make their way through forests and floodplains to reach the banks of the Rhine. They were out of ammunition, hungry, and severely sleep-deprived. In the pitch-dark night, under pouring rain and relentless artillery fire, they had to find their way. They had lost an illusion as the Battle of Arnhem and the occupation of the bridge had failed. It was also heartbreaking to leave behind a devastated village and its wounded comrades. Almost all the remaining soldiers, predominantly British, gathered near the Old Church by the Rhine to attempt the crossing.

The Poles near Driel

On the south side of the Rhine, near the church tower, lies the village of Driel. On 21 September, over 1.000 Polish paratroopers landed here. The Polish soldiers, led by General Sosabowski, had to cross the Rhine to support the British troops in the perimeter.

The Polish brigade had been promised a ferry with which they could cross the Rhine to reach the British. Once in the Netherlands, however, the ferry proved to be unavailable. During the evening, the Polish troops attempted to reach the other side with a few rubber boats. The crossing was dangerous. The boats came under heavy German fire and the operation had to be abandoned. Only 150 soldiers managed to reach the other side.

Although only a small part of the Polish brigade could support the British troops, their presence was of great importance. The dropping of the Poles south of the Rhine caused the Germans to split their forces, not only to attack the perimeter but also to defend the road from Arnhem to Nijmegen. In addition, the Polish troops who managed to reach the perimeter provided much-needed relief and reinforcement.

Tafelberg



On Monday September 18, Van Maanen was accompanied by two medical officers of the British troops. They set up the Tafelberg as an operating point. During the first 48 hours of their stay, the officers carried out more than 60 operations. On Thursday 21 September, it was no longer possible to operate in the operation rooms. Due to continuous shootings, the ceilings of the rooms collapsed, but there were still plenty of wounded who needed help. In order to be able to operate, stretchers were placed on the billiard tables and served as operating tables.

On Sunday 24 September, about 1,200 wounded men were inside the perimeter. Chief Medical Officer, Colonel Graeme Warrack, managed to negotiate a short truce with the German troops to evacuate the wounded. For a few hours, it was possible to move the severely wounded soldiers from the Tafelberg and Hotel Schoonoord by jeep and stretcher to the St. Elisabeths Gasthuis and a hospital in Apeldoorn. However, this meant that these wounded soldiers were automatically made prisoners of war. The heavily injured soldiers at the medical posts elsewhere within the perimeter were not allowed to be evacuated. They had to remain there until the end of the battle.

'Out of ammunition. God Save the King.'
Final message from 2nd Bn the Parachute Regiment at Arnhem Bridge, 20 September 1944.

Airborne at the Bridge



The Battle of Arnhem, the biggest airborne landing operation of the Second World War, took place in and around Arnhem in September 1944. It formed part of Operation Market Garden. The goal of the Operation was for Polish, British and American airborne forces to capture the important bridges across the Dutch rivers so that ground troops could advance via these bridges. But the Operation failed…

Airborne at the Bridge introduces you to this violent chapter in our history and provides food for thought. This location stands for freedom and for the commemoration of everyone who fought for our freedom. Airborne at the Bridge is an annex of the Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek.

The road bridge at Arnhem





On 17 September 1944 around eight o'clock in the evening, about six hours after the airborne landings at Renkum, the first British airborne troopers arrive at the road bridge. Gradually more of them follow, and buildings on both sides of the embankment are taken and prepared for the defence. Several attacks are made to take the other side of the bridge, but none is successful. During the night, more British troops arrived at the bridge, and finally, around 750 men of the division managed to reach the road bridge.

From the very first night, German troops also arrive in the area. They surround the British positions around the bridge and ensure that no other British can reinforce them. The first, albeit limited, attacks on the British positions were also made at this time. The battle of the bridge, which is to last for more than three days, has begun.

From the following morning, the German attacks gradually become more systematic and heavier. Attacks are made from various directions. The best-known attack is made by part of a German reconnaissance battalion under the command of SS Hauptsturmfhrer Viktor Graebner. With his column of armoured vehicles, he tries to force a way across the bridge from the south bank on the morning of 18 September 1944. His group comes under heavy British fire, and almost his entire column is eliminated on the bridge during a battle that lasts two hours. Most German troops are killed or made prisoners of war. Viktor Graebner does not survive the attack.
As a result of this attack and other German attacks, the British ran out of ammunition fast. As they are surrounded, supplying new ammunition is impossible. Supplies have to be used with utmost care, and wherever possible, German weapons and ammunition are used. Time and again, the British manage to beat off the German attacks, but gradually they are pushed back into an ever-smaller area. The number of wounded is rising sharply.

When the first Tiger tanks arrived late Tuesday afternoon, the British had hardly any means left to defend themselves from them. The German tanks systematically demolished and set fire to the houses to drive off the British in this way. On Wednesday, the British are forced to withdraw completely into the heavily hit buildings on the west side of the bridge and finally in the gardens behind Frost's then headquarters, which today accommodates the East Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. By midnight, the last British tried to escape from the area, around 150 men in total, according to Major Tatham-Warter. But the battle for the road bridge is over. Of the 750 British soldiers who had managed to reach the bridge, 81 have been killed or have died of their injuries. Many others were wounded.