Remembering WW2 Operation Market Garden

On the 17th - 25th September 1944 during WW2, Operation Market was a paratrooper assault launched to secure key bridges in the Netherlands and Germany. Still standing today as the largest airborne operation of all-time in aid of isolating Ruhr, Germany's industrial heart by cutting off access to bridges across two arms of the Rhine and bridges across the Maas. This tactic ensured a swift access point into North Germany for the allied troops.

Paratropers landing during Operation Market Garden

Initial success was achieved from the operation with bridges between Eindhoven and Nijmegen being taken control of. When the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal at Son got destroyed, it delayed the capture of the main road bridge over the Meuse until the 20th September.

The British 1st Airborne Division faced adversity, far stronger than they had planned for, when only a small contingent had to hold the Arnham road bridge until the 21st. The expected support ground units failed to add their help to the 1st Airborne Division. The remaining section of the division had to be evacuated on the 25th after getting trapped in a small pocket west of the bridge.

Failing to advance over the river Rhine in large numbers meant that the allies had to wait for the advances at Remagen, Oppenheim, Rees and Wesel in March 1945. If Market Garden had been the hoped success it wasn't, it was expected the war would of finished in 1944.

Paratroopers during Operation Market Garden

The event is always commemorated with the laying of wreaths at monuments key to the Market Garden operation and there is usually parachuting displays of paratroopers. Below is a list of proposed list of events that are subject to change at any time.

Sunday 12 September 2010

Battlefield Tour - OOSTERBEEK
25th Bridge to Bridge Run - ARNHEM MARKET SQUARE

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Arrival Arnhem 1944 Veterans - Zalencentrum Lebret - OOSTERBEEK

Friday 17 September 2010

Wreath Laying - Airborne Monument Hartenstein- OOSTERBEEK
Coffee Concert - Airborne Museum - OOSTERBEEK
Commemoration at Grave Bakhuis-Roozeboom by Dutch Commando Troop
OOSTERBEEK
Wreath Laying - Airborne Monument – HEELSUM
Commemoration - Airborne Monument – ARNHEM
Get Together – ARNHEM
Airborne Tattoo on the market place - EDE

Saturday 18 September 2010

Arnhem Memorial Day - Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum
Para Dropping by Pathfindergroup Europe - Boltweg - DRIEL
Commemoration at Polish Monument - Polenplein(Plac Polski) - DRIEL
5th Gen. Stanislaw Sosabowski Tour with as guest Mike Sosabowski - DRIEL
Commemoration at the Engineers Monument - DRIEL
Para Dropping by Pathfindergroup Europe - Engineers Monument - DRIEL
Polish Service in the Catholic Church - Kerkstraat - DRIEL
Airborne Battle Wheels Race to the Bridge - Telefoonweg - RENKUM
Para Dropping - Ginkel Heath - EDE
Wreath Laying - Ginkel Heath - EDE
Memorial Airshow - Ginkel Heath - EDE
Torches Defile and old vehicles- Townhall Square - EINDHOVEN
Live Music on the Square at Cafe-Restaurant Schoonoord - OOSTERBEEK
Tattoo at the townhall square - OOSTERBEEK

Sunday 19 September 2010

Service in the Old Church - OOSTERBEEK
Commemoration - Airborne Cemetery - OOSTERBEEK
Airborne Battle Wheels Oosterbeek March to the Cemetery - OOSTERBEEK
Wreath Laying - Air Despatch Monument - OOSTERBEEK
Liberation Festival Remember September with Music - Liberation Museum - GROESBEEK

Sunday 20 September 2010

Liberation Concert - Petrus Canisius Church - NIJMEGEN
Saturday 23 October 2010
27th Pegasus March - OTTERLO

(We take no responsibility for any inconvenience that may occur due to changes to the events listed).

The main places the memorials are taking place are all easily accessible. If you wanted to get to Arnhem, it has a main railway station – Arnhem railway station, which is serviced by several intercity lines and the ICE toDüsseldorf and further on to Frankfurt. Oosterbeek has its own railway station too. Dreil is a small village close to Arnhem that can also be reached by pedestrians and cyclists on a solar powered ferry from Oosterbeek .

Museums to visit while your there include:

Airborne Museum Hartenstein, Oosterbeek - The museum contains Allied and German weapons, and is dedicated to British and Polish paratroopers. - www.airbornemuseum.org

Wings of Liberation Museum, Best, Einhoven - This museum contains audio-visuals and memorabilia documenting the breakout of the war. The museum park is situated where members of the 101st US Airborne Division landed as part of Operation Market Garden. - www.wingsofliberation.nl – Open Daily 10.00 – 17.00 (Winter months weekends only) Closed 25 & 31 December & Jan 1st.

National Liberation Museum 1944-45, Groesbeek – This Museum commemorates the liberation of Netherlands after the Armistice - ww.bevrjdingsmuseum.nl – Open Monday – Saturday 10.00-17.00; Sundays and holidays 12.00-17.00.

Arnhem War Museum 40-45, Ashaarsergen, Arnhem – A vast array of equipment, objects, vehicles and uniforms are on display in this museum – www.arnhemwarmuseum.tripod.com – Open Tuesdays – Sundays: 10.00-17.00. Closed Mondays, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

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Remembering WW2 Operation Market Garden