Well this is a bit difficult, as I cant say much different from Bart as we both saw the same things and shared the experience, so I thought I would post some pictures and just add bits here and there and hope I dont repeat what Bart has said

As I mentioned in Bart's topic the vets always say what a warm welcome they get in Holland, and I can see why after I was made to feel very welcome by Bart, Melien and little Pieter. I couldnt have asked for a better tour guide.




Memorial to the 1st Battalion Border Regiment at the Westerbouwing Restaurant, Oosterbeek.

A section of high ground overlooking the Rhine was defended by B Company during the battle. On September 21, B Company was attacked by enemy forces, including tanks in overwhelming numbers, and after suffering heavy casualties were forced to retreat towards Oosterbeek.

Despite gaining this vantage point, the German forces were still unable to break through the division’s perimeter.

The plaque, which is made of Lakeland slate, was commissioned by the 1st Battalion Border Regiment Veterans, who raised the funds for it and arranged transport to Holland.

The plaque is engraved with the Border Regiment badge, the Pegasus, and the Glider badge granted to the regiment in 1949 by King George VI and worn to this day.





This is a memorial to the 4th Dorset battalion who crossed the river from the South, just below the restaurant on the 24th-27th September to support and aid the 1st airborne.




View from the heights over Driel-Heveadorp ferry, you can see why the Germans wanted this area with the view it gives

and back in 1944





To the right


To the left towards Arnhem

The other week Bart and I were chatting to Brooke (chambers), we were telling Brooke about Bart's Shetland ponies. Well, I dont think she believed him but anyway I had to take a picture of Bart, in his grounds with his Shetland's. How he rides the poor things Ill never know and im sure Peiter will out grow them soon. I regret though that I did'nt take a picture of the Windmill he has also in his back garden.

Nice pictures Andy. I am curious to see some more pics.

Frank

The old Oosterbeek church or Lonsdale church, named after Major Richard (Dickie) Lonsdale, second in command of 11th Bn Parachute Regiment and who won the Distinguished Service Order at Primsole bridge in Sicily . He gathered the survivors of the fighting from the St Elisabeth Hospital near Arnhem inside the church and gave this speech

"You know as well as I do there are a lot of bloody Germans coming at us. Well, all we can do is to stay here and hang on in the hope that somebody catches us up. We must fight for our lives and stick together. We've fought the Germans before - in North Africa, Sicily, Italy. They weren't good enough for us then, and they're bloody well not good enough for us now. They're up against the finest soldiers in the world. An hour from now you will take up defensive positions north of the road outside. Make certain you dig in well and that your weapons and ammo are in good order. We are getting short of ammo, so when you shoot you shoot to kill. Good luck to you all"

Memorial in church grounds


Bart has already mentioned how lucky we were to get invited in by tour group of vets.

This is the couple that Bart mentions, they were lovely and full of chat





The Wessex division vet on the right gave me his addy, he was wounded near Hill 112 in Normandy. Im very interested to hear more about his war. Also the fields behind is where the divison had its artillery.

I have got a speech of Dickie Lonsdale on tape. He has bandages around his head and he can see with just one eye. At one moment he says to his men: "And shoot to kill". He didn't have any expression on his face (or what you can see from his face) so it looks like that he has no merci with his enemy.

Frank

Excellent photos, Andy. I particularly like the ones showing the view over the Driel-Heveadorp ferry. What a commanding view of the opposing riverbanks. Turkey shoot!

Steve

I know what you mean, no cover, trying to reach the river in mud, what a job

Thats a fine speech that Lonsdale gave there. Mustve been truly inspiring to the guys there who were no doubt very tired and a little scared at the time.
Good stuff as usual Andy

Nice job!!

You said it was a river right?

It almost looks like a road got flooded, or was that a dock?

Andy, you need to have your own TV series about your travels to these sacred places. Another fine photo journal.

Cheers!

Jim

The photos of the river do not do it justice, from that distance the river does not look wide at all. Get up close and you see its a very fast moving river in the middle.

Andy

That is true. I have been there myself a couple of years ago and it is really a fast moving river which is wide. When you are standing there you can imagine how difficult it was for the Americans to cross the river Waal at Nijmegen. It is almost the same.

Frank

A road? Well... if you're in a hot airballoon, all people look like ants Trust me on this one: the river is wide and very dangerous to swim across. But some Polish and British para's managed to do just that anyway back then.

by the looks and sounds of it you had a great trip and thx for the photos great shots, well done

What... in a barrell or something ?

Frank, a little more respect please! They crossed the river under heavy enemy fire in most cases.

Oh I am sorry. When I was reading that I had to think on George Luz who was talking to Skip Muck when he was saying that he swimmed across the niagra river.

My apologies.

Frank

I met a Polish vet last year at Amsterdam airport, he had swum across and went to report to HQ in the perimeter, he then had to swim back, which he did.

We then went site seeing

Crossroads

Well, how cute!

What a nice trip you had! I am so jealous.


Wasn't Eric Patience near Hill 112, also?

That's a whole different story indeed By the way... I've seen the Niagara Falls for myself a few years ago. It's NOT wider than the Rhine (it's just a 'little bit' higher ).

I am very jealous, the countryside there looks beautiful!!!

There are many monuments and memorials on the South side of the river for the British and Polish who tried to and did cross the river to help the Airborne, and many for the Americans for fighting on the Island after the Operation.

This one is for the 7th battlaion Hampshire regiment



43rd Wessex Division was to advance to the Rhine to gain a more secure grip on the southern river bank, with a view to mounting crossing operations. 130 Brigade was tasked with this operation, having been relieved at the Nijmegen bridge by 69 Brigade of 50th Division. They took up positions either side of 5 DCLIs on the banks near Driel. 7th Hampshire and 5th Dorsets moved, in vehicles, via the minor road network that bisected the Island protected to the west by the 43rd Recce Regiment screen. However, from the east the battalions were engaged by artillery and tank fire until Elst and the railway line were smoked off. During the afternoon, 4th Dorsets, having been relieved by the Royal Netherlands Brigade at the Grave Bridge, rejoined 130 Brigade and took up positions in Homeot as Brigade Reserve. Meanwhile, the two remaining battalions of214 Brigade were waiting to advance across the tail of 130 Brigade and attack the enemy bastion in the large village of Elst. 1st Worcesters were to advance from overnight positions in Valbourg, while 7 Somerset Light Infantry moved from the smoking ruins of Ousterhout to a line of departure south of 1st Worcesters. H hr was delayed and despite considerable preparation the Worcesters were only able to gain a foothold in the edge of the village by last light. 7 Somerset Light Infantry penetrated the German line south of Elst and positioned a company astride the Nijmegen Arnhem road, where they were able to ambush German transport. By taking up this position, German positions that had prevented any significant advance up CLUB route since the morning of 21 September by the IGG and 129 Brigade, were outflanked. The Poles took the much delayed assault boats, originally intended for the 4th Dorsets, who returned to Brigade Reserve.

The key event of the day was the cutting of the Corridor at Koevering by the enemy, which denied forward elements of 30 Corps combat supplies and reinforcements until the 26th. The decisions made by commanders on the Island on the 24th must be seen against the background of what was happening to the rear. It was not a practical proposition to mount a major crossing operation with a shortage of stores into a bridgehead of questionable military value. The military principal of not reinforcing failure was applied. Fighting in Elst continued unabated, with every room and house being fought for by 1 Worcester and the Wilts to their South. Having decided that pursuing MARKET GARDEN was not feasible, the proposed crossing operation by 130 Brigade was scaled down to a single battalion crossing, with a view to facilitating the evacuation of the airborne forces, by securing the dominating Westerbouwing heights. 4 Dorsets, with additional medical assets, were deployed onto the river banks. The Division's assault boats had been used by the Poles the night before and destroyed. Therefore, further boats had to be brought from the Engineer field park north of the enemy block of CLUB route. The Battalion was in position by 2130 hours, ready to take over their assault boats for an H hour of 2200. The boats did not arrive until after midnight and it was not until 0100 hours that the first wave of boats was launched. In addition to the fire of a well prepared enemy, who were expecting a crossing, the speed of the river's current had, as had been forecast, increased rapidly and made the operation doubly difficult. It is estimated that approximately 75 members of the Battlegroup were to become casualties in the one and a half hours of the crossing. Boats were holed by machine gun fire and turned over by exploding shells. Some were swept way down stream but in excess of 300 Dorsets reached the far bank but they were spread out over nearly 1,000 metres and never assembled in sufficient strength to develop into a cohesive force. Small groups did reach the crest where they were quickly surrounded.

Polish memorial Driel













Lonsdale Church and Kate ter Horst's house from the South bank of the river



Andy

Yes but what about the Shetlands Brooke?

Eric? He certainly was Brooke not far from where he got wounded, many of the original Wessex men alive today seem to have suffered woundings on or around Hill 112, well remembered

Andy

Nice pictures with the bridge at the background.

Well, since you called me on it.... They're adorable, too.

Brooke

Trying to play catch up with Bart now

Im sure some of you will recognize this arch


We seemed to be timing everything to perfection, we did this at the Lonsdale church with the tour group and then as we were looking at the arch, we heard engines in the sky and saw a Dakota. We had heard that there was to be a Polish drop near Driel so we got into the car and headed North back to the river.
We made it just in time to watch some modern day Polish Paras jumping




Back on the road we head towards Arnhem



St Elizabeths hospital is mentioned often in Arnhem books, and one of the veteran jumpers last year, Ray Sheriff was treated there eventually, and the battle left him blind.

On the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, BBC News Online talks to veteran Ray Sheriff who was blinded by a mortar bomb there.

To mark the occasion, the 83-year-old ex-paratrooper has returned to the Netherlands to make a tandem parachute jump.

When Ray Sheriff joined the airborne assault over Arnhem, he had already seen more than his fair share of action in the five years he had been in the Army.


Most notably, he had already survived "a bullet in the chest" from a German soldier after being dropped, along with his colleagues from the 3rd Parachute Battalion, into Tunis in 1943 in an attempt to "clear the Germans and Italians out of the hills".

His life was possibly saved by the ID tags and two school sports medals he was carrying in the chest pocket of his shirt.

He made a full recovery.

In 1944, the battalion returned to the flat ground of Spalding in Lincolnshire, or "little Holland " as it was dubbed, to train and prepare for Arnhem.


At about 1400 GMT on 17 September 1944, Ray, who lives in Rottingdean, East Sussex, joined about 16,500 other paratroops in jumping from their planes to descend on Arnhem.


Overwhelming defeat

"I had a good jump and my battalion had an unopposed landing," he says.


Ray and his colleagues began the eight-mile journey to the massive road bridge in Arnhem which spanned the Lower Rhine - the "bridge too far" as it became known - but, after making good progress, they became embroiled in a battle with German soldiers.

The next thing he remembers is being hit in the face by what he believes was an exploding mortar bomb.

"It knocked me over.

"It just felt as though someone had thrown a handful of gravel into my eyes.

"I started, wrongly, to rub my eyes but there were cuts all over my head.

"I was a bloody mess. I just kept rubbing and then my eyesight went completely into black."


Over the coming days, the British tried desperately to ferry the wounded the eight long miles to St Elizabeth's Hospital in Arnhem.

By this time they were on their way to an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Germans who had been tipped off about the attack - "We didn't stand a chance", says Ray.

The wounded were carried to Dutch houses where they hid out.

Whenever there was a break in gunfire, a Red Cross jeep would drive them towards the hospital until it resumed, when they would hide out again.

After three days of travelling towards help in this painfully slow manner, Ray was shot in the right leg.

He says that by the time he reached St Elizabeth's, the British dead and wounded had reached 75%.

Eye specialist

Upon arrival, the British troops were to find that the hospital was under German control.

He was treated at St Elizabeth's before being allowed by the Germans to be transferred to hospitals in Apeldoorn and then Utrecht, where he was treated by a professor who was one of the world's leading eye specialists at the time.

It was here that he learned he would never regain his sight.

"After I got hit, I think I probably thought I would see again but when I got to the professor he told me I would never see again.

"But then he told me he said 'you should count yourself lucky you're not totally deaf as well', which I agree with because to be totally deaf as well, I would have lost the social side of it."

An operation on his right leg proved successful despite doctors initially telling him it would have to be amputated.

After being allowed some recovery time in Utrecht, he was taken to the Stalag XIB camp in Germany as a prisoner of war.

When the war ended in 1945, he returned to England and was firstly treated at Stoke Mandeville Hospital before moving to Church Stratton, in Shropshire, the then headquarters of the St Dunstan's charity.

St Dunstan's aims to provide "an independent future for blind ex-service men and women" and it was here that Ray learned Braille, typing and numerous other skills to prepare him for life as a blind man.

Ray is philosophical about what he has made of his life since being told he would never see again.

"When you're 23 and you've got your life before you, you've got challenges.

"You've got to make a living, you've got to make a family. If you're a normal person, you get on with it."


With the help of a loan from the charity, Ray was able to set himself up in business as a tobacconist.

He then worked as a telephony engineer in Gloucester until his retirement in 1980.

After his first wife died, he returned to St Dunstan's - which by then had relocated to Brighton - where he met his second wife Betty, a care assistant there.

Ambition achieved

Ray had harboured an ambition to parachute jump again ever since he was first blinded.

He realised this ambition on his 70th birthday in 1990 when, strapped to a "tandem master", he jumped out of a plane over Yorkshire.

Further jumps for charity followed and in 1994 he joined 60 other veterans, leaping into the same area of the Netherlands he did all those years ago, to mark the 50th anniversary of Arnhem.

He said the 60th anniversary jump would "definitely" be his last "because when you get to my age you don't need so many challenges".

Parachuting has always made him nervous because, he says, "if a good actor is not nervous they usually don't perform so well".

And he said he was not going on the jump to remember the events of Arnhem 60 years ago.

"Somebody said to me 'do you go back there on the anniversaries to remember things?'. But I don't need to go.

"Every time I open my eyes in the morning I remember."

Ray jumped alongside nine other veterans from an American Dakota aircraft at 3,000ft on Saturday.


After the jump, he said: "It was an amazing experience. We had to come out of the plane very quickly and we did not have time for any drill. It was a bit of a scramble but it was very good.

"Today is a happy day because there are so many people here, though so many of us didn't make it and they can never be forgotten.

"They would for sure be jumping here today if they were still alive."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3644356.stm


Bart down the back alley behind the house where Major General RE Urquhart hid
http://www.arnhemarchive.org/roy_urquhart.htm

Nice report Andy. Are you winning or losing against Bart ? But anyway I love the pictures and I wish that I could be there too.

Frank

Always loosing Frank, he is head and shoulders above

Andy

Great find about Sheriff, Andy. Why didn't you tell me that earlier?

About Schoonderlogt... I don't know what everyone else think, but I was a bit disappointed to see what they did to the right house. It has huge, modern windows now. Understandable... it's nicer to live in now. But also a bit disappointing because it's not like the original anymore.

Right I got a bit wrong, before we went to Arnhem we called in again on Lonsdale church just incase anything was going on, well there were a few people about and we got chatting to this vet, he told me not to call him Sir he had fought around the church and around the ter Horst's house. he told us that the old tree outside the church is known as the miracle tree. It died because of the battle and then it started growing again from the inside years later, he did say a date but memory fails me. I thought it was hilarious that this old vet told me a joke in the church about hedgehogs and contraception devices (ill let you work out which)



We also bumped in to Henry, as Bart has mentioned he reads some of the posts here. "Are you Ham and Jam?" he said


Off to Arnhem Airborne memorial












Finally get to shake Bill's hand as he passes by us

Bill Fulton Arnhem

Audience listening to the band playing Parachute regiment music

Great stuff, Andy. Schoonderlogt looks beautiful restored, doesn't it?

Andy, Bart never took me to behind or even in front of the Urquhart house!! I want my money back! Oh, I forgot. Bart took me all over below the Rijn. Never mind.

Thanks very much for fleshing out the story of the British/Polish relief attempt operations on the south side of the Rhine. There is soooo much to know. BK

I am sorry, I should have specified that I was talking about the older picture, there is what seems to be a road leading to the river.

Strange really as Bart has mentioned we often paid a visit or drove past the Hollow on the edge of the Oosterbeek perimeter. Not many men survived from 156 brigade that fought around there. So it seems strange that quite a few of the vets who signed my book were 156 brigade, as soon as they wrote that, I said "so, was you at the hollow?" They looked up smiled and said yes. A smile that sort of said, yes, and dont I remember.

One of the vets we met at the Para drop was there, his name is Ken Fleet, 6 platoon B company 156 para brigade, not only that but also 21 SAS.







While the gang were off getting their caffeine fix, I went and spoke to this chap who was stood all on his own. He was quite difficult to understand with his broad
Lancashire accent. He told me he was with 10th para and had landed on this very heath (Ginkel heath) where we were standing. He told me that he could take me to the exact place where he landed and that he could still smell the burning heather. Half the heath was on fire and when some of the Paras jumped they were jumping into the smoke and fire. He was stood up for ages and then all of sudden he passed out and some medics were called, he was sat down and eventually looked alot better.

Another veteran who I had met last year at the Oosterbeek war cem service was back again. He is Arthur Winstanley and amazingly he had tandom jumped last year for the 60th. He is mentioned on page 236 of Martin Middlebrooks excellent book on Arnhem.


Arthur watching the jump


Bart getting his book signed by Arthur





Amazingly another 10th Para vet who had jumped on the heath, and again accompanied by his Dutch carer, who was very proud of him and wanted to tell me what he had done.

Nice pictures and stories (again ) Andy. It is a little bit strange to me that the veteran with the Lancashire accent was standing alone. I would think that he would join his friends and take a look at the parachute droppings. But maybe he just wants to be alone and remember fallen comrades.

Frank

Spot on Andy! Very sharp observation... it's exactly what I thought as well. Only a few dozen men of the 156 survived the battle. I think that they promised themselves to 'keep on surviving' ever since. That's the only explanation I have for the fact that we met relativly many "Hollow" veterans... or it must have been because we were extremely lucky

Andy,
Yet another great report on your tour. Don't know if you have finished it yet, but keep up the good work. After 5 days in that lovely part of Holland, it's a big crash back down to earth when you get back to Blighty. Oh the memories of Holland!!

Chris....

I know what you mean Chris, back to the everyday slog of life

Always next year though, something to look forwards to

Andy

Hi, Andy,
You and Bart, seem to have had a really great time on you trip to Holland, I can only repeat to you what i have just said to Bart,"thanks for great pictures and story lines and comments, i have just taken a look at Barts Topic, by the the time i had reached the bottom of page 1, i was so emotional, i just about managed page 2, i just could not read anymore.

Some really great panoramic views across the river, it looks so, tranquil and peace full, its hard to believe that 61 years ago, it was just a vast "KILLING" fields.

What i can confirm Andy is just how strong and dangerous the current was in that river, so much so that i find it incredabile and very hard to believe that anyone actualy swam across it, not just one way but both ways????.

When i first went up to Arnham, it was to rescue as many battle weary Paras as possible,we then quite quickly changed from lorrys to DUKWS, ready to cross the Rhine, once the Airbourne Troops had land on the other side.
My first crossing, i under estimated the real strenth of the current and ended up missing my intended exit on the far bank by quite a long way, however we soon learned to ajust to cope with the strong current, i did make several crossings, carrying all manner of supplies, and man power.
LEN.

Thanks very much Len, yep it was great, and of course thats all thanks to Bart, and of course the weather as it stayed dry and most of the time sunny.

I did think of you Len when I was looking at that river and also your brother who was with the Paras. Not being a good swimmer myself Len im even doubly amazed anyone swam it. I have read that many of the men drowned in the attempt or were swept down river only to be machine gunned by the Germans.

Its amazing how many new stories are still coming out, you would think 61 years later it would all be told by now. But there are still vets returning for the first time, some have never spoken about what happened and of course they shed new light
on things especially when its thought there are no survivors alive from certain firefights and battles.

We bumped into a chap who was coming out of a hotel that the Paras had nicknamed "The white house". He told us that it was not the white house and that its further down the road. Although having got back every book ive got calls it the white house

Anyway he had interviewed a vet the night before, for an up and coming new book. This vet was a sniper and was looking through his sights on a front door. All of a sudden a German officer appeared and stood in the doorway, BANG the sniper shot him and the German fell back into doorway and that was that. A while later the sniper was still watching this house and the same German appreared again at the front door as though nothing had happened apart from that he was wearing a bandage on his head. This time the vet shot him again.

The chap who was interviewing him said the vet was quite serious and most annoyed that he had not killed him the first time and had to use another round in doing so.

Well I hope I got that right.

Thanks again Len

Andy

Great pictures, great stories.

Thanks

When you are heading south there is another lovely part of Holland , but I know what you mean Chris. The big difference between these parts is that here were no fightings (luckily) and we were liberated very easily but overthere was a major battlefield which has more rememberance and history than here in the south.

Frank

Lionel Queripel Second-in-Command of the 10th Battalion's A Company.





Taken from Queripel's citation for a Victoria Cross

In Holland on 19th September 1944, Captain Queripel was acting as company commander of a composite company composed of three Battalion The Parachute Regiments.

At 1400 hours on that day, his company was advancing along a main road which ran on an embankment towards Arnhem. The advance was conducted under continuous machine gun fire which, at one period, became so heavy that the company became split on either side of the road and suffered considerable losses. Captain Queripel at once proceeded to reorganise his force, crossing and recrossing the road whilst doing so, under extremely heavy and accurate fire. During this period he carried a wounded sergeant to the Regimental Aid Post under fire and was himself wounded in the face.

Having organised his force, Captain Queripel personally led a party of men against a strong point holding up the advance. This strong point consisted of a capture British anti-tank gun and two machine-guns. Despite the fire directed at him, Captain Queripel succeeded in killing the crews of the machine-guns and also recapturing the anti-tank gun. As a result of this the advance was able to continue.

Later in the same day Captain Queripel found himself cut off with a small party of men and took up position in a ditch. By this time he had received further wounds in both arms. Regardless of his wounds and of the very heavy mortar and Spandau fire, he continued to inspire his men to resist with hand grenades, pistols and the few remaining rifles.

As, however, the enemy pressure increased, Captain Queripel decided that it was impossible to hold the position any longer and ordered his men to withdraw. Despite their protests, he insisted on remaining behind to cover their withdrawal with his automatic pistol and a few remaining hand grenades.

This was the last occasion on which he was seen.

During the whole period of nine hours of confused and bitter fighting Captain Queripel displayed the highest standard of gallantry under the most difficult and trying circumstances. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were magnificent and an inspiration to all.

We were treated to a very close up drop by the Red Devils, as Bart mentioned they jumped very high, especially compared to the 400ft they were jumping at Ginkel heath.

The Hollow or 4 brigades hole



This marker is in honour of the men of the 156th battalion and Brigadier Hackett who took command of what was left of them at this time. Hackett landed with 2,500 men and when they were forced to take cover in the hollow they were down to just 150.

Before the fighting in and around the hollow took place Hackett was having a torrid time around the woods at Wolfheze. He decided that he needed to pull out and join the other remnants in the Oosterbeek perimeter. Heading for the Utrechtseweg they came under heavy machine gun fire, everytime hacketts men tried to outflank the German posistions they just met heavier opposistion. One company made it to some houses leading down to a place called Wolfhezerweg but they could not advance anymore as they were being fired on by self propelled guns (artillery on tank chasis).

Hackett realised that he had bumped a strong German force heading towards Oosterbeek from the West. He turned his axis of advance towards Valkenberglaan and credit to the men under his command they were still as Hackett describes, "handling beautifully".

As the men advanced through the woods on the Western edge of the Oosterbeek perimeter they were engaged by German tanks and SP's, many men and officers were killed as the German armour fired into the woods. As the men took cover, two jeeps were spotted parked next to each other. One which was loaded with ammunition was on fire, and the one next to it had a wounded Para laying on a trailer attached to the jeep, this soldier was a Lt Colonel. As the men hugged the ground getting what cover they could, Hackett raced from the trees to the wounded mans jeep and drove it away.

Despite the heavy losses the brigade were fighting back ferociously, Hackett ordered his men to attack a group of Germans who were in a tree lined depression lying alongside the Valkenberglaan road, bayonets were fixed and the Paras chased the Germans out.

They stayed in this depression for the rest of the day holding back the Germans who had surrounded them. As the marker describes, "Sp's and flame throwers" would roll up to the hollows edge, fire into it and withdraw. Snipers were now climbing trees and taking thier toll on the men inside the depression. Hackett had had enough and led the men in a bayonet charge through the German defense.
Vets of this charge have said how the Germans who were in the way of this charge looked terrified of the dirty faced smock wearing paratroopers as they charged towards them screaming. Hacketts men made it to the company posistion of the Border regiment just to the East of the Hartenstein hotel.

Bart has mentioned how we met a couple at the hollow who told us about one man who was left behind, again, more untold stories that are still coming to the surface all these years later.










We commented on the state of this tree and that it must have some tales to tell of what went on below it in the Hollow.

I bet they did. For me, this year was the first time I heard and read about all those stories about Hackett's Hollow. And I somehow don't believe I've heard the last one... we met lots of people who said they were working on a book (and interviewing vets). Let's hope that some untold stories will be told in the years to come, so we can remember the men and their sacrifices.

Amen to that mate

If you visit the Hartenstein hotel or Airborne museum, the building is flanked by 17 pounder anti tanks guns like this one with a Polish vet sat on the support leg at the back.



Well there is a bit of history to these guns, the one above was found in 1945 on Sonnenberglaan in Oosterbeek. The gun and its crew landed in the second drop on LZ X. On the 18th the guns were used in many posistions around the Ede to Arnhem railiway line. After being shot up by German aircraft the guns were taken into the perimeter at Oosterbeek. The one above was used just opposite the Hartenstein and was fired upon by a German tank, the gun crew returned fire knocking the tank out.

The gun on the otherside of the museum, has a big dent/blast on the gun shield. This one was used by P Troop, 1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery RA and was in action next to the Oosterbeek church, its tractor which pulled it into posistion was found outside the Ter Horst home. The gun was in position on the crossroads of Benedendorpsweg-Veerweg and it covered the Westerbouwing and the Oude Oosterbeekseweg approach. Half the crew were killed during the fighting by a direct hit, and non RA men helped to man the gun with the survivors.

When a German armoured car came round the bend the crew opened fire, hit and stopped the vehicle in its tracks, the recoil mechanism jammed, locking the shell case in the chamber where it rests till this day.

Monument to the 1st Battalion Norfolk regiment, 3rd Divison Monty's Iron Sides




This map shows the Overloon - Venraij road which crosses the Molen Beek. Ive marked where the monument above is, and more importantly to me as we travelled along the road, its where Brian got blown up while collecting the Companies battle orders at night, near the Molen Beek.

I hope you dont mind brian but I borrowed this from you as it explains your movements in this area at the time.


Brian Guy

The arrows on the map show the advance of the Norfolks

After numerous moves the Royal Norfolk's settled at Overloon by the Overloon - Venraij road and suffered 212 men killed, wounded and missing in just 4 days. After weeks of local patrolling and small attacks the Battalion had captured Ousterham and Wanssum and by Christmas they had found themselves at Haps occupying a length of the Maas river.




This picture is taken looking at the river from the North looking South and looking East along the river.

I love that Norfolk memorial... "may peace and freedom be their living memorial"...beautiful.

Great thread, Boys.

--J

Vets starting to enter the Oosterbeek war cem




This veteran was with his son who was carrying flowers, the vet was looking for a fallen commrade, i watched as he searched for the grave.









I took this picture and thought the lady with the grey hair must have been visiting the grave of a husband or brother, on inspection after it was indeed her husband


Flower children starting to arrive












After the ceremony, Bart took Melien and Pieter back to the car and said he would meet me at the cafe, I wondered round the cem for quite a while watching the veterans and families visiting graves, I chatted to some of the vets and saw a few from the para drop the day before. My eyes filled up as I watched veterans standing next to grave stones who were wiping tears away with hankies, or some saying a few words and others saluting. I did not feel right in taking pictures so I just observed. I then met Henry again who seemed to be doing a similar thing to me, just wandering round watching what was going on and reading some of the messages on the wreaths.

Andy