Remember Operation Market Garden

[slammer_JvA]

LEST WE FORGET...

+++ 17 september 1944 +++

60 years after "A bridge too far" at Arnhem....

Today we remember and honour the proud allied forces and our heroes from a.o. the 1st British airborne division.Their paratroopers commenced their descend behind enemy German lines some 8 miles to the west of Arnhem on 17 september 1944, with the object of forming a bridgehead North of the lower Rhine.
The second battalion of the parachute division fought its way into Arnhem and occupied the buildings which commanded the site of the Arnhem bridge.
Here it was joined by elements of other units of the division.

For three days and four nights the bridge was held against far greater numbers of the 2nd German SS Panzer Corps, until, with all ammunition expended, with few survivors unwounded, and all buildings around them destroyed, they were finally overwhelmed.


Thousands of them fought a hard battle and ended up giving their lifes for our freedom.


Although this operation failed - it proved to be 'one bridge too far'...- this is a day to always remember, and be grateful of.
The end of WW2 was near and hope was restored.

We thank our liberators;
British, Americans, Canadians(!), Polish, Australians, NewZealanders, and all others, with all our hearts and souls!


To the memory of these heroes, who by their sacrifice initiated the liberation of the Netherlands:

Here's a tribute (http://www.rememberseptember44.com/)


Regards,
slammer

[slammer_JvA]

The narrow road across the bridges to bypass the Siegfried defense line proved to become a logistic nightmare.

Traffic jams together with communicationproblems and a non-reliable (poor) intelligence led to defeat at Arnhem, in this joined airforce+army operation...

[FanJ]

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Remember them together with ALL who gave their lives and with ALL who suffered so much then and now; man, woman, children

May there be PEACE in our hearts

Shalom

[slammer_JvA]

More backgroundinfo and pictures can be found at

http://www.marketgarden.com/ (don't skip intro!)

For an animation of the operation click:

www.marketgarden.com/new/swf.htm (http://www.marketgarden.com/new/swf.htm)

[Devinco]

Thank you Slammer.

[Fire-Ant]

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.
Nelson Mandela (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand131681.html)

[Cochise]

Big Thanks Slammer......it never ceases to amaze me how the Dutch (God Bless 'em) and other European Countries appreciate and Celebrate the efforts made by the 'Paras' of the Countries involved in the attempt to liberate people of this World from Tyranny and yet Politicians seem Hell-bent on repeating the dreadful mistakes of History......maybe one day??...........


May your Gods smile on you all.......and remember......if we should EVER forget.....History WILL repeat itself......Trouble is History never seems to repeat the GOOD stuff.......Hope this isn't considered to be Political in any way.............it's just that I think we all deserve better.....I LOVE my fellow man........and this Forum proves me right all the time......


8)
Cochise,

[cherokee]

Thanks slammer. I know I don't get enough good history in school these days.

[slammer_JvA]

Prince Charles of Wales,
colonel in chief of the parachute regiment, together with Her Royal Majesty Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands
attended a memorial service (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14651154&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=back-to-the-bridge-name_page.html) today at the British Military Cemetry at Oosterbeek -near Arnhem.

More background here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3623680.stm) and here. (http://www.itn.co.uk/rssnews/index_113914.html)

[slammer_JvA]

Finally, for those who want to grasp some idea of the history and impact of these events, I'd like to refer to the classic movie "A bridge too far" (http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/moviereview/item_7176.html) (1977) by director Richard Attenborough.

A lengthy and exhaustive look at the mechanics of warfare and the price and futility of war.
The impressive cast includes Sean Connery, Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Dirk Bogarde and Liv Ullmann among others.

[iceni60]

this is something worth reading
http://www.marketgarden.com/new/vc/vc2.htm