Market Garden…

hi,morning,
thanks GliderSpit I will keep a close eye on that… another tit-bit about Jimmy Edwards on one of his glider towing missions, the tow cable got looped around his tail wheel on the way, which would rightly have meant releasing the glider, but he stopped the glider pilot from releasing and slowed down till the loop dropped away then gradually took up the slack, and carried on to the drop-zone!

For those who don’t have the chance to come to the 70th commemorations, with a couple of volunteers we try to cover as many OMG events as possible on www.wo2actueel.nl.

The Race for the Rhine Bridges 1940, 1944, 1945: By Alexander McKee

Covers the matter very well – naming

Troop Leader – Sergeant Robinson – Sherman Firefly

Lance Sergeant Billingham – 75mm Sherman – when Robinsons radio went out he took over Billinghams Sherman

Sergeant Pacey – 75mm Sherman

Lance Sergeant Knight – 75mm Sherman

As second in command Lord Carrington would cross immediately after Robinson’s Troop – also one light recce car carrying Lt A G C Jones, commanding 1 Troop, 14 Field Squadron Royal Engineers, whose job was to “delouse” the bridge after it had been captured.

Put “First tank across Nijmegen bridge” in to Google and it gives a good link to the book, where you can “read all about it” as they say.

Allan

I’ll be on Ginkel heath on Saturday for the para drop and in the Oosterbeek cemetery on Sunday for the commemorative service. I defy any man not to be moved by the hundreds of Dutch school children placing flowers on the graves.

We were there a week before the 50th Anniversary in 1994, a lovely setting. A very hot day if I remember correctly
when we visited the nearby Hartenstein Airborne Museum .

the men who actually ran the gauntlett at Nijmegen Waalbridge, September 20, 1944

I was in Nimjegan in 1994 for the 50th anniversary ,there was a parade of tanks etc over the bridge and I was amongst the thousands of dutch people many who were in tears….so was I couldn’t help it!Lord Carrington was in the lead tank as he was on the day .

It was an all Sergeant (non-commissioned officers), C/O commanding Troop (1st, 1st Squadron, 2BN, Guards Armoured Division. When required I can disclose their four names. Unfortunately I do know only a few more names of the highly respected 19 Grenadier Guardsmen in their four Sherman tanks crossing initially this roadbridge
A certain Capt. Carrington, 2nd i/c, did approach the bridge at least an half hour thereafter, when the situation was more or less stabilized. The latter with the aid of American paratroopers; 3rd Bn, 504 PIR, 82nd ‘All American” USABD.

Probably this reaction may disturb a developing mythe.

I’ll be on Ginkel heath on Saturday for the para drop and in the Oosterbeek cemetry on Sunday for the commemoritive service. I defy anyman not to be moved by the hundreds of dutch school children placing flowers on the graves.

as you say very moving, and they are not obliged in doing it, they do it out of respect as there parents did it before them. I,ve been on the heath for the drop before but due to family illness can,t manage it this year, if you take any photo,s it would be great to see them. I believe the B of B Flt. C.47 is over for it.

I was in Nimjegan in 1994 for the 50th anniversary ,there was a parade of tanks etc over the bridge and I was amongst the thousands of dutch people many who were in tears….so was I couldn’t help it!Lord Carrington was in the lead tank as he was on the day .

I’ll be on Ginkel heath on Saturday for the para drop and in the Oosterbeek cemetry on Sunday for the commemoritive service. I defy anyman not to be moved by the hundreds of dutch school children placing flowers on the graves.

…and on a personal level, the men who left the mushroom farm at Wethersfield (I can see the potential for ribald humour). A relation apparently did General Urquhart’s laundry for him… Dad would have seen the sky black with tugs and gliders.

I don’t know who is aware of this, but a movie was made in 1946: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theirs_Is_the_Glory

Adrian