Creaking Door, is right. Additional to his argument, is that we should have learned the lessons the Germans learned from their airborne attack on Crete. Allied parachute soldiers who landed on the battlefield at Arnhem were scattered and lacking the means to deal with German armour.

Although we were warned by Dutch intelligence, we failed to heed their advice that there were a number of first rate German formations including at least one SS Panzer Division in the locality. The Wehrmacht was justly famed for its ability to swiftly respond to any threat and to mobilise for a usually efficient and immediate counter attack. And so it proved.

John Green