Another trip to Arnhem

[Marcel]

I recently did a trip to the battle fields of Arnhem. One of kids in the neighborhood is totally facinated by the John Frost bridge. I told him I could show quite a bit more than the bridge alone and so I took him and his father on a sightseeing tour around Oosterbeek. Our friend Karl, ( rochie ) asked me to take some photo's, so I did.
So the trip started at the Genkelse heide, scene of the landings on the second day, through Wolfheze, passing the first landingfield, then to the Westerbouwing, the high point in the area and for days the western border of the perimeter. From there onwards to the old church in Oosterbeek, scene of the Airborn's last stand. After that we went to the bridge, following John Frost's route, and also visited the Duivelshuis nearby where you can still see the bullet holes. It was the place where the Germans kept the POWs for a while.


First Ginkelse Heide. 2200 British airborne troops landed here. It was defended by the 7th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers.
See here the new monument, an overview of the field itself and the monument for the Schottisch Borderes

 

[Marcel]

LZ S, the first landingzone that was used. Here the first wave of airborn troops landed, being the 1st landing brigade. (the 7th Battalion King's Ow Schottisch Borderes were among them). They had the mission to secure the landingzones. There is now a monument in the form of a Horsa glider.

The next picture is a monument in Heelsum. It's build from all kinds of equipment that was salvaged from the battle field.

The overview fof the Rhine rom the resaurant Westerbouwing. The area here was the scene of some violent fighting for a long time. Many tanks were destroyed and many men lost their lives here. You can see the railroad bridge in the distance, one of the targets for the mission, but unfortunately destroyed before the airborn troops got there.

 

[Marcel]

The old church of Oosterbeek. I can write all day about this place. For me this is one of the central places in the Battle of Arnhem. Here was Kate ter Horst, also know as "the angel of Arnhem". It's also the spot where the remaining troops left for the river to cross over to the free south side. I forgot to take pictures of the old chuch this day, so I include a photo from a previous visit back in 2017.

Kate ter Horst's house

The old church of Oosterbeek. So many stories to tell about this place. The church was in ruins after the war. It's been rebuild in the old style. Unfortunately we couldn't enter, but it's well worth visiting.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Marcel]

One little project that I did for myself. Talking to Karl, we were discussing photos concerning destroyed Tiger II tanks around the old church. I could trace one location to somewhere very close to the church, in fact maybe a hundred yards away. See here the composition photo I made from an old 1944 photo that I found on the internet and the photo I took myself. I attached the originals as thumbnails as well.

 

[Marcel]

Random sherman turret alongside the road... Don't know the story here...

 

[Marcel]

Of course the bridge. We walked the whole length of it, so some photo's are from the south side. Frost of course sat on the northern end of the bridge. I

The bridge is not the original one. That was destroyed by allied bombin during the weeks following Market Garden. The pillars however are fully original, so are the stairs you can use to get on the bridge.

View towards Arnhem from the south side of the bridge. The church tower is next to the Duiverlshuis.

On the island in the middle of the Rhein. I loved the rainbow.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Marcel]

Finally some battle damage The first is the wall of the Duivelshuis. Here the British POWs were held in the cellar to be later transported further from the fighting. It was also the scene of the cease fire negotiations in order to extract the seriously wounded. You can clearly see the bullet holes.

The bird's beak in this little coat of arms was also a casualty of war, this is also on the Duivelshuis.

Apparently there was also fighting in the library. This book shows the damage. It was recently discovered in storage when the library was relocated.

Finally on our way home, we passed Nijmegen and especially Groesbeek where this monument in form of a Hamilcar- Waco-glider skeleton can be seen.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Snautzer01]

Random sherman turret alongside the road... Don't know the story here...
View attachment 691583

Part of the ijsel linie Home

 

[Marcel]

Part of the ijsel linie Home

Ah yeah, of course, I should have known that. Thanks!

 

[Airframes]

Excellent Marcel.
Karl and I have been wanting to get back to Arnhem, but the Covid restrictions prevented it. Maybe next year.
The glider skeleton represents an American Waco glider.
Regarding the Tiger II. For years I've been trying to determine if the photos are actual WW2, or from the movie "Theirs is the Glory", made a year after the battle, using actual surviving Airborne troops, when at least one Tiger II was dragged into position for a couple of scenes. The photos have appeared in so many publications over the years, that it's almost impossible to be sure.
There's a good video, made by a Dutch girl, describing the making of the movie, and the real battle, which shows the tank being towed to the desired location(s), and this has cast doubt, to me, on the origins of the photos.

 

[Marcel]

Excellent Marcel.
Karl and I have been wanting to get back to Arnhem, but the Covid restrictions prevented it. Maybe next year.
The glider skeleton represents an American Waco glider.
Regarding the Tiger II. For years I've been trying to determine if the photos are actual WW2, or from the movie "Theirs is the Glory", made a year after the battle, using actual surviving Airborne troops, when at least one Tiger II was dragged into position for a couple of scenes. The photos have appeared in so many publications over the years, that it's almost impossible to be sure.
There's a good video, made by a Dutch girl, describing the making of the movie, and the real battle, which shows the tank being towed to the desired location(s), and this has cast doubt, to me, on the origins of the photos.

Good point Terry and that might explain why there are also photos of this tank where the turret faces other ways. I've been puzzled over those, contemplating if it was the same tank or not.
I do have a copy of theirs is the glory. I'll watch it again to see if I recognise the place.

 

[rochie]

Many thanks for posting this Marcel.
As Terry says we are determined to get back there

 

[Snautzer01]

Excellent Marcel.
Karl and I have been wanting to get back to Arnhem, but the Covid restrictions prevented it. Maybe next year.
The glider skeleton represents an American Waco glider.
Regarding the Tiger II. For years I've been trying to determine if the photos are actual WW2, or from the movie "Theirs is the Glory", made a year after the battle, using actual surviving Airborne troops, when at least one Tiger II was dragged into position for a couple of scenes. The photos have appeared in so many publications over the years, that it's almost impossible to be sure.
There's a good video, made by a Dutch girl, describing the making of the movie, and the real battle, which shows the tank being towed to the desired location(s), and this has cast doubt, to me, on the origins of the photos.

Airframes

From Concord 7039 German Armoured Units at Arnhem, September 1944.

​

 

[Wurger]

 

[Marcel]

Airframes

From Concord 7039 German Armoured Units at Arnhem, September 1944.

View attachment 691653

​

See how the gun seems to point in different direction from the photo I used in my mock-up. In my photo it points to the right, while in these photos it points to the left-front. It's definitely the same location though. The last picture makes that very clear. That hole in the wall of the house has exactly the same shape.

 

[Airframes]

Problem solved - brilliant !!!

 

[Crimea_River]

Interesting stuff Marcel. Thanks for posting. I read Antony Beevor's book about Arnhem a few years back and it was a very good account.