Monuments

Operation Market Garden

Apeldoorn
Arnhem
Beek-Ubbergen
Berg en Dal
Best
Den Dungen
Driel
Ede
Eerde
Eindhoven
Grave
Groesbeek
Heelsum
Heeswijk Dinther
Heteren
Lent
Leopoldsbrug
Lommel
Oosterbeek
Son
St. Oederode
Valkenswaard
Veghel
Veldhoven
Wolfheze

Apeldoorn

St. Lucas Ziekenhuis

Plaquettes ter herinnering aan de verzorging die de gewonde britse paratroopers kregen in de Apeldoorense ziekenhuizen na de slag om Arnhem. Foto's beschikbaar gesteld door Ronald Broek.

Arnhem

Civilian casualties

The monument stands on the square in front of the church. It symbolizes a man sitting with his hands over his head. Symbolic for a helpless civilian in an air raid.

John Frost Bridge

The monument stands on the north ramp of the road bridge at Arnhem across the Rhine. The bridge is now called the John Frost bridge. John Frost was the commander of the second battalion that captured the north ramp on September 17th and held it for two and a half days against an overwhelming German force. It reads:
"This is the bridge which John D. Frost fought leading his soldiers persistent and brave in an advance where freedom was sought. Went a bridge too far which they tried to save. The bridge is now with his pride proudly wrought."

John Frost Bridge plaque

Jacob Groenewoud was a Dutch officer that had been attached to the British Airborne Division as a liaison officer, to establish contact with the Dutch resistance. He was killed during the operation.
In on of the buildings on the bridge you can find this plaque. It reads:
"On the 17th of September, 1944, the 1st British Airborne Division began to land some eight miles to the west of Arnhem with the object of forming a bridgehead north of the lower Rhine.

The Second Battalion the Parachute Regiment fought its was into Arnhem and occupied the buildings which commanded the site of this 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 German 2nd SS Panzer Corps, until, with all ammunition expended, with few survivors unwounded and all the buildings destroyed around them, they were finally overwhelmed.

The gallant defense of this detachment, cut off by enemy action from the remainder of the division, had marked influence on the conduct of the campaign in Holland, and the delay imposed on German reinforcements moving south to stem the Allied advance enabled the crossing over the rivers at Grave and Nijmegen to be firmly secured.

To the memory of the heroes of the first British Airborne Division who by their sacrifice initiated the liberation of The Netherlands, the province. government of Gelderland on behalf of the grateful inhabitants of the province dedicates this memorial tablet."

The Jacob Groenewoud park

Jacob Groenewoud was a Dutch officer that had been attached to the British Airborne Division as a liaison officer, to establish contact with the Dutch resistance. He was killed during the operation.
From the park you get a good view on the Rhine bridge at Arnhem. In the park you can find original material, like a six-pounder anti tank gun, a propellor blade and a bomb.

A plaque at the monument reads:
"Jacob Groenewoud, captain in reserve of the infantry, born in 1916, died on 18 September 1944, as the only dutch officer in the battle for the bridge over the Rhine. Awarded the Military Order of William posthumously."

The airborne monument

Following the road from the bridge to the north you will find the airborne monument in the middle of a roundabout. It is an old pillar of the Palace of Justice with the inscription 17 September 1944.

Beek-Ubbergen

508th PIR - 82nd ABN Div, Beek Ubbergen.

Citizen monument Beek Ubbergen.

The monument for citizens stands next to the 508th PIR monument in Berg en Dal.

Berg en Dal

Citizen monument Berg en Dal.

Best

Joe Mann Monument Joe Mann monument Best

Robert E. Cole Monument

101st Airborne Divisie officier Lt. Col. Robert Cole Monument in Best

Medal of honor recipient, 101st Airborne Divisie officier Lt. Col. Robert Cole Monument near the liberating wings museum.

The grave of Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole, 502nd Inf. 101st Airborne Division. 18 september 1944 at Margraten Cemetery

Den Dungen

Silent Wings monument - Den Dungen

September 17th 1944 was an exceptional day in World War II. On that Sunday the airborne and ground operation Market Garden was launched. During three days thousands of airborne soldiers departed from English airfields in transport aircraft and gliders to destinations in the Netherlands. Their main objective was to recapture bridges in the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland to allow the advance of ground troops from Belgium. It was the beginning of the liberation of the Netherlands.

This part of our province of Noord-Brabant was of navigational importance. Near 's Hertogenbosch was a gathering point codenamed "I.P.Ellis". From here all aircraft had to approach their different destinations.

Especially the more than 2000 low flying gliders behind tugs made an unforgettable impression on the people of Brabant. Some of them were an easy prey for German anti aircraft guns. Because of that several gliders had to make abortive landings. On the 18th and the 19th of September an English and an American glider landed in Den Dungen. One American airborne soldier, Leo Tousignant, was killed. The other ten crew members of the two gliders were kept out of hands of the Germans by a group of brave inhabitants. Also in neighboring villages gliders crashed: in Berlicum four American gliders and in Sint Michielsgestel an English glider. This caused the loss of life of five crew members, amongst whom English glider pilots Ron Osborne and Norman Whitehouse.

Market Garden was not a complete success. The bridge of Arnhem could not be conquered. However, a part of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland was liberated. From there on the liberation of the rest of our province started a month later.

This monument 'Silent Wings' is a tribute to all people, who were involved in the use of gliders during Market Garden: pilots, other crew members and helpers on the ground.

On the initiative of Dan Griffiths a Twinning agreement was signed in 1989 between Den Dungen and his home town Portishead. Dan was one of the British glider pilots who came down in Den Dungen on September 18th 1944.

Driel

1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, Driel

The Brigade landed near Driel on the 21st of September, on the south side of the Rhine. From their it attempted to cross the Rhine to reinforce the British at Oosterbeek. This monument remembers the Polish soldiers who gave their life during the operation.

Duke's of Cornwall Light Infantry

The plaque hangs on the side of the church wall in Driel. Just across from the street from the monument for the 1st Polish Para Brigade.

7th Hampshire Regiment, Driel

The monument stands on the lower Rhine dike running from Heteren to Driel.
The monument reads:
"To commemorate those men of the 7th Battalion the Hampshire Regiment who gave their lives for the cause of freedom in this area. From 23rd Sept 1944 to 4th Oct 1944."

Ede

Ede - Sherman tank

The tank stands at the entrance road from Arnhem into Ede. The text near the tank reads:
'BEVRIJDING EDE
OP 17 APRIL 1945 IS HET DORP EDE
BEVRIJD DOOR HET CANADESE 'CALGARY' REGIMENT MET SHERMAN TANKS. DEZE EENHEID MAAKTE TOEN DEEL UIT VAN DE BRITSE 'POLAR BEAR' DIVISIE'.

Ede - Ginkelse heide

The monuments stands on the edge of the Ginkelse heide which was the drop zone for the Kings own Scottish Borderers. The monument was unveiled by General-Major Urquhart on 19 september 1960. Each year British paratroopers land on this place to commemorate the Allied landing during operation Market Garden.

Eerde

Eerde - 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment

Geronimo monument voor de 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment van de 101st Airborne Division. Het monument is onthuld in 1981 door Jack Thornton.
Het monument staat vlakbij de oude molen waarbij hard is gevochten door het regiment.
Eerde airborne monument

Eindhoven

Eindhoven - 101st Airborne

Eindhoven - Fellenoord cemetary

Grave

504th PIR - 82nd ABN Div, Grave

Unveiling of the monument next to the road bridge at Grave in 1994.

David Dilley from the UK has send me photos of the monument at the Grave bridge. He has visited the bridge this spring.

Photos of the monument, the bridge itself. The bunker near the river at the bridge, the pump installation and the plaque on the bunker.

Click on the photo for a larger version.

Groesbeek

Drop zone N, Klein Amerika

"With Europe in peril, Para's landed here in their thousands: Gen James Gavin and the All American Division, 17 & 18 September 1944, Operation Market Garden. Pilgrim, are you, like the liberators ready to lay down your life when your fellows need you

Here, in the winter of 1944/1945 tens of thousands of soldiers of Crerar's First Canadian Army held the front line between the Maas and the Waal. Pilgrim, cherish all you hold dear"

Drop zone T, Groesbeek

"Here 17/18 sep 44, Red Devils of 508 Parachute Inf landed with artillery and glider. Devils -or angels?- cam eto shield the District of Nijmegen. Pilgrim, no matter the name or the color, shield the vulnerable

From this point around three thousand British and Canadian soldiers set off on 8 feb 1945 for Wesel and the Rhine on Monty's Operation Veritable. Pilgrim, strive with whatever it takes to realize your ideals."

General Browning - Klein Amerika

General Browning landed here on September 18 with the Headquarters of the 1st Airborne Army. The headquarters landed in British horsa gliders.

"The British Airborne Corps headquarters under Gen 'Boy' Browning landed here on 17 sep 1944 with Horsa gliders as their winged horses. Pilgrim, let love lend you wings when neccessity calls"

General Gavin Monument, Groesbeek

"James M. GAVIN, Commanding general
US 82nd Airborne Division ALL AMERICAN

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

After Action Report, MARKET Holland Operation SEP-NOV 44 "

Monument for the evacuees, Groesbeek

The monuments reads:
"The Second World War caused the people a lot of grief too. In September 1944 they had to flee from the violence of war, that had made victims here and elsewhere already. On their return in the spring of 1945 all their properties had been destroyed. The armaments left behind killed and wounded many people. The rebuilding, often under wretched circumstances, took many years.

The citizens of the present commemorate with this monument the citizens of the past, September 1995"

Monument for Captain Anthony Stefanich

The monument is made of several white stones which hang on the side of a church wall in Groesbeek.

505th Para RCT, Groesbeek

Mission accomplished on sunday afternoon 17 September 1944

Heelsum

Heelsum

The monument stands next to one of the drop zones where paratroopers and gliders landed on September 17th. It was erected by the citizens of Heelsum in 1945 with artifacts that where found in the area. It contains the following:

An airmobile 6 pound anti tank gun
Radio containers
Hooks to connect containers to their parachutes
Channels to unload gliders
Paratrooper helmets
Parachute supply containers
Container cradle

Heeswijk Dinther

Monument

Monuments at Castle Heeswijk Airborne monument Castle Heeswijk

Heteren

101st Airborne Division, Heteren

When operation Market Garden had already failed and the remnants of the 1st Airborne division had been pulled back from Oosterbeek, the 101st took positions along the southern shore of the Rhine near Heteren. In the night of 22nd october it helped a group of 138 soldiers of the 1st Airborne division escape from the North side of the Rhine. These soldiers had been kept in hiding up to that point by Dutch civilians in the area. Major Allison Digby Tatham-Warter was the British officer that had organized that escape together with the Dutch resistance under the codename Pegasus. On november 18 a second attempt was made. This attempt failed and most men where captured.

Canadian Engineers monument

The monument reads:
"It is 25th September 1944: The battle of Arnhem is still raging, but the position of the surrounded British and Polish troops on the northern Rhine bank has become untenable. Then the order for evacuation across the river is given. In that rainy" night hundreds of soldiers com in small parties to the river forelands, between the farmhouse and the Old Church - both clearly visible from here - and wait to be rescued. Under heavy German fire from the Westerbouwing, British (250 and 553 Fd Coys) and Canadian 20 and 23 Fd Coys) Engineers make dozens of trips in their small boats from this bank. In one night, supported by other units, they manage to rescue 2,400 airborne troops. At the time the rescued had hardly seen their savers, so they have never been able to thank them. This monument has been erected to express their gratitude (15th September 1989)" Canadian Engineer Monument

Lent

Crossing van de 540th Parachute Infantry Regiment

Leopoldsbrug - Belgie

Leopoldsbrug - Sherman tank

Leopoldsbrug - theatre

Lommel - Belgium

Lommel - Joe's bridge

Oosterbeek

Bilderberg

Pillar of the 4th Parachute brigade on the place where the Bliderberg Hotel was located. The monument stands on the Valkenburglaan.

The monument was unveiled in 1964
The plaque reads:

'SEPTEMBER 1944

ON 20 SEPTEMBER THE REMNANTS OF
4 PARACHUTE BRIGADE HELD THIS HOLLOW
AGAINST GERMAN ATTACKS, PRESSED
WITH TANKS AND FLAME-THROWERS.
THEY THEN BROKE THROUGH TO
CONTINUE THIS FIGHT IN OOSTERBEEK.

Tafelberg

The Tafelberg Hotel, which was used as a hospital during the battle.
Pillar of the 4th Parachute brigade. The pillar is located at the Pieterbergseweg, just a short walk from the Airborne Cafe at the Utrechtseweg. The monument was unveiled in 1964. The pillar has replaced a drop container originally stood here as a monument. The plaque reads:

'SEPTEMBER 1944

THIS BUILDING, A HOTEL AT THE TIME,
WAS CONVERTED INTO A MEDICAL DRESSING STATION
WHERE MANY WOUNDED WERE TENDED
BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL, PRIESTS AND CIVILIANS.

Dreijenseweg

Pillar of the 4th Parachute brigade on the right side of the road as you enter Oosterbeek.
The monument was unveiled in 1964
The plaque reads:

'SEPTEMBER 1944

ABOUT HERE ON 19 SEPTEMBER
156 PARACHUTE BATTALION
WERE HELD BY STRONG GERMAN FORCES
IN THEIR FIGHT TOWARDS ARNHEM.
MANY OFFICERS AND MEN WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED.

Dreyeroord

The monument is located at the entrance of Hotel Dreyeroord. You can find the Hotel in the Graaf van Rechterenweg.

Westerbouwing - Dorset monument

The monument was unveiled on: 16 september 1994

The monument reads:

'TO COMMEMORATE THE ACTIONS OF THE 4TH BATTALION THE DORSET REGIMENT SUPPORTED BY THE 5TH BATTALION IN CROSSING THE RIVER BELOW THIS RESTAURANT, AND FIGHTING IN THIS ARREA, IN SUPPORT OF THE 1ST AIRBORNE DIVISION 24TH AND 27TH SEPTEMBER 1944'.

Westerbouwing - Dorset terras

The monument is unveiled on: 20 september 2001

In memory of the 4th Battalion of the Dorset Regiment.

Westerbouwing - Border regiment

The monument reads:

'DEDICATED TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE 1ST BATTALION THE BORDER REGIMENT 1ST AIRLANDING BRIGADE WHO FOUGHT AND DIED DURING THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM SEPTEMBER 17TH - 26TH 1944.'

Westerbouwing - Drielse veer
View on the ferry to Driel from Westerbouwing

Paasberg

Located in the garden of a house in the road Paasberg in Oosterbeek.
The monument was unveiled in: september 1987
The monument reads:

'THIS MEMORIAL FLOWER VASE
IS A PRESENT OF MEMBERS
OF THE 21ST INDEPENDENT
PARACHUTE COMPANY, WHO
WERE DEFENDING THIS PART
OF THE PERIMETER DURING
THE LAST 4 DAYS OF THE
BATTLE OF ARNHEM IN
SEPTEMBER 1944.

Utrechtseweg - 21st Independent Parachute company

The monument is located across the road from the airborne cafe. It stands in the garden of a house which is located at the crossroads on the corner of Utrechtseweg and the Stationslaan.
The company led the way during the paratrooper drop on September 17th 1944. The men of this company marked the drop zones prior to the arrival of the main force.
The monument reads:

'IN MEMORY OF THE 21st INDEPENDENT PARACHUTE-COMPANY, WHICH HELD THIS AREA DURING THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM AND OF THE PEOPLE OF OOSTERBEEK, WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO GIVE THEIR SUPPORT.'

Utrechtseweg 192 - garden of the former "Hervormde Pastorie"

The monument is located across the road from the airborne cafe. It stands in the garden of a house which is located at the crossroads on the corner of Utrechtseweg and the Stationslaan.
The company led the way during the paratrooper drop on September 17th 1944. The men of this company marked the drop zones prior to the arrival of the main force.

The monument was unveiled in 1964
The plaque reads:

'SEPTEMBER 1944

10 PARACHUTE BATTALION
FOUGHT HERE TO VIRTUAL EXTINCTION.
ON 23 SEPTEMBER THE REMNANTS
OF THE BATTALION WERE WITHDRAWN.
THE BATTALION HAD THEN NO OFFICER LEFT
AND NO MORE THAN THIRTY MAN.

Hartenstein

This monument stands next to the Airborne museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek. The monument was erected by the veterans of the 1st Airborne division. The monument honors the dutch people of Gelderland. The citizens where very willing to help the Airborne soldier, often with danger for their own life.

Airborne Column

The column stands across the road from the Airborne Museum "Hartenstein".

Museum route

The Airborne museum in Oosterbeek has set out several routes starting at the museum. Along the routes you can find descriptions with pictures taken at the exact spot.
This sign indicates the postion of a mortar crew in the woods right outside the Airborne museum terrain.

Old Church in Oosterbeek

The church was one of the last strongholds for the British before the remainder of their forces retreated across the Rhine. The monument stands next to the church. In the garden of the church stands on of the four pillars for the 3rd brigade.
There is a commemorative bench on the outside of the church and Inside you will find many more small commemorative plaques.

Old Church Oosterbeek Pillar for 4th Brigade

Four pillars stand on the positions where men of the 4th Brigade fought their battles.
The top pillars stands next to the old Church of Oosterbeek.

Oosterbeek - Civilian casualties

The monument stands on the civilian cemetery at Oosterbeek, right across from the Airborne cemetery. It commemorates the 120 civilians of Oosterbeek that were killed during the war.

Air dispatcher Monument

Located next to the Airborne cemetery in Oosterbeek is the air dispatcher monument. These men gave their lives dropping supplies for the airborne soldiers at Arnhem.

Overasselt

Drop zone O, Overasselt

Son

101st Airborne Monument Airborne monument Son

St. Oederode

101st Airborne Monument Airborne monument St. Oederode

Civil Monument Civil monument St. Oederode

Valkenswaard

Valkenswaard - Monument

Valkenswaard - monuments

Veghel

101st Airborne Monument Airborne monument Veghel

Klondike - Headquarters of Kolonel Johnson Klondike Airborne headquarters

Veldhoven

German Anti tank gun, Veldhoven

The gun (Panzer Abwhere Kanonne) was left here by the germans after the crew was taken out of action.

Wolfheze

Wolfheze

The monument carries a plaque with the following inscription.

"In memory of the units of the 1st British Airborne Division and of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group which landed in this vicinty on 17 18 and 19 September 1944.
From here they advanced in the direction of Arnhem to seize the road-bridge as part of Operation Market Garden.
The battle of Arnhem lasted from 17 to 24 September 1944."

Market Garden 1944 - 2024