Google Streetview - Arnhem / Oosterbeek virtual battlefield tour!

[Joris]

Since last night a big part of the Netherlands is visible in Google Streetview. This opens a whole new world of virtual battlefield tours!

 

I'll start with the Airborne cemetery in Oosterbeek:

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.99298,5.849795&panoid=qVoNRznCMPZPBjARBCxndA&cbp=12,298.78,,1,3.6&ll=51.992888,5.849705&spn=0,359.961419&z=15

 

The Air Dispatch monument near the Airborne cemetery. In the background you see part of what was SD-V the supply dropzone.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.99298,5.849795&panoid=qVoNRznCMPZPBjARBCxndA&cbp=12,298.78,,1,3.6&ll=51.992888,5.849705&spn=0.019132,0.038581&z=15

 

Airborne museum:

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.988431,5.832609&panoid=MAi2Yyrssy6dExJA--a18A&cbp=12,162.61,,0,3.5&ll=51.988395,5.83241&spn=0.019134,0.038581&z=15

 

Across the road from the Airborne museum is a big memorial:

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.98828,5.831759&panoid=opwQPXN81GGPw5hFMnBKSA&cbp=12,322.1,,0,-7.41&ll=51.988197,5.831251&spn=0.009567,0.01929&z=16

 

Oosterbeek Laag church, to the right is the Ter Horst residence. Behind this church was the main evacuation route:

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.978263,5.837904&panoid=mx1EKgfgr42CQ-rp8ZmoFQ&cbp=12,179.13,,0,-2.11&ll=51.978302,5.837511&spn=0.001196,0.002411&z=19

Edited November 19, 2009 by Joris

[Joris]

Ginkel Heath with the monument:

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.978263,5.837904&panoid=mx1EKgfgr42CQ-rp8ZmoFQ&cbp=12,179.13,,0,-2.11&ll=51.978302,5.837511&spn=0.001196,0.002411&z=19

 

Dropzone X (right) and landingzone Z (through trees on the left). Where this picture was taken was the location from where the recce squadron started their ill fated advance on the Rhine bridge.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.005019,5.757838&panoid=lrFx2PV2PVvGwejxfb_idg&cbp=12,241.53,,0,2&ll=51.997565,5.757437&spn=0.03826,0.077162&z=14

 

A few 100 meter up this road their advance ended in a german ambush.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=arnhem+beekstraat&sll=51.985191,5.911074&sspn=0.011973,0.027037&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beekstraat,+Arnhem,+Gelderland&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.005679,5.794266&panoid=CsEZtjBrNPg-xcKTHt04Kw&cbp=12,108.91,,0,9.81&ll=52.005676,5.794451&spn=0.009563,0.01929&z=16

 

More to follow, got work to do now

[Joris]

The ultimate objective, the Rhine bridge at Arnhem:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.976818,5.911975&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.976019,5.910332&panoid=3Fv65T8Pi5ftddsdAIxFIg&cbp=12,141.69,,0,-7.01

 

The northern ramp of the John Frostbridge in the fog, on the right is now a monument, during the war there was a bunker.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.975893,5.912662&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.975961,5.912753&panoid=QofJM4kv06fF9QTEG9whyQ&cbp=12,201.76,,0,1.3

 

Monument near the bridge, on that location was located the HQ of John Frost and his forces. To the right, where the silver van is driving were the 2nd Battalion mortar pits.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.976818,5.911975&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.976904,5.91201&panoid=NDqLCjCLvcv0CCTG6tQChA&cbp=12,86.3,,0,9.88

 

A couple of memorials at the foot of the bridge:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.97658,5.909786&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.97647,5.910935&panoid=4HzPCstDkwV4ZV-wTHNpjw&cbp=12,156.74,,0,-8.52

 

The Airborne square at the foot of the bridge:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.976818,5.911975&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.978066,5.91523&panoid=wj4dEX8ll_QplUcuobAaPg&cbp=12,328.76,,1,9.76

 

The St. Walburgis (foreground) church at the foot of the bridge, in the left tower a German figher crashed after strafing the Airbornes.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.976818,5.911975&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.978378,5.914241&panoid=JemEMip3qS2_lBn0dgK1hA&cbp=12,323.19,,0,0.39

Edited November 10, 2009 by Joris

[Joris]

An obelisk (behind the stairs) marks the furthest point of the 1st Airborne desperate attack to reinfoce the Para's at the bridge. When you "look" to the right you see the new Nelson Mandela bridge, behind it is the Frost Bridge. They came so close....

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.977664,5.90528&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.9815,5.897916&panoid=3YuZzscO_RF8uCDcgG8dGg&cbp=12,50.38,,1,-2.01

 

The open ground they had to cross to get to the bridge, the Germans were across river to the right. To the left is an embankment on which is another road which was used during the advance (see below).

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.984378,5.889573&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.984376,5.889229&panoid=-1YXtxumlO9lC7WzRzbZ9A&cbp=12,85.27,,0,14.31

 

The Elizabeth Gasthuis hospital, this was used by the 1st Airborne for two days untill recaptured by the Germans. The Germans let the medical personnel stay to work on the wounded (both sides). This is on the road I mentioned above (look left or right).

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.984378,5.889573&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.984507,5.886096&panoid=uharnQAZiMeVq_dUBT7e3w&cbp=12,2.42,,0,3.5

 

Another obelisk (right side, in front of the red banner) this marks the furthest point of the advance of the troops attacking over the embankment. This is a little further up the road from the Elizabeth hospital at the museum, the Airbornes called this the monastery in their reports.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.98537,5.89281&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.98543,5.892679&panoid=u3xSapihW_gFT4lMQ9bJsA&cbp=12,162.77,,0,9.44

 

Across the road is a house with a plaque, this commemorates the fact that the house was held against German forces for almost 3 days.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.985303,5.89292&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.985243,5.893063&panoid=yvrMxeSX7HAliyUoT4FgQg&cbp=12,15.99,,1,-12.1

[Joris]

Last batch for now.

 

The house where General Urqhuart hid from the Germans for almost two days. On the spot where the picture was taken a German Sturmgeschutz was parked.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.988263,5.884938&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.9852,5.885171&panoid=eIvh51YCYF62EQOos7BGfg&cbp=12,270.8,,0,4.7

 

A monument in the vicinity of the Urqhuart house to commemorate the fierce fighting in the area.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Geerbosch+10,+5461+Veghel,+Noord-Brabant,+Nederland&ll=51.985618,5.88402&spn=0,359.961419&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.985502,5.884015&panoid=q03yqVmAtcUszqLBTvtagQ&cbp=12,276.4,,1,9.08

 

If there is interest I can go on and on and on!

[private mw]

thats really good and brings back memories when i visited around there thanks

[john fox]

does this mean the HMVF trip is now off then as we can do it from our desktops? :cry:

[Joris]

Only if you want to!