Joris Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Today, 62 years ago Operation Market Garden was well on its way. By now 30corps reached valkenswaard and started their move on Eindhoven / Son. The airbornes of the 101st captured the bridges at Veghel and Sint Oedenrode but the bridge at Son has been blown by the Germans and needs to be repaired before any further progress can be made. At Nijmegen area the Grave bridge is in the hands of the 82nd, together with one of the bridges over the Maas - Waal canal (the lockbridge at Heumen) and the Groesbeek heights. The Nijmegen bridge is still in German hands though, the attack that started the evening before failed within sight of the bridge. All other bridges in the area were blown by the Germans, they are down to the bare minimum. At Arnhem things still look good, 2nd battalion is at the bridge and 1st and 3rd battalion are on its way. 4th Para is scheduled to land in the morning after which a lot of men are available because a lot of dropzones won't be used anymore. Little do they know of the horrors that are awaiting them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Nice post Joris, thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 3rd battalion included my dad!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 Wow! Can you tell us his story? What happened to him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Wow! Can you tell us his story? What happened to him? Not much I can tell as he doesn't/won't talk about it - "it" being the war in general. About the only thing he's come out with for that period was a comment about how he learnt to swim crossing the River!! Now was you talking about the events in Palestine after the war with the Stern gang and so forth - that he talks about a bit more readily.... Still like getting blood from a stone at times though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 Has he ever been over for the commemorations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Has he ever been over for the commemorations? No - he won't go! Offered to take him but same response. Guess I can't blame him - the R.H.A. offered to take my Grandad over to the Somme for a memorial event when he was alive and got a similar answer. To say the response was agitiated would be an understatement - only time I ever recall seeing the old man cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 It must be very hard to think back to that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 (edited) I met a lot of vets in Normandy in 2004 and noticed a great difference between those men who had returned frequently to the area and those who were there for the first time.It appeared that the frequent returnees had come to terms with wartime events and were totally at peace with themselves whereas the 'first timers' had suffered considerably over the years and had been unable to express any of their feelings to anybody. However when I was speaking to them the stories just poured out, one of the wives said to me that she had never heard any of it before except for snatches shouted out in the nightmares. I felt very humbled and I sincerely hope that in making the pilgrimage and at last being able to talk about their experiences that it will bring them some relief in their twilight years. Edited September 18, 2008 by Degsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted September 18, 2007 Author Share Posted September 18, 2007 Bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 Good bump and still remember reading these post last year - a bloody good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 Bump (last time, I swear) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 No complaints from me. I think this is superior stuff. It all adds to the mix. Keep it coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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