T his is a book which is primarily about Operation MARKET-GARDEN: the reasons for it, the plans for it, how they were put into practice, how the Operation evolved and the reasons why it failed in its major aims. It sets out to show the modern visitor where these momentous events took place and what there is to see there.
However, much of that same ground on which the triumphs and disasters of MARKET-GARDEN were played out was also the scene of earlier and later campaigns. Before the 17 September 1944 start of Operation MARKET-GARDEN there was the 1940 invasion of Holland by the Germans, gallant defence by the Dutch, acts of resistance during the Occupation, sites of German reprisal and the air war. When the men of Arnhem had been evacuated over the Rhine there were the winter of 1944/45 battles in The Island, followed by the thrusts into Germany from the Groesbeek area, of Operation VERITABLE in February 1945, leading up to the RHINE CROSSING in March. Memorials to these battles often adjoin those to MARKET-GARDEN and in several of the military cemeteries on the Itineraries in this book casualties from each year of the war lie buried close to each other.
It would, therefore, be invidious to be blinkered about only including MARKET-GARDEN information along the routes. A man who died for his country and for liberty in 1940 or in 1945 deserves as much homage as a man of September 1944. The same concept applies to memorials to a Regiment’s gallantry. Therefore, while MARKET-GARDEN is the main theme, items of historical interest in earlier and later campaigns that are along the main Itineraries are described in brief as they occur and some of them are described in Extra Visits.
So much has been written about this Operation, so many post-mortems and dissections, so many wise conclusions made by armchair historians in later years. To use modern terminology, so much spin has been put on the events, especially at contentious points such as the Nijmegen Bridge where American accounts often seem to bear little relation to British ones. Some regimental histories naturally wish to show their men in the most favourable light and are economical with the truth regarding the contributions of others. The personal memories of veterans can inevitably be enhanced or diluted by what they have subsequently read or discussed.
One may therefore be justified in asking two pertinent questions: ‘Why another book about MARKET-GARDEN’ and ‘What was the true story of MARKET-GARDEN and the reasons for its ultimate failure?’
The first answer is that this book covers the entire Corridor in detail. No other guide book does. Very few ‘history’ books do. We started studying MARKET-GARDEN in 1978 when we were preparing our first battlefield tour to the area. In the last nearly quarter of a century we have been amassing information, in large part from veterans who accompanied us on the ground (many of whose memories we taped) or who corresponded with us, and from local people who either lived through the battles or who have made in-depth studies of what happened in their area in September-October 1944. Over the past five years we have intensified our research, revisiting Belgium and the Netherlands many times and have formed a view that offers answers to the second question, though we will often ask the reader to decide. We have certainly uncovered much new information, some of it highly controversial, and are convinced that the principal keys to the success or failure of the Operation were the actions around the Nijmegen Road Bridge.
Ultimately, at this distance in time, we have been forced to accept that there will be some questions which will remain forever unanswered and therein lies the reason for the continuing fascination of the campaign. The significant 60th Anniversary of September 2004 has even increased interest in it as the sadly dwindling band of veterans make what will be for most their final poignant pilgrimage.
Tonie and Valmai Holt,
Sandwich, 2004
Remarkable photograph showing Irish Guards Tanks under attack just north of Joe’s Bridge at the very start of OPERATION MARKET Courtesy of The Times.