HISTORY OF THE BATTLES/PERSONAL STORIES
This book is designed to guide the visitor around the salient features, memorials, museums and cemeteries, landing and dropping zones of the MARKET-GARDEN battlefield, and to provide sufficient information about those places to allow an elemental understanding of what happened where and when.
PRIOR TOYOUR VISIT/TIMING IT
Before setting out on a visit, read this section thoroughly and mark up the recommended maps with the routes that you intend to follow.
A better understanding of the conduct of MARKET-GARDEN and why it took place can be obtained by knowing the background to the operation. Therefore the traveller is advised to read the Historical Summary below before setting out on the tour.
For current information about travelling in the Netherlands see the Tourist Information Section below.
CHOOSING YOUR ROUTES
If You Wish to Visit a Particular Place
Use the index at the back of the book to locate what you wish to visit. If it is a particular grave, find the location from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission/American Battle Monuments Commission (see below) before you set out.
If You Wish to Tour the Entire Corridor and Arnhem Battlefield
Itineraries One to Four are laid out so as to start at the beginning of The Corridor and follow it right up to The Island. Itinerary Five covers the Arnhem-Oosterbeek Battlefields and ends back over the Rhine in Driel.
If Time is Limited
The best-known American actions are covered in Itineraries Two, Three and Four, the British in One, Four and Five. The Polish participation is covered in Itinerary Five.
THE ITINERARIES/KILOMETRES-MILES COVERED/DURATION/RW/OP/MAPS
The five Itineraries need not be taken in any particular sequence, nor travelled in the directions given in this book, though it will ease navigation if they are.
The composition of the Itineraries is based upon what the authors, in many years of conducting interested groups around the area, have found to be the places that most people have asked to see.
An historical account covering each Itinerary can be found in the Historical Summary section below which should be read before, or concurrently with, setting out. The area covered by each Itinerary is detailed in the Contents list above.
Details of the routes are given at the beginning of each timed and measured Itinerary. Beginning and end points are given. The times stated do not include stops for refreshments. In the heading for each stop is a running kilometre/mileage total, a suggested length of stay, a reference to the Holts’ Battle Map which accompanies this book and an indication [R/WC] if there are refreshment or toilet facilities. ‘OP’ indicates an Observation Point from which features of the battlefield may be seen.
Travel instructions are indented and written in italics to make them stand out clearly. Extra Visits and Personal Memories have a shaded background so that they, too, stand out from the main routes.
It is absolutely essential to set your kilometre/mileage trip to zero before starting and to make constant reference to it. It is our experience that car odometers can vary considerably. Also the total mileage can be affected by factors like the number of times you overtake, exactly where you are able to turn round, etc. Therefore the given mileage may not tally precisely with your own but should nevertheless give you a useful guideline. Distances in the headings are given in miles as well as kilometres because the trip meters on British cars still operate in miles. Distances within the text are sometimes given in kilometres as local signposts use those measures.
EXTRA VISITS
In addition to the Itineraries, Extra Visits are described to sites of particular interest which lie near to the recommended routes. They are boxed and shaded so that they stand out clearly from the main route. Estimates of the round trip mileage and duration are given. Other points of additional interest are occasionally indicated thus: [N.B. By taking such and such a road the following may be visited.]
MAPS
This guide book has been designed to be used with the accompanying Major & Mrs Holt’s Battle Map of MARKET-GARDEN and the words ‘Map-’ in the heading indicate the map reference for the location. Frequent use of this map will also assist you in orientating, give a clear indication of the distances involved in possible walks and show points of interest which are not included in the Itineraries or Extra Visits.
Also recommended is Michelin Map 211: Nederland/Pays-Bas, 1:200,000, which covers all the Itineraries in the book. Those wanting highly detailed maps may wish to purchase the 1:25,000 Topografische Kaart van Nederland maps, which are similar in format to Ordnance Survey maps, available in local VVVs, where detailed Falk town plans are also available.
TELEPHONING TO THE NETHERLANDS
The International code for the Netherlands is 00 31. This is indicated in all phone numbers as ‘+’.