A R N H E M . THE P E N D U L U M SWINGS B A C K

'The only soldiers who had identified the dots growing in size emergingfrom the south-west were the British.'

masses of parachutists descending in theirrear.

The cameraman dashes into the tree-linebordering Helle's headquarters, and filmsthe breathtaking display of military muscleunfolding above him. Dakota transport air-craft approaching in victory 'V formationsof nine abreast fill his camera lens. Findingthe courage to remain still for a fewseconds, he then runs to the protectivecompany offered by lines of Dutch SS-troopers alongside, who are firing desper-ately and as fast as they can with allweapons into the skies above. Nearby a flak'Vierling' quadruple 20mm anti-aircraftgun mounted on a half-track looses burstafter burst of tracer and cannon into the air.

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Around the vehicle groups of riflemenshoot, shoulders twitching back with therecoil of each round, and pause, glancingfurtively at the spectacle as they operatebolt actions to eject empty cases and feedanother round into the breech. Other SS-troopers are kneeling on the footpath infront of and in amongst the trees, balancingMG42s and captured British brens onempty upturned wooden ammunitionboxes in a vain attempt to stabilise theirweapons, and firing automatically in theanti-air role. Burst after burst rips into theair, as the firers become slightly obscuredby a light mist of blue-grey, pungent-smelling cordite smoke. Some pause toadjust the boxes acting as pivots that slipand buckle under the recoil. Panning back

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