IT NEVER S N O W S IN SEPTEMBER

SS-Corporal Rudolf Trapp could not help comparing himself to hiscaptives: 'We looked exactly as filthy and bloody as the British.' It hadbeen an appalling experience for both sides. Here the British are ledaway.

Trapp, marching along as prisoner escort,could not help comparing his own situationwith theirs, because 'we looked exactly asfilthy and bloody as the British'. Bothsides, reacting to the uninterrupted violenceand ferocity of the previous four days, beganmentally to take stock. Trapp pondered onthe situation:

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Corporal, had been killed. At the startwe had been about 50 strong.Casualties were difficult to estimatebecause of the insertion of piecemealreinforcements, and the fact that othersoldiers had collected our dead. Therewere a lot of huddled forms clothed inSS camouflage smocks lying about inthe streets.'

The Arnhem bridge had been fought free.

'The company commander and oursecond in command, a senior SS-

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