Operation Market Garden

On the return trip from Nijmegen to Otterlo, we stop in Arnhem. A historic place. And today’s date – September 18th – gives us enough reason to visit this historic site.

The bridge in Arnhem was the site of one of the most important operations of World War II: Operation Market Garden. On September 18, 1944, British paratroopers landed near Arnhem, aiming to capture and hold the bridge over the Rhine. However, the battle became one of the bloodiest and longest phases of the operation. The bridge, which was later rebuilt, is named after Major John Frost, one of the British commanders who defended it. Today, it stands as an important memorial and museum site. In Arnhem, there are several museums and memorials that commemorate Operation Market Garden and the battle for the bridge. September 18th is a significant date for the Netherlands – especially for Arnhem – in remembrance of World War II and the liberation of the country. Thus, today (and tomorrow Saturday) various commemorative events will take place along the banks of the Rhine in Arnhem to honor the events of September 1944.