ARNHEM - who's going ?

OK -there's one week to go.

The Dutch are making a very big thing of the 60th Anniversary Market-Garden commemorations : any other forum members making the trip ?

http://www.airbornemuseum.org/

[ 09. September 2004, 01:12 AM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

 

I will be there for the Saturday and/or Sunday...

 

I'm arriving Thursday afternoon and will be staying at the Bilderberg until Monday morning.

Aiborne Medic will be on the Hartenstein Museum Friends stand at the Ginkel Heath parachute drop on Saturday & we hope to meet up there.....

 

Oh - and 'Popski's due to be in the area on his BSA motorcycle from the 16th onwards.....

 

Looks like the 'Schoonoord's intending to celebrate in style.....

http://www.restaurant-schoonoord.nl/program_english.htm

 

dang ! gents take many pictures please, video, something !!, and get those books, brochures authographed too..........

 

Yes Gents

Will arrive as soon as possible on the 16th, see what the weather is and make camp and then unload my BSA, get into my battledress and wear it for the next 4 days. Maybe a sideshow visit to Eindhoven to two camps. Had a battlefield tour yesterday so now can visit these places in an easy way without getting lost. There were already several veterans making there way around Arnhem. Martin is your interest also to Medical matters?? For a diplay the weekend of the 25th of september I could lend a Neil-Robertson stretcher. It took me quite a while to look that up, but a great item to have on a display, although more naval.

Taking lot of pictures

Popski

 

Right - 'airborne medic' is flying out tomorrow, my Dad and I are seaborne, we should all arrive in Oosterbeek by tea-time.

We're intending to meet at the 7th KOSB commemoration on Friday morning at the Westerbouwing restaurant; and then again at the Hartenstein Museum stand on Ginkel Heath Saturday morning.

The locals are expecting up to 50,000 people at Ginkel to see the parachute drop...

This should be a weekend to remember !

 

photos, photos, video, photos, interviews, signatures, photos and more photos.............

ah how I envy you Martin and you others in Holland...

have a safe trip and greetings to all !

Erich ~

 

Dangit, sometimes I really want to move to England/Europe somewhere! Would absolutely love to check this out...

I'd also be very very interested in photos and whatnot. Haven't yet picked up the After the Battle book on MG- this would be yet another way to see what some of the locales look like today.
As an aside- I've got a rather nice image hosting setup, and as far as I know, it's unlimited amounts/usage. I'd be more than happy to host some photos if people need. I can even, with limited photoshop skills, insert the proper credits as to who took the photos, maybe even some captions.

And... I know this one would be asking alot... but I've heard plenty of tidbits about Theirs was the Glory- but I've never seen a copy for sale that I could have gotten a hold of. If anyone could manage to pick up an extra copy, I'd be more than happy to spend up to, say, $50 all inclusive on it?

 

We'll see what we can do.....

 

You know, it figures that I move back to the states when it's the 50th year anniversary. I want to be there man but school is a killer.

 

and ............. ? ok guys how were things there ?? inquisitive minds want to know !

E ~

 

I only got back at 1 am today....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

The weather was absolutely fantastic - really perfect. My Dad and I did so much, saw so much, talked to so many people in three days that it's hard to know where to begin.

Our own highlights ? Standing next to a battery of three genuine 75mm airborne howitzers as they fired a tribute to the Border regiments.....having a long conversation with an officer of the 1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery as we stood beside the ditch where he was captured at gunpoint by a Waffen-SS officer ( this airborne officer was cited for a DSO, was awarded the MC for his Arnhem actions )..... walking along a seemingly endless queue of WWII Allied vehicles waiting for the 'race to the Bridge'.....re-enacting Lt Jack Reynolds' famous 'V-sign to the photographer' on the exact spot and to the exact hour, 60 years on.....the veterans' sitting in the sunshine outside the Schoonoord pub, tables loaded with beerglasses in the bright sunshine.....

Above all, the dignity and unfailing courtesy of the veterans, and the hospitality and generosity of the Dutch people.



And that's just for a start ! A never-to-be-repeated few days.

[ 21. September 2004, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

 

Seemed to have missed you Martin

Had a great time, talking, looking and especially riding around. Had some very thoughtfull memory's burying Digger at the Airborne cemetary. Digger a Arnhem Veteran died last year and buried with his pals. When driving around near the Hartenstein museum I saw a Signalman pointing to my Signals patches ans I topped for a chat. He said he was going to bury his friend Digger with his friends and me re-enacting a Don R in the Corps of Signals I was asked if I liked to join. I offered to play "The Last Post"and the company was of family and friends would like that very much. Diggers ashes were brought from England by motorcycles to Oosterbeek. It was a very impressive moment when the ceremony took place. I played the Last Post as they buried the ashes, a very nice moment to honour Digger. I am very honoured to be a part of this moment, glad to do something back for the family and friends. That was my dearest moment this year at Oosterbeek. Now see if I can find anybody that took photo's of that because I forgot my camera.

Cheers Popski

 

Wonderful story, Popski - many thanks for honouring this veteran in such a way !

My Dad and I were drinking beer at the Schoonoord on Saturday afternon when two military motorbikes came from Stationsweg into Utrechtseweg - the second one was a BSA and the rider had a bugle slung on his left side...wondered if it was you, but was too exhausted ( having walked back from Ginkel Heath to Wolfheze via LZ-S that morning ) to run down the street and find out !

 

Just got back yesterday; what a weekend! As Martin says, perfect weather and great to see so many vets. I was there co-ordinating thirteen coach loads of veterans, vets families and interested parties, but managed to get around. Friday night at the Schoonoord was great - super atmosphere with so many vets about.

On Sunday I sat with a 21st Independant Coy veteran all day, who jumped in only aged 17 and a half; he was still wearing the beret he wore at Arnhem, the only bit of kit he got out when he swam the Rhine! He was interviewed by BBC, but don't know if it was shown?

Managed to meet 'Airborne Medic' and had hoped to bump into Martin... but no such luck.

Only downer for me was the Dutch police and others unpreparedness for the huge numbers; getting people away from the cemetery on Sunday was a nightmare!

Will be posting some photos and a report on my website soon.

 

Managed to put some photos up on the site today.

Here's a taster:



Full report at:

http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/arnhem_plus_60.htm

 

excellent recollections gents ! Paul thanks for posting some wonderful photos.......a time well worth remembering

 

This isn't you, is it Popski?!