2014 70 years Market Garden
The 2014 70 years Market Garden commemorations was a huge event. During one week large numbers of World War 2 vehicles and tanks would cross into Holland and made several encampments enroute to Nijmegen. Besides these vehicles air droppings were performed flying out of Eindhoven airbase as final part of the Falcon Leap exercise. A pair of Dakota's made daily para dropping of the Round Canpoy Parachute Team. Even an assault team made up of 4 Blackhawk helicopters performed a mock attack of the Grave 'John S. Thompson' bridge by 82nd Airborne Division platoons - commemorating the assault of their predecessors 70 years ago. This year was a really massive, free event; the years after 2019 were still massive but much more 'controlled', more crowded, some places would not be publicly accessible and a lot of events would need tickets.
All over 'Hell's Highway', from the Belgian border towards Nijmegen, activities, festivities and commemorations were planned - amphibious assaults by the Dutch army, para droppings, encampments etc. etc. I planned a 5 day trip starting at the OMG-group (Operation Market Garden) at Borkel Schaft all the way to my home town of Grave. A total of 600 vehicles were planned to participate.
(Wikipedia)
13th September 2014, Saturday: Borkel Schaft Starting point
At the small village of Borkel Schaft a large group of wheeled vehicles would gather to begin their Market Garden road journey. There was almost no public and the large grass field looked kind of serene in the evening sun...
14th September 2014, Sunday: Veghel Basecamp
On the 14th of September the large group would depart from Borkel Schaft towards Veghel basecamp - one of the important towns during Market Garden which also held a large basecamp during the Market Garden operation. Other vehicles joined as wel as a M7 Priest tank, DUKW's, a M8 Greyhound and a replica of a US Glider. Also a (restauration) Comet was towed towards this camp and a M24 Chaffee tank arrived by flat-bed trailer. Dutch army and police accompanied the large column, roads were closed and Valkenswaard was filled with traffic jams.
15th September 2014, Monday: Valkenswaard LTF
200 vehicles and tanks of Liberation Task Force would pass through the town of Valkenswaard. I can honestly say I had never seen such a large quantity of all types of Sherman tanks driving on public roads through a Dutch town... The quantity was immense! The quality was also superb: all tanks were highly detailed and had correct unit markings, crews wore the same outfits as used during World War 2. The Shermans were supplemented by a Wolverine, Sexton and many of Scout Cars, reconnaissance vehicles, halftracks and trucks/ jeeps.
The scenery in Valkenswaard, the Dutch buildings and parcs, gave a really authentic look - could not be much apart from the same as 1944.
16th September 2014, Tuesday: Overasselt RCPT C47 para droppings
On the 16th of September I visited the Round Canopy Parachute Team dropping zone by two C47 Dakota's at DZ Overasselt. The exact same spot were the 82nd Airborne Division dropped their Parachute Infantry Regiment in September 1944.
(well known and much published photograph of the 1944 dropping at DZ Overasselt)
17th September 2014, Wednesday: Grave
The 17th of September a large group would arrive at Grave. First I positioned myself at the motorway between Velp and Grave were the 1944 units would also advance. Near Velp these would originally engage a single German tank.
After the motorway I relocated to the old town of Grave, which still had many of the 16th century fortified city characteristics (like the old cobblestones and old Elisabeth Church). This reculted in some really cool pictures. The participating Shermans would not drive through the old town but straight to a square near the bridge. These Shermans were already driving for some days and, just like in 1944, messages were written during this journeys on the sides of the tanks! (see last photographs)
After the old town the events started at the Grave bridge, also known as the 'John S. Thompson' bridge - named after the 82nd platoon commander who recaptured this bridge in 1944.
A page about him including his original filed action reports can be found here.
Shermans and vehicles would pass over this bridge back and forth which again resulted in nice pictures. At the side of the bridge the Dutch army reserved a field on which 4 US Army Blackhwak helicopters would perform an assault dropping 82nd Airborne Division platoons. This field was flanked by 4 World War 2 QF 25-pounder artillery canons and 'defended' by a 4x .50 inch AAA enplacement.
The RNLAF Dutch Historical flight used a Spitfire and B25 Mitchell, both in original Dutch World War 2 markings, for fly-by's ober the bridge.
After dropped near the bridge the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers occupied the bridge while a fifth Blackhawk helicopter performed a high altitude overwatch. After this the Blackhawks returned to the field and the platoons would embark again and depart.
This day at Grave ended with another RCPT C47 dropping in the evening. The sunset had some really good photo opportunities.
The view hadn't changed much since 1944: the two small church towers visible in the background are Velp - and this field is still the same.
