Going back to the front
Today is the 65th anniversary of D-Day and later in the year of Arnhem. Belinda Szonert reports from the spot where the Allies hoped to bring the war to a speedy conclusion.
At the tender age of 17, Gerald Levy strapped on his parachute and prepared to be dropped behind enemy lines in one of the largest airborne landings in history.
Gerald and his comrades fell to earth on occupied Dutch soil as part of Operation Market Garden – a brave attempt by the Allies intended to shorten the Second World War.
The events, chronicled in the film A Bridge Too Far, became one of the most well-known battles of the war. The veterans who took part, many now in their 80s and 90s, remember those dark days of September 1944 with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness. Veterans and locals will officially honour the 65th anniversary later this year.
Operation Market Garden and Operation Veritable, the further offensive launched in February 1945, are still commemorated frequently in Holland – and British, American and Polish troops who were involved are still held in high esteem by the Dutch.
Today, young and old alike greet red beret-wearing veterans with warmth and affection when they return to the Arnhem and Nijmegen region, which was the scene of intense fighting in a bid to give back to the Dutch their freedom.
The aim of the Allied forces was to capture the bridges across the Rhine and other Dutch waterways and so swing east into Germany to end the war. In September 1944, about 10,000 British and Polish airborne troops landed at various locations. The 1st British Airborne Division's task was to capture the Rhine Bridge near Arnhem.
Tragically, this proved to be a bridge too far. Only Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost and his small force of men reached the bridge and they had to end their resistance against the ever-increasing German troops and armour. The area near the structure was almost completely flattened in what became known as the Battle of Arnhem. The bridge was also destroyed and in 1978 its replacement was named The John Frost Bridge after the British commander.
In the shadow of the bridge, local resident Sam Rubens acts as a guide and is pleased to show visitors his collection of wartime memorabilia.
In 1944 he was a youngster growing up in the area and clearly remembers the events of that September, recording his recollections in poetry.
The site of the bridge too far is featured on the new Liberation Route, which follows a section of the path trodden by the Allies during their attempts to liberate Europe. The route – an innovative way of portraying 20th century European history – allows visitors to re-live the events that took place around Arnhem and Nijmegen in 1944 and 1945.
There are 23 sites marked by boulders along the route, each with a plaque explaining the location's significance. But what makes this history lesson extra special is that the creators have harnessed new technology to appeal to a new generation interested in the past.
Visitors can hire an MP3 player from venues including Arnhem and Nijmegen's tourist information offices and listen to stories about the wartime operation and its effect on the civilian population.
There is also a website, www.liberationroute.com, where these stories can be downloaded free in MP3 format. The site includes information on monuments and cemeteries.
An aerial map of the region is also available.
The Liberation Route was launched last year at ceremonies at points along the route. Among the guests were British veterans of Operation Market Garden Gerald Levy and Norman Jones.
For both, the launch of the route and revisiting some of the locations connected with it brought back memories of the events of 1944.
Gerald, 82, from Polegate, East Sussex, was injured and evacuated with the wounded. He was keen to return to the Old Church at Oosterbeek, west of Arnhem, which was the scene of heavy fighting. For 93-year-old Norman from Leeds, a visit to the Airborne Museum – the former Hartenstein Hotel and headquarters of British divisional commander Major-General Roy Urquhart – prompted him to recall how he parachuted to the ground, a Bren gun strapped to his body, amid a hail of bullets.
Both were honoured guests of the Dutch authorities for the opening of the Liberation Route and hope to be at the 65th anniversary commemoration events in 2009.
"It's always poignant," Gerald says. "It reminds you of the past and the comrades lost and maimed."
Those backing the Liberation Route – funding for which was achieved in just six months – are confident that the project will preserve an important part of Second World War history for future generations.
Visitors to the area can remember the events of 1944 and 1945 but also enjoy a holiday in the greenest part of the Netherlands.
Arnhem is the capital of the province of Gelderland, while neighbouring Nijmegen, 12 miles away, is the country's oldest city. Both cities offer great shopping and plenty of choice for wining and dining – Nijmegen has the greatest density of pavement cafs per inhabitant in the Netherlands.
Among the many tourist attractions in the area are the Burgers' Zoo, where you can enjoy a trip around the world's ecosystems in just one day, and the Dutch Open Air Museum, which gives
a flavour of life in days gone by.
The De Hoge Veluwe National Park is home to the Kroller-Muller Museum with works by world-famous artists, including Van Gogh, and a 62-acre sculpture garden featuring more than 150 exhibits.
Arnhem is 72 miles from Rotterdam and can be reached in less than two hours by car. For non-motorists, there
are good rail connections with Arnhem, which is served by the HSL high-speed train.
The region includes accommodation to suit all budgets. Our party stayed at the Scandic Sanadome Nijmegen – which boasts its own spa with pools fed by thermal springs – where the staff gave our two veterans a warm welcome.
For Gerald and Norman, this trip was an opportunity to pay homage to the past and, with the new Liberation Route, to know that future generations will also remember their sacrifice and that of their comrades.
It was a real privilege to make the journey with them and listen to their stories – travelling through a period of time with first-hand accounts of what it was like to be dropped behind enemy lines, not knowing what the future held or if they would live to see loved ones again.
Arnhem resident Sam Rubens sums up their contribution in the final lines of one of his poems:
Just fold your hands now, for Britons and Poles,
Beneath their white crosses and pray for their souls,
When your prayer is over, keep the memory alight,
Our city still lives because they did us right.
HOW TO GET THERE
Belinda Szonert was a guest of the Regional Tourist Board Arnhem Nijmegen and P&O Ferries, which offers daily overnight Hull-Rotterdam crossings from 107 each way for car and two passengers sharing an ensuite cabin. Foot passengers pay from 106 each way for two passengers sharing en suite cabin. Minicruises start at 70 per person return for foot passengers and from 74 per person with car.
P&O Ferries Dover-Calais crossings start at 27 each way for a car and up to nine passengers for any length of stay. The Calais-Arnhem drive (234 miles) takes three and a half hours.
08716 646 464 and www.poferries.com.
Accommodation in the Arnhem/Nijmegen area starts at E160 per night at the Scandic Sanadome Nijmegen.
www.vvvarnhemnijmegen.nl; www.liberationroute.com; www.airbornemuseum.nl; www.bevrijdingsmuseum.nl and www.sanadome.nl.
Dutch Tourist Board 0207 539 7950. www.holland.com.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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