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Commemoration of the Airborne; Eindhoven, September 21, 2019

75 Years Market Garden, part 2; Text and Photograph's by Alex van Noye

Transport aircraft from various European countries and the United States would commemorate Operation Market garden on September 21, by means of a droppings over the Ginkelse Heide near Ede. Exactly 75 years ago this operation took place which eventually led to the liberation of a large part of the Netherlands.

The Market Garden Memorial was set up largely this year by the organization, because this famous airborne operation took place exactly 75 years ago. More than 1100 Red Barrettes from eight different countries would follow in the footsteps of their predecessors on Saturday September 21. Airborne soldiers can be recognized worldwide by the red Barrett they wear. On September 17 in 1944, more than 75 years ago, the largest airborne operation of history took place under the name Market Garden. The mission began to recapture the Netherlands from the Germans and push through to the Ruhr area. Every year people in this area, especially on the Gelderse Ginkelse Heide near Ede and Arnhem, pay attention to this major airborne operation. During the commemoration, there is a drop on various days at various locations (often in Gelderland and North Brabant). Prior to the Operation Market Garden, the Falcon Leap exercise was held. This exercise is an international parachutist exercise that takes place annually in the Netherlands. During the two weeks in September, different facets of the modern deployment of "airborne" troops are central. The last days of this major exercise are dominated by the Operation Market Garden during the commemorations at Groesbeek, Ede and Arnhem. The Market Garden Memorial is the final part of this international exercise. The Falcon Leap exercise is mainly aimed at the airborne troops who actually perform the parachute jump and the associated crews of the transport aircraft.

The aircraft that would bring all paratroopers to their target areas would fly during the Falcon Leap and Market Garden exercise from the Eindhoven Air Base in Eindhoven. These missions were led by the American command. A total of eight large military transport aircraft were to fly during the Market Garden Memorial. The participating aircraft came from; the Netherlands (two C-130 Hercules), Belgium (one C-130 Hercules), Germany (one C-160 Transall), Great Britain (one C-130 Hercules), Italy

(one C- 130 Hercules) and the United States (two C-130 Hercules). The Poles also flew separate missions with a single CASA C-295M that would often fly together with two German An-28s of the German army. Finally, an authentic C-47 Skytrain also flew along. This aircraft is an original plane that has actually occurred during the invasion of Normandy and the air landings during Market Garden. In addition to the planes that flew during the dropping, paratroopers from all over the world were also present at Eindhoven. The dropping of the paratroopers would be led by the Dutch soldiers of the 11 Airmobile Brigade from Schaarsbergen. The participating paratroopers came from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Great Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic and South Africa.

The first major dropping in the context of Operation Market Garden was on Wednesday September 18, in Groesbeek. A total of more than 1,000 paratroopers would land near the village at the Den Heuvel Estate in Gelderland. In September it is exactly 75 years ago that paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne division landed in Groesbeek as part of the Operation Market Garden. On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, more than 1,000 paratroopers once again set foot at Groesbeek during the annual commemoration. The paratroopers were dropped in this area during multiple waves between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The second major dropping which was commemorated was the dropping of the troops near Arnhem who were dropped on the Ginkelse Heide in 1944. The commemoration of this dropping was visited by many people. On Saturday September 21, more than 100,000 people were present at the Ginkelse Heide. Visitors were transported from and to stations and parking places by shuttle buses. The organization had great difficulty transporting so many people, because the weather played ball during this anniversary edition it was also very busy. A total of three waves were flown in which more than 1,000 paratroopers were dropped. Unfortunately, not all paratroopers were dropped during the morning wave. Due to the strong wind above the Veluwe, not all paratroopers were dropped from the aircraft during the first wave. The paratroopers were welcomed and applauded by the general public at the Ginkelse Heide.

During the commemoration of the operation, some prominent figures from the Dutch and British royal family were also present. For example, the British crown prince Prince Charles was present in a military uniform. On behalf of the Netherlands, the ceremony was attended by Princess Beatrix. Both royalties laid floral wreaths at the Airborne Monument and gave a speech. Ten veterans still alive were present at the ceremony. Veteran John Jeffries also laid a floral wreath on behalf of the survivors. For the second time in his life, the 97-year-old veteran Sandy Cortmann jumped over the Ginkelse Heide in Ede under the guidance of The Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team from the United Kingdom. This time he did not land in hostile circumstances. He was not fired at all, but instead there was loud applause for him. In addition to the parachute landings, there was also a display of the modern Dutch Airmobile Brigade which are nowadays often used with the helicopters of the Defense Helicopter Command at Gilze Rijen Air Base. The 11th Air Maneuver Brigade demonstrated with helicopters and the military how tactical airborne operations of this kind are currently being conducted. There was also plenty to do on the ground, because many enthusiastic hobbyists have been maintaining the old military vehicles from this period of the Second World War for years. Dressed in the uniforms of the time and equipped with the equipment of the time, the part of Operation Garden was shown extensively. Throughout this spectacle, the 75th anniversary of the largest airborne landing in history was appropriately commemorated by young and old. Lest we forget.




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