FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Utrechtseweg 232 6862 AZ Oosterbeek The Netherlands
Newsletter No. 60, October 1995
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

Theme day, Saturday 9 December 1995
Every year in the Autumn our Society organises a ’theme afternoon’. From this year the event is to be extended to last the whole day following a request from a number of our members. This means that those living far away will find making the trip to Oosterbeek much more worthwhile.
This year’s theme day will be held on Saturday 9 December next.
The morning programme is as follows: 09.30-10.30: reception of members in the Schoonoord Restaurant, Pietersbergseweg 4, Oosterbeek (tel. 026- 3333150). There one can obtain refreshments at one’s own expense. The restaurant is open from 9.30 am (and not before)! 10.00-12.00: walk to and through the area of the Pietersberg and Hemelse Berg estates in Oosterbeek. There the military actions which took place in September 1944 around the two sequential headquarters locations of the 1st
Airlanding Brigade will be looked into. The Airlanding Brigade was commanded at the time by Brigadier Ph. ‘Pip’ H.W. Hicks.
This part of the theme day is being organised by our members Philip Reinders and Peter Vrolijk from Vlaardingen and Rotterdam respectively, both members of the ‘Arnhem Battle Research Group’.
12.00-13.30: break for lunch in Oosterbeek, again at one’s own expense.
The afternoon programme will be held in the Concert Hall, Rozensteeg 3, Oosterbeek (tel. 026-3332046).
The programme contains the following: 13.30-14.00: reception of members. 14.00-15.15: lecture by Eug&ne Wijnhoud from Arnhem on ‘The role of the 1st and 2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Batteries Royal Artillery during the Battle of Arnhem’.
15.15-15.45: intermission.
15.45-16.45: showing of the British video documentary ‘The Battle for Arnhem’ The film has Dutch subtitles.
17.00 approx.: end of Theme afternoon.

A new ‘Who was Who’
The book ‘Who was Who during the Battle of Arnhem – The Order of Battle of Airborne Officers who fought at Arnhem in 1944’ which was published by our Society in 1992 is sold out and will not be reprinted in its current form. It has been decided to prepare a new, enlarged edition which, in addition to tire existing data, will include all manner of new information.
The intention is to set up a workgroup of people with a good working knowledge of the subject. The group will be led by Chris van Roekel.
Any member wishing to assist in the project can contact Chris at Benedendorpsweg 119, 6862 WE Oosterbeek, telephone 026-3333261.

 

Saturday 16 September 1995. This year’s Pilgrimage Leader Colonel John L. Waddy congratulates veteran Ted Shaw on his successful parachute jump al the Ginkelse Heide near Ede. Ted Shaw is the Friends Society’s representative in Creat Britain.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

Correction
To the editors’ great chagrin the Ministory accompanying the August issue of the Newsletter was given the number 48 in error. This should have been 47 and, so as to ensure continuity in the numbering system, the Ministory accompanying this Newsletter will be: ‘No. 47’.
Compilation of 50 Ministories?
Since 1983 the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum’s Newsletter has consisted of a ‘newspaper’ of announcements and a ‘Ministory’ in which a specific aspect of the Battle of Arnhem is covered. The editorship hopes to publish the fiftieth Ministory in the Spring of 1996. There is a possibility of collating the first 50 Ministories in a book but before starting a project of this nature the Society’s management would wish to know if there is sufficient interest in such a publication.
Drop a line to the Society if you are interested in a book of collected Ministories.


The Reverend R.F. Bowers holds his congregation spellbound with an impressive, emotional and often humorous sermon during the memorial service at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek on 17 September 1995. (photo: Berry de Reus)

5-day Spring excursion to England?
If financially and organisationally feasible, the Society’s management is considering arranging an excursion to England in the Spring of 1996. Visits to various museums and places of historical interest relative to the 1st British Airborne Division are on the programme. The museums would include the Airborne Forces Museum at Aidershot, the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop and a number of military museums in London.
Also under consideration for a visit are the British ‘Parachute Training Schoo! and associated museum at Brize Norton, plus one or two former airfields from which units of the 1st British Airborne Division left for the Netherlands in September 1944.
The trip will be by touring coach and will last five days. We want to make the excursion as inexpensive as possible and for this reason we are trying to arrange accommodation in one or other military barracks. During the last Airborne commemoration our friends among the British authorities agreed to look into this possibility.
In any case the excursion would have to take place in April or May 1996 and we must emphasise that this is just a preliminary announcement. The excursion is by no means certain to go ahead and it is therefore too early to put your name forward for a place at this stage. We’ll keep you posted.

Message from your UK representative
Thank you for your support of the Friends and for your generosity.
A kindly reminder that subscriptions are due on the 1st of January 1996. Donations are always welcome. Signed: Ted Shaw, UK representative.
(298 Totiies Road, Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD. Telephone: 0803-553616)

Unusual gift for the Airborne Museum
Last August one of our English members, Mr. Ken Greenough, presented the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ with three unusual objects from the Battle of Arnhem.
They are German in origin and are: a large swastika flag, an armband and a leave pass. Ken was given these souvenirs in 1988 by Arnhem veteran Sid Davies who in turn had been given them in 1945 by Michael Fitzgerald, HQ Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion.
Fitzgerald became separated from his unit during the landings on 17 September 1944 and therefore never got to the bridge.
He eventually reached divisional headquarters at the Hartenstein Hotel in Oosterbeek where he took up a foxhole position close to the tennis courts where German prisoners-of-war were housed. There he relieved a German POW of the armband and leave pass, with a Military Policeman’s blessing it has to be said.
The swastika flag probably originates from the Hartenstein or De Tafelberg. When operation Market Garden began both hotels were being used by German Field Marshal Walter Model’s staff. Model was commander of German Army Group B.
A special detail of the flag worth mentioning is that a large piece of material has been removed from its lower edge. Apparently Sid Davies’ mum cut the strip from the bottom of the flag and mended her red curtains with it!

In Memoriam: Jan Lourens
Jan Lourens, inhabitant of Oosterbeek, passed away on 6 September 1995 at the age of 89.
During the Second World War he was an active member of the Resistance where his knowledge of transmitters and receivers was of tremendous value. Airborne troops also made use of his expertise during the Battle of Arnhem.
Every year from 1945 onwards he looked after the sound equipment for the memorial service at the Airborne Cemetery. This equipment also did sterling service during the so-called Battlefield Tours. Jan was to be found wherever sound had to be recorded and amplified.
As time went by the company name ‘ATOOM’ became a synonym for the owner himself.
His tale of the war years is included in the book ‘Zes Dorpen in Oorlog en Verzet’ (Six Villages in Wartime and Resistance) which was published in 1984.

Large gift of money for the Airborne Museum
Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ has received a cheque for 7,000 guilders from ‘Woningbeheer Renkum’ (a local housing association).
The motivation behind the gift of this princely sum (collected during the opening of its new office in Renkum) is the housing association’s belief in the value of the museum in the Renkum municipality and the importance of its continued-existence.
Veterans parachute jump a great success
On Saturday 16 September 1995, again watched by a huge crowd, the annual parachute drop took place on the Ginkelse Heide at Ede.


The unveiling of a plaque at ‘de Hazehof farm in Kesteren on 3 May last. The plaque commemorates the 16 British parachutists and one American airman who were hidden there by the Resistance from 18 to 23 Septembei 1944. From left to right: Sergeant A.E. Spring, Private ]. Westbury and the American, 2nd Lieutenant E. Fulmer, (photo: Patrick Pronk)

The dropping of around 300 men of the British 10th Parachute Battalion was followed by the long- awaited jump by a number of Arnhem veterans. Unfortunately the jump had to be cancelled last year, the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, due to bad weather, but luckily this year the weather behaved itself. Fifty-one years after the events of September 1944 almost thirty ex-servicemen jumped once more from an aircraft above the former dropping zone.
They had practised for this day for 2 years and the drop was a great success. One of the veterans to make this historic jump was our Great Britain representative Mr. Ted Shaw.

Plaque in Brummen
On 23 September 1944, after the battle around the Rhine bridge at Arnhem was over, a number of British prisoners-of-war were driven off in open lorries towards Zutphen.
At Brummen Major Tony Hibbert and Major Dennis Munford managed to escape by leaping from one of the trucks. During the ensuing mayhem an SS trooper fired his machine pistol into the group of prisoners crammed into the back of the truck. Six British soldiers died.
During an emotional gathering on 15 April this year, Tony Hibbert unveiled a memorial plaque to the six murdered servicemen. The plaque is attached to the walLof the-PosL Office in Brummen, close to the spot where the drama was played out.
The idea for the plaque came initially from one of our members, Piet Willemsens, who describes the shooting incident in one of the chapters of his book ‘Oorlog in een dorp aan de IJssel, Brummen – Eerbeek 1940 -1945’ (War in a village on the IJssel, Brummen – Eerbeek 1940 -1945). Another chapter in the book deals with the time Tony Hibbert spent in hiding in Brum men.
The book is available from the author, Stationsweg 6, 6971 BX Brummen.

Fulbeck Hall
In 1944 the headquarters of the 1st British Airborne Division in England was located at Fulbeck Hall, a country house in Lincolnshire.
The house was built in 1733 and has remained in the hands of the Fane family since that time. After the war the house, which had suffered considerably at the hands of the military, was completely refurbished, with the exception of the map room. In 1994 the present owner Mary Fry (ne<5 Fane) restored this room to how it was in 1944. The Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek provided advise in this venture as well as the loan of certain material. Last 15 and 16 July a weekend was organised in the grounds of Fulbeck Hall with ‘The Forties’ as its theme. There were a number of old army vehicles on display, arms dealers were present exhibiting their wares and various bands played tunes from the forties. There was also a fly-past of veteran aircraft, including a Dakota. Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ was present in the form of a stand manned by Wybo and Nanna Boersma.
Fulbeck Hall receives regular visits from Arnhem veterans who often present the collection with interesting objects and documents. The Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek has been given copies of a number of these archive documents.
Fulbeck Hall will be open to the public again in 1996 and it is well worth a visit. It is situated 3 miles south of the A17 and about 9 miles east of the Al and can be reached via the A607. House and gardens are open to the public from 30 June to 28 July between the hours of 2 pm and 5 pm. They are also open during the Whitsun break and on the May and August Bank holidays.
The exhibition can be visited daily by appointment. Arnhem veterans are admitted free of charge.

Plaque unveiled in Kesteren
On 18 September 1944 a Dakota on its way to Arnhem with men of the 10th Parachute Battalion on board crashed near Opheusden.
Most of the occupants were able to escape from the aircraft by parachute but three did not survive the crash: two men of the American 43 Troop Carrier Squadron and one British parachutist.
The survivors were hidden from the Germans for five days by members of the Resistance in ‘de Hazehof farm in Opheusden before being escorted to the Allied lines.
A plaque attached to the wall of ‘de Hazehof farm recalling this event was unveiled on 3 May 1995. The unveiling ceremony was carried out by a former member of the American crew and two ex-parachutists.

Decorations for Dutch people
A number of Dutch people recently received decorations in recognition of their efforts for the annual Airborne commemorations.
Mr. T. Pieterse received the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for the tremendous amount of work he has done over the past 20 years for and on behalf of the Lest We Forget Foundation. Mr. P. Meulendijk, chairman of the Airborne Commemorations Foundation, was awarded an OBE for the organisation of the 50th commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem (he becomes an Officer in this order).
Mr. A. Baltussen from the Driel-Poland Committee acquired the ‘Officierskruis in de Orde van Verdienste van Polen’ (Officers Cross in the Polish Order of Merit). In addition a number of people were presented with a brooch bearing the Polish Parachute Brigade emblem by the leader of the Polish pilgrims Mr. Z. Gasowski.
As a ‘thank you’ for his work in organising the annual service at the Airborne Cemetery, Mr. J.Rudolphie was presented with a small silver Pegasus figure by the Arnhem Veterans Club.

Lectures on Oosterbeek in 1945
As part of the events marking 50 Years Liberation, the Renkum Municipality ‘Stichting voor Heemkunde’ (Local History Foundation) is organising two lectures on ‘Oosterbeek in 1945’. Both lectures, accompanied by many photographic slides, will give an idea of the damage suffered by the village during, and particularly after, the hostilities of September 1944. Other topics covered will include the left behind military material, ammunition, field graves, trench systems and other matters characteristic of Oosterbeek in the first year of liberation.
The first lecture will be given by Mr. G.H. Maassen jr. on Friday 27 October 1995 and will deal with the ‘Bovendorp’ (Lipper village). The second, covering the ‘Benedendorp’ (Lower village), will be on Wednesday 22 November 1995 when the lecturer will be Mr. R.P.G.A. Voskuil.
The TJ October lecture will be held in ‘Zalencentrum Lebret’ and the 22 November lecture will be in the Concert Hall, both commencing at 8 pm.
Admission is free for ‘Heemkunde’ members and 5 guilders for non-members.


Fulbeck Hall in Lincolnshire, 1st British Airborne Division headquarters in 1944, photographed during ‘The Forties’ weekend held on 15 and 16 July 1995.
(photo: Wybo Boersma)

British G.P.O telephone box back in place
Last year an original red G.P.O. telephone box was placed at the corner of Utrechtseweg and Weverstraat in Oosterbeek, a gift from the Arnhem Veterans Club.
Unfortunately within a few weeks it was hit by a skidding car and so badly damaged that it had to be removed. Shortly before the 51st commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem, on 23 August to be exact, a British telephone box was once more back in position.

 

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Newsletter No. 61, February 1996
ISSN 1383-3413
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

16th General Members Meeting, 27 April 1996
You are invited to attend the 16th General Members Meeting of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum, Oosterbeek. The meeting will be held in the Concert Hall, Rozensteeg 3, opposite the Old Church in Benedendorp Oosterbeek on Saturday 27 April next starting at 2 pm, and will include the Annual General Meeting.
The agenda is as follows:
1. Opening
2. Minutes of the General Members Meeting of
1 April 1995
3. General Report 1995
4. Financial Report 1995
5. Audit Committee Report
6. Relationship to the museum
7. Budget for 1996
8. Election of Officials
9. Appointment of reserve member to the Audit Committee
10. Questions
11. Closure of the meeting
Information on agenda point 8.
Messrs J. Smits and R.P.G.A.
Voskuil have reached the end of their term of office but both have declared themselves available for re-election.
Article 8 of the Statutes allows for the proposal of alternative Financial reports and information on point 6 will be sent to you separately. The Audit Commission report will be available for perusal half an hour before the meeting begins.
After the meeting a film about the Battle of Arnhem will be shown.

General Report 1995
We began the year with 1236 members. During 1995 10 people cancelled their membership, 33 Friends had their membership cancelled through non-payment of subscriptions and 15 members died.
Membership was increased by 80, including one British and seven Dutch ‘Life Members’. Those who passed away were Mrs Bosman-Nijenes and the gentlemen F.J.N. Engel, J.A. de Baat, B.M.F. Verschoor, M. van der Graaf, J. Figg, E.J. Hetherington, B.E. Cornell, B. Facey, C. Simpson,
S.A.J. Daw, W.T. Simpson, BJ. Mullerlove, W.J. Marquand and Mr and Mrs L.D. Tapp. The management met 11 times during the year. There was an excursion to Hamminkeln in the Spring and a Theme Day was held in the Autumn As in previous years, four Dienstslachtoffers en Aanverwante Doeleinden’ (a trust which acquires funds for military war and service victims and related purposes) and the 10,000 guilders raised by the VVV (tourist office) in 1994 as a result of the Telephone Card action were received in 1995 and, as agreed, devoted to the updating of the project.
A number of members presented the management with proposals aimed at making certain changes within the Society. Two meetings took place between these members and management in which the proposals were explained and discussed. Various ideas were accepted by the management with the remaining items being scheduled for further discussion at a later date.

The HAMILCAR glider in the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop, one of the museums to be visited during the trip to England.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

The Society presented the Airborne Museum with the following gifts:
1. A stereo projector for the showing of stereo slides, including the cost of producing the slides;
2. A crate for the transportation of the large HORS A glider model which is always a great attraction at the various promotional/sales stands;
3. A perspex display cabinet which allows books to be exhibited safely;
4. Two large (3 x 2.25 metres) photo display boards for the information stand;
5. Payment of the costs for the provision of Polish text for the audio-visual presentations in the museum;
6. A contribution to the costs for the realisation of a German Schools Project.
Society information and sales stands were to be found at various 1995 festivities including the two Royal Netherlands Air Force Open Days at Volkel, the nine days of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands, the Resistance Day at Nunspeet, the Airborne Walk in Oosterbeek and the Pegasus Walk in Lunteren. Profits for the museum and the Society amounted to a total of 13,500 guilders.
(Mieke de Langen)

Airborne Museum Foundation chairman Burgomaster Verlinden thanks EefVellinga for the work he has do ne for the museum over the past 17 years al the latter’s reception in ‘Har tonstein’ on 12 January last; right, Nelie Vellinga- Nijholt.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

Message from your UK representative
Thank you for your support of the Friends and for your generosity.
A kindly reminder that subscriptions were due on the 1st of January 1996. Donations are always welcome.
Signed
Ted Shaw, UK representative.

Excursion to England, 17 to 21 April 1996
In the last Newsletter mention was made of a planned trip to England for our Dutch members. Thanks to the enthusiastic cooperation of the Parachute Regiment in Aidershot this excursion will indeed go ahead from Wednesday 17 up to and including Sunday 21 April. An information sheet with application coupon is included with the Dutch edition of this Newsletter. Those interested should return the completed coupon as soon as possible and should deposit the required participation fee in the specially opened Giro bank account.

Well attended Theme Day
The Theme Day held in Oosterbeek last 9 December generated tremendous interest. The morning programme was organised by our members Philip Reinders and Peter Vrolijk, a programme that they had prepared with great thoroughness. Messrs Reinders and Vrolijk conducted the ‘Theme Dayers’ on a tour of the Pietersberg and Hemelse Berg estates where, among other things, 1st Airlanding Brigade headquarters was situated during the battle. The events of September 1944 were gone into in great detail. The presence of Mr Albert Jansen, who lived in the gardener’s house at the Pietersberg in those days more than 50 years ago and had his own story to tell, added an extra dimension to the tour.
In the afternoon Eugdne Wijnhoud gave a gripping lecture to a crowded Concert Hall on the role of the 1st and 2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery Royal Artillery during the Battle of Arnhem. The lecture was illustrated with numerous slides.
The afternoon ended with the showing of the video-documentary ‘The Battle for Arnhem’.
Many people asked if details of the research into the day’s subjects could one day be put down on paper, a request which was positively received by the three theme organisers.

Members’ proposals
As you will have read in the General Report, a number of members have put forward various proposals to the management of which the following have been accepted:
1. Expansion of the theme afternoons into a full Society day. In consultation with the management these additional half days can be used by Society members for presentations, lectures and suchlike.
2. The facility for members to place short appeals in the Newsletter regarding research into specific aspects of the Battle of Arnhem. (‘Can you help?’)
3. Future, new Society publications costing 30 guilders or more will be available to Society members at a discount.
4. Management will endeavour to fix the dates of the Society’s events for the whole year.

Obituary: Leo Heaps
News has been received of the death in Canada some time during September 1995 of Canadian Arnhem veteran Leo Heaps. Lieutenant Heaps served as an officer in the British army from May 1944. He was attached to the 1st Parachute Battalion and landed with tills unit at Arnhem on 17 September 1944. At the end of the fighting, during which he exhibited great courage and initiative, he was made prisoner- of-war. He managed to escape, however, and was involved in Operation Pegasus I in October 1944. In this operation more than 200 allied servicemen who had been in hiding in enemy-held territory since the battle escaped across the Rhine to the safety of the liberated region of the Netherlands.
Heaps described his experiences in the books ‘Escape from Arnhem’ (Toronto, 1945) and ‘The Grey Goose of Arnhem’ (London, 1976).

New Airborne Museum Foundation management board members
Two new members have been appointed to the management board of the Airborne Museum Foundation. Oosterbeek economist Drs J.M. Kingma becomes treasurer, effective from 1 January this year, with the second appointee, as ordinary member to the board, being Mr G. Pijpers, also from Oosterbeek. Gerrit Pijpers, a Squadron Leader in the Royal Netherlands Air Force, has been involved in the organisation of the memorial service at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek since 1976. From 1 January 1995 he took over the management of this annual highpoint in the commemorations. In this task he is assisted by many volunteer helpers.

Eef Vellinga says goodbye
On 12 January 1996, 72 year-old Eef Vellinga took leave of his post as Airborne Museum assistant curator.
A farewell reception was held in his honour on the same day which was attended by a large number of people. To mark his leaving the Airborne Museum Foundation and the Society of Friends presented the Veil ingas with a holiday trip to England. In addition Eef received an inscribed crystal wine carafe from the Foundation plus a wristwatch from the personnel, also inscribed.
Eef Vellinga worked at the Hartenstein museum from the day of its opening in 1978, and in the ensuing 17 years put in an unbelievable amount of work.
Eef experienced the Battle of Arnhem at close quarters in September 1944. He was one of the small group of Dutchmen who offered assistance to the British during the initial stages of the battle. This group would later become known as the ‘Oranje Bataljon’ (the Orange Battalion).
One of Eef’s hobbies is painting and a small selection of his work was exhibited in the Airborne Museum from 10 November 1995 to 7 January 1996.


Oosterbeek, 13 December 1995. Lieutenant Jongen and Warrant Officer Bolle of the Graves Unit during the exhumation of the remains of a British serviceman at Westerbouwing.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

‘Battle of Arnhem’ now on Internet
Modern technology increasingly allows the spread of information via the computer, including of course information on historical subjects.
One of our members, Mr H. Hoekstra from Arnhem, is working on a programme on the Internet about the Battle of Arnhem which enables all manner of information on the operation to be called up. The data files are still being perfected with the help of many people worldwide, and extensive information about the Airborne Museum is included. The programme can be called up on the computer under: HTTP://WWW.UNIVERSAL.NL/USERS/HOEKST RA/PEGASUS.HTM

‘Sluimerend Gevaar’
(Insidious Danger)
An exhibition to do with the clearance of munitions left behind after the Battle of Arnhem is to be held in the Airborne Museum from 1 March to 12 May 1996 under the title ‘Sluimerend Gevaar’. Particularly in the years just after the war enormous quantities of explosive material were cleared, but even today there are almost weekly finds of dangerous munitions in the area around Arnhem.

Appeal
The opening of the Airborne Museum in Hartenstein in 1978 was photographed and filmed by many of those who attended the ceremony. The management of the Airborne Museum Foundation would like to obtain prints of the photographs and copies of the films made on the day, both at the Hartenstein and in the Goede Herderkerk (Church of the Good Shepherd). If you possess any such material and have no objection to it being copied please contact the Airborne Museum, Utrechtseweg 232, 6862 AZ, Oosterbeek, telephone 026 – 3337710.

Remains of a British soldier unearthed
On 13 December 1995, during the excavation of a telephone cable trench opposite the entrance to the Westerbouwing in Oosterbeek, the remains of a British serviceman killed during the Battle of Arnhem were discovered. The Graves Unit of the Royal Netherlands Army was alerted immediately and Lieutenant H.J.R. Jongen and Warrant Officer F. Bolle were quickly on the scene. There they recovered the soldier’s remains with great care. The remains were found at a depth of 65 cm and were well preserved, even after more than 51 years, and Lieutenant Jongen was able to recover the almost complete skeleton without any difficulty. Investigation of the remains at the Graves Unit laboratory in Bussum will concentrate initially on the man’s teeth. Comparison with old dental records held in the British Ministry of Defence archives will most probably lead to a positive identification.
At present there are still 429 allied servicemen missing in the Arnhem area. A total of 286 unknown soldiers lie buried in various cemeteries who, as far as is known, were involved in the Battle of Arnhem. The remains of the two servicemen found in the Sonnenberg area in Oosterbeek in January 1994 are still under examination by the British authorities. This means that there are still some 140 unknown graves of allied soldiers in the south ‘Veluwezoom’ region.

Book fair at theAirborne Museum
This year’s annual book fair will be held in the Airborne Museum on 1 July. A wide selection of books about World War II will be on sale at the various stands.

Bronze statuette of parachutist recovered
More than a year ago the 70 cm tall bronze statuette ‘The Parachutist’ by Jits Bakker was wrenched from its pedestal and stolen. Last September, shortly before the commemorations, the sculptor placed his own example of the statue at our disposal. Since it appeared that the original would never be found, fund-raising began to enable this second statue to be purchased from Jits Bakker.
Imagine the amazement one morning at the beginning of December last year when the badly damaged original statuette was found on the steps of the Airborne Museum, left by a person or persons unknown.
The damaged statue will now be repaired and returned to the spot where it had stood for five years: opposite the entrance to the Airborne Museum.

‘To Save a Life’
A book entitled ‘To Save a Life, Memoirs of a Dutch Resistance Courier’ has been brought to the attention of the editors by Mrs Pelster from Oosterbeek. In this book Elsa Caspers, a Dutch lady, describes the work of the Dutch Resistance groups in the ‘Utrechtse Heuvelrug’ region, work which included looking after people who had gone ‘underground’ and hiding allied aircrew. Elsa herself was just 18 years of age when she began to take part in these risky activities as a courier. Among other things she was involved in the then Brigadier Hackett’s escape following his period in hiding in Ede after the battle of Arnhem. General Hackett has written the foreword to the book as a mark of respect to Elsa Caspers and to the Dutch Resistance.
This 176 page illustrated paperback is published by Deirdre McDonalds Books, 128 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LN and costs 9.95 pounds. (ISBN number: 1 898094 10 1)

Booklet about crashed C-47
As a round-off to his research into a C-47 that was shot down over the Betuwe on 18 September 1944, Society member Patrick Pronk has produced a booklet on the subject. This publication, entitled ‘De 697 tijdens de Slag om Arnhem’ (The 697 during the Battle of Arnhem), describes the lot of the aircraft’s crew and the parachutists of the 10th Parachute Battalion it was carrying. The survivors of the crash were brought to safety by the Dutch Resistance. This illustrated booklet in the Dutch language comprises 22 pages.

Correction
In Newsletter no. 60 it was mistakenly reported that Mr J. Rudolphie was presented with a silver statuette by the Arnhem Veterans Club during last September’s Airborne commemorations in appreciation of his great efforts on their behalf. In fact Mr Rudolphie received the statuette from the Airborne Forces Security Fund: the Arnhem Veterans Club actually presented Mr Rudolphie with a glass goblet, engraved with the AVC coat of arms, the presentation being made by Arnhem Veterans Club chairman David Morris.

 

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 62, June 1996
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

The England trip
The recent excursion to England organised by the Friends’ Society took place from 17 to 21 April. Thanks to the co-operation of Colonel B. Middleton, Controller of the Airborne Forces Security Fund, the 50 strong party of excursionists was accommodated in one of the army buildings at Browning Barracks in Aidershot.
Visits to two operational airfields were included in the programme. At Brize Norton the group was given a guided tour of No. 1 Parachute Training School by Squadron Leaders R.E.A. Wadley and G.E. Sizeland. The visit to Fairford was possible thanks to the permission given by Squadron Leader l.S. Pollitt and his staff. At Fairford, now used by the American air force, an explanatory talk by former Glider Pilots Mike Dauncey and Peter Clark was included in the tour. In Aidershot the group was honoured by a visit from Arnhem veteran Bob Peatling.
A report on the excursion by Eef and Nelie Vellinga is given below. Their trip to England was a gift from the Airborne Museum Foundation and the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum to mark Eef’s retirement from his work at the museum.
The England excursion was ’rounded off with a reunion held in the Airborne Museum on Friday 24 May. During the reunion videos were viewed and recollections and photographs exchanged.

Excursion Report
17 April 1996.
At last the ‘Big Journey’ began. We left in the morning by bus, destination England. Following a visit to Ypres in Belgium, known from the First World War, the journey was continued on to Calais. The French customs were particularly irritating and gave us a thorough going-over, looking for ‘hash’ perhaps! Luckily none was found and we were finally allowed to board ‘le Shuttle’.
25 minutes later we were in England. What an experience! From France to Great Britain without a glimpse of water. From Folkstone we travelled to Aidershot where we arrived at our ‘hotel’ around 7 o’clock in the evening.
Unpack suitcases and then dinner in the Mess. Everyone was ready for a good meal. After one or two nightcaps in the bar, all retired to bed at 11 pm. This took a bit of getting used to in such varied company, but in the end everyone got a good night’s sleep, in spite of the odd snorer.
18 April.
Up at seven o’clock, breakfast, and then to the Airborne Forces Museum, where the history of British airborne troops is shown. After lunch our journey continued on to Middle Wallop where we visited the interesting Museum of Army Flying. Back at Aidershot it seemed that the chef had again excelled himself. We took a short stroll after a splendid dinner, and then once again spent a pleasant hour or so in the bar until eleven o’clock.

April 19 1996, during the excursion to England.


Squadron Leader R.E.A. Wadley provides explanations in the large hangar of No. 1 Parachute Training School at Brize Norton, where would-be parachutists receive their ground training.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

19 April.
A nine o’clock departure for Brize Norton, where we arrived at eleven for a visit to No. 1 Parachute Training School (P.T.S.).
After the showing of a film about the training we were split up into two groups and shown around a huge hangar containing all manner of equipment for the training of parachutists. This was followed by a visit to the small No. 1 P.T.S. museum.
After lunch it was on to Fairford. Here too a wonderful reception, with coffee and biscuits and a meeting with two veterans, followed by a tour of this enormous airfield. Another marvellous experience! Then, later in the afternoon, back to Aidershot.
20 April.
Today to London. First to the Imperial War Museum; so huge and so much to see. In the afternoon we, together with others from the group, visited the ‘City’ of London, with Wybo Boersma as guide. At the end of the afternoon we headed once more for Aidershot. After dinner a last, enjoyable get-together in the bar.
21 April.
Back to the Netherlands after a few fantastic days. The return journey was trouble-free and we arrived back in Oosterbeek at 7 o’clock in the evening.
Once again, many, many thanks to the organisers, Chris, Robert and Berry. Truly, they could easily set up their own travel agency because everything was organised down to the finest detail and nothing was overlooked.
When Eef celebrated his retirement on 12 January 1996, we could not have imagined being given such a wonderful farewell. Our thanks to the employees, management and Friends of the Airborne Museum for this marvellous gift!!
(Eef and Nelie Vellinga)

A second trip to England?
You will have gathered from the above article that the first excursion to England was a great success. It is a shame, of course, that so many who had applied to go had to be turned down because accommodation in Aidershot was limited to 50 people.
As promised, the excursion commission discussed the chances of a possible second trip with our British friends. However, the problem is that, since recently, Browning Barracks in Aidershot is no longer in the hands of The Parachute Regiment. All activities with the exception of the Airborne Forces Museum and a few offices have been re-located. Thus, no arrangements could be made regarding local accommodation.
It was agreed that they will contact us if accommodation becomes available. Hopefully, the possible second trip could take place some time in August or October, with our provisional preference being for the latter.
Those members whom we had to disappoint with the first excursion will now of course be considered for the second. There may also be people who didn’t apply for the first trip because the time was unsuitable and who now would like to go in the autumn. They can apply by postcard and their names will be placed on a secondary list which will be used if there are places over.
At the moment payment is not required.
In the meantime, those members who applied but in the end couldn t make the trip have received a letter explaining the state of play. Every disappointed applicant, (including those who didn’t phone in about it), have had their excursion money refunded. The excursion commission will contact these people first as soon as we receive definite information from England.
(Chris van Roekel)

Request for information about photo
The front page of this Newsletter carries a photograph from the Battle of Arnhem and we would like to know where it was taken.
We do know that Sergeant Dennis Smith of the Army Film and Photographic Unit was the photographer and that it may have been taken in Oosterbeek on 18 September 1944.
The original caption states: ‘Heavy machine gun trained on houses holding snipers.’
If anyone has any idea where this photograph was taken, could they please contact Geert Maassen via the Renkum Municipal archives, Postbox 9100, 6860 HA, Oosterbeek, tel. 026 3348303.

Volunteers needed for Society work
Members regularly offer to carry out various jobs for the Friends’ Society, and in most cases these offers are gratefully accepted.
Management would now like to introduce a bit more structure into the situation and, based partly on a proposal put forward by some members, have decided to set up a number of working groups:
1. ‘Events’ working group (organisation of theme days and excursions);
2. ‘Publications’ working group (supervision of books and brochures intended for publication by the Society);
3. ‘Fund raising’ working group (including assistance on sales stands at large events).
If you have the time and inclination to join one of these working groups, drop a line to the Friends’ Society management. Your help is vital!

Glider Pilot Regiment exhibition
An exhibition on The Glider Pilot Regiment during the Battle of Arnhem, entitled ‘No Engines!’, will be held in the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ until 3 November next.
Items for this exhibition have been provided from the museum’s collection plus material and documents from the large private collection of our member Luuk Buist from Oosterbeek.

Airborne Museum gets new storage space
Two years after the completion of the ‘Facelift’ project in which the Airborne Museum underwent a thorough modernisation, a new building project has begun. The earth underneath the front, ground-floor terrace of the ‘Hartenstein’ has been excavated.
The huge space thus provided has been lined (with concrete, brickwork etc) and will be used for the storage of items which, up to now, had to be stored here and there in the museum.


IS April 1996. On behalf of the excursionists, Jan Altink hands over a 1994 Arnhem commemoration flag to assistant curator Diana Andrews in the Airborne Forces Museum, Aidershot.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

Eugene Wijnhoud new management member
During the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum’s AGM on 27 April 1996, Eugene Wijnhoud from Arnhem joined the management team. He replaces Arie Hofman who was obliged to step down for personal reasons.

‘Perimeter; 17-25 September 1944’, a booklet
One of our members, Mr Henk van Zoest, has independently published a beautifully prepared booklet on the Battle of Arnhem.
Henk was 13 years old in September 1944 and lived in Cronj£weg in Oosterbeek with his parents and little sister. Fifty years later he has put his recollections down on paper. The result is a 48-page diary of events as he saw them, described day by day.
The Van Zoest family lived through the first days of the struggle in Cronj£weg, but on 21 September they were forced to leave their home. They ended up in a house on the corner of Paul Krugerstraat and Steijnweg where they endured the rest of the battle up until Monday 25 September 1944.
The story is not a detailed historical report but describes the war as seen through the eyes of a 13 year-old Oosterbeek boy. The street fighting in particular, when one minute the houses were held by the British and the next by the Germans, is vividly recounted.Initially Henk van Zoest wrote the book for his children and grandchildren, but when other people began to show interest he had a number of extra copies printed. The author has made it known that any profits from the publication will be donated to the Airborne Forces Security Fund in England. The ‘Perimeter’, which is in Dutch, costs 15 guilders.

Obituary:Charles Douw van der Krap
News has reached us of the death at his home in Wassenaar towards the end of last year of Charles Douw van der Krap, Knight in the Military Order of William. He was 87 years of age.
Naval Commander Douw van der Krap took part in the fighting in Rotterdam in 1940. He was made prisoner-of-war and incarcerated in the notorious Colditz Castle, from where he made several escape attempts. He finally succeeded in escaping and after many wanderings ended up in Arnhem, just before September 1944. When the allied airborne landings took place he offered his services to the British. He became commander of the ‘Oranjebataljon’ (Orange Battalion), a group of civilians who had offered to help the airborne troops.
After the Battle of Arnhem he managed to escape across the Rhine on the night of 22/23 October 1944 as part of Operation Pegasus 1. On reaching England he reported to the Royal Navy.
Douw van der Krap has described his experiences in the book ‘Contra de Swastika’ (Against the Swastika) which appeared in 1981.

Obituary: Jacob Maris, sculptor
Sculptor Jacob Maris passed away on 5 April 1996 in Nijmegen at the age of 96. Maris became famous as the artist responsible for various war and resistance monuments in the Netherlands.
One of his most well known works is the Airborne Monument in Oosterbeek (the ‘Needle’ opposite the Hartenstein), which was unveiled on 17 September 1946 by Queen Wilhelmina (see Ministory No. 24 of July 1989).

Special offer to Society members
The Airborne Museum is offering two videos to members of the Friends’ Society at a huge discount. These are ‘D-Day; de bres in de vesting Europe’ (D- Day; the breach in fortress Europe) of approx 60 minutes duration, and ‘The True Glory; van D-Day tot VE-Day’ (The True Glory; from D-Day to VE- Day), which is about 85 minutes long. Both films are in English with Dutch sub-titles.
The normal price for these documentaries is 40 guilders each, but members in the Netherlands can obtain the pair for 30 guilders plus 7,50 post and package.
Stock is limited.
Acquisitions by the Airborne Museum
The alert observer (and connoisseur) will have noticed that the figure of the RAF airman in the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ wore the wrong type of oxygen mask. The mask worn in September 1944 was the type ‘G’, whereas the one on display was the type ‘H’.
After 15 years of searching and with financial assistance from the Society of Friends, we have succeeded in obtaining a type ‘G’ mask, so this detail error has at last been rectified.
The glider pilot mannequin’s helmet earphones have also been replaced with the correct ‘AM’ type.
(Wybo Boersma)

Correction
Members have pointed out to us that the logo caption on the Newsletter envelopes contains an annoying mistake. The Dutch text states ‘Afbeelding van Pegasus 725 v. Chr’ (Picture of Pegasus 725 BC). This should read 725 na Christas’ (725 AD).
Our apologies for this historical ‘clanger’. The English text is however correct.
(Chris van Roekel)

Exhibition
Each year the Renkum municipal archivist Mr Geert Maassen organises a theme-exhibition in the town hall in Oosterbeek. This year the subject will again be the Battle of Arnhem.
Besides material from the archives the exhibition will include documents and photographs from the private collections of various amateur historians.
Further information about this exhibition – scheduled to run from 21 August to 25 September 1996 – will appear in the next Newsletter.

Henry McAnelly retires as ‘Airborne Battle Guide1
For more than twenty years Henry McAnelly has guided interested parties over the former battlefields in and around Oosterbeek.
As a veteran of the Battle of Arnhem he came to live in the Netherlands after the war, and on 3 March 1975 began his activities as a guide in his Landrover.
Now 73 years of age he has decided to call it a day and give up the job for which he became well known both here and abroad. He and his wife have left Oosterbeek for a new life in the ‘het Gooi’ area.

 

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Newsletter No. 63, August 1996

From the editors
You may have noticed that the previous Newsletter dropped onto your doormat much later in the season than is normally the case. One of the reasons; shortly before Number 62 was due to be printed, thieves broke into the printers’ premises and removed all the computer equipment. This seriously hampered production, including that of our Newsletter. We apologise for the delay on behalf of the printers.
Without doubt you will also have noticed that not all photos were provided with the correct captions; in the Dutch edition some sentences appeared in the wrong places. This bungling was entirely due to the woeful lack of attention-to-detail on our part, for which we also apologise.

Exhibition about The Glider Pilot Regiment
Friday 7 June 1996 saw the opening in the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ of the exhibition ‘No Engines, gliders and glider pilots before and during the Battle of Arnhem’. The official opening ceremony was carried out by Brigadier M.D.K. Dauncey DSO, a section commander in ‘G’ Squadron The Glider Pilot Regiment in September 1944.
The exhibition provides a summary of the history of the British Glider Pilot Regiment, the training of pilots, the various types of glider, the airborne operations in which gliders were used and the fate of the gliders after they were no longer used for operations.
There is a huge collection of photographs to be seen as well as a beautiful model of a Hamilcar glider, personal possessions from various glider pilots, uniforms and pieces of equipment.
Some 600 Horsa, Hamilcar and Waco gliders landed at Arnhem in September 1944 and, sadly, not a single example has survived. For the most part they were set on fire by the Germans both during and following the Battle of Arnhem. After landing the glider pilots were also useable as infantry, and during the battle were to be found everywhere, engaged in the fighting. Because of tills the Glider Pilot Regiment paid a very heavy price. Approximately 1300 men from the regiment landed at Arnhem. Of these 229 lost their lives.
Friends’ Society member Luuk Buist from Oosterbeek has provided many of the items in the exhibition. Luuk began collecting material about the Glider Pilot Regiment 20 years ago and has become an expert on the subject.
The ‘No Engines’ exhibition continues in the Airborne Museum until 3 November 1996.
Highly recommended!

Friday 7 June 1996, Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ in Oosterbeek. Brigadier Dauncey and his wife view the ‘No Engines’ exhibition under the approving eye of Luuk Buist
(photo: Berry de Reus)

Stereo viewer
Before, during and after the Battle of Arnhem, British and American reconnaissance aircraft took hundreds of aerial photographs of the battle area. These photographs were taken perpendicularly and care was taken to ensure that each photo overlapped the next in the sequence by about 60%. This was necessary for viewing the photos stereoscopically later on. Slides have recently been made from 21 stereo sets and these can now be viewed using a special cabinet-mounted stereo viewer. The equipment was built by Mr H. de Wijs from Vianen. The cabinet and viewer were financed by the Friends’ Society and were officially handed over to the Airborne Museum Trust on 26 July 1996. Amsterdam stereo photographer W. van Keulen, who produced the reproductions from selected stereo photographs, was present at the ceremony and gave an introduction into this unusual form of photography.

Powell gives his ‘smock’ to the Airborne Museum
Geoffrey Powell, commander of ‘C’ Company, 156 Parachute Battalion in September 1944, has presented the Airborne Museum with his original parachutists’ jacket, the ‘Denison smock’. At the same time he handed over a letter written to himself by Brigadier Hackett from the latter’s underground address in Ede. The letter contained news of officers left behind after the battle and asked Powell to take care of recommendations for decorations. It was smuggled back across the Rhine to allied lines during Operation Pegasus 1. Major Powell was the only 156 Parachute Battalion company commander to escape across the Rhine during the night of 25/26 September 1944.

Obituary: Hans Deerenberg
Hans Deerenberg, one of the Airborne Museum volunteers who assisted behind the cash-desk for more than twelve years, passed away on 26 May 1996 following a serious illness. He was absolutely correct and unflappable. Under circumstances in which others would resort to panic – power failures, false fire alarms, the arrival of four unexpected coachloads of visitors (always Brits) – Hans would remain controlled and calm.
His cremation service was attended by many, many mourners, a wonderful tribute. We shall never forget him and will always be grateful to him.
(A. Groeneweg)

Obituary: Major-General Eric Mackay
We have received news of the death at the end of December last year of Major-General Eric Mackay at the age of 73. Captain E.M. Mackay commanded ‘A’ Troop 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers in September 1944. He and his men fought in two buildings on the east side of the northern ramp of the Rhine bridge in Arnhem. At the end of the battle he was taken prisoner by the Germans, but escaped after just one day in captivity.

bi front of the De Bilderberg hotel in Oosterbeek Major- Genernl Eric Mackay poses with a copy of his booklet ‘Whoa Mahomet’ during the 50th commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1994.
(photo: Robert Voskuil)

Immediately following his return to allied lines Mackay put his experiences down on paper, as he put it: ‘for my family and for the soldiers with whom I fought’. This story appeared in ‘Blackwoods Magazine’, a Scottish publication, in October 1945 under the title ‘The Battle of Arnhem Bridge’. A Dutch translation was made later and this was published as a booklet in 1947 entitled ‘Whoa Mahomet, De Strijd om de Rijnbrug’.
Eric Mackay was present at the 50th commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1994. One of the Newsletter’s editors took the opportunity of interviewing him then, and the accompanying photo was taken at the same time.

Purchase of material
Financial assistance from the Friends’ Society has enabled the Airborne Museum to purchase a number of pieces of equipment and documents from the collection of veteran and former ‘Airborne Battle Guide’ Henry McAnelly. This material has been on long-term loan to the museum since 1978.
New storage space ready
The new storage space under the museum’s front balcony, which has been the subject of intensive activity over the last few months, is now ready. This increases the museum’s storage area by 70 square metres. The building work and equipping were partially financed by the Friends’ Society.
Background painting added to diorama
A small background painting has been placed in a former window in the signal corps diorama in the cellar of the Hartenstein museum. This creates the impression that one is looking out of the cellar onto the Utrechtseweg. As in the other dioramas, this painting was made by Arnhem artist Huub Milder. Part of the project cost was met by the Friends’ Society.

Appeal
One of our members, Peter Clark from Deurne, is compiling a guide to the monuments to the Battle of Arnhem in the Renkum/Arnhem area, and in England. He would like to hear from anyone who has any information whatsoever on such monuments, in particular on the instigator(s), the designer, when the unveiling took place, where and by whom. Photographs of the unveilings and other details would also be most welcome.
The address for contact is; /Deltasingel 46, 5751 SM, Deurne, tel. 0493-310502, fax. 0493-321411.

A further excursion to Hamminkeln
On 27 May 1995 the Friends’ Society organised an excursion to the area around Hamminkeln in Germany where the 6th British Airborne Division landed on 24 March 1945 as part of the allied ‘Rhine Crossing’ operations.
Documentation Group ’40 – ’45 is organising another excursion to Hamminkeln, scheduled for Saturday 5 October next. In broad terms the programme will be the same as that for the SFAM’s trip in 1995 (see Newsletter no. 58). As on the previous occasion, Mr Johann Nitrowski will lead the excursion.
Knowing that some people were unable to make last year’s trip, Society members are now being offered the opportunity of joining the Documentation Group’s excursion, assuming that there are places available.
One can apply for a place on the excursion up until the closing date for applications of 16 September. Those whose applications are not accepted due to oversubscription will be informed in good time.
Further information is available from W. Boersma, tel.
0318-639633.

Culemborg, 1996 (week 30). Under the supervisory eyes of the chairman and secretary of the Police Sports Association Renkum, P. Vos and H. Boers respectively, and before the camera of Joop Bal, ‘one of the assistants from the very beginning’ Ben van Zanten strikes the first special medal for the coming 50th Airborne Walk.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

‘Gezichten van de Slag I Faces of Arnhem’
An exhibition entitled ‘Gezichten van de Slag / Faces of Arnhem – portraits and personal details of British, Germans and Poles in September 1944′ opened in Oosterbeek town hall on 22 August last. It is in three parts.
1. Philip Reinders and Peter Vrolijk, who together form the Arnhem Battle Research Group, have selected unusual items from their extensive and interesting collection for display. The selection mainly consists of pictures (portraits and photographs) and documents with personal data and experiences of boys and men who fought in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek area some 50 years ago. Pieces of equipment and other objects, some of them extremely rare, are also being exhibited (for the first time).
2. Hans and Dick Timmerman and David van Buggenum show how their searches of former battlefields with metal detectors are prepared and carried out, plus the results of these searches. The most important and unusual finds of the last two years are on show.
3. The Renkum Municipal Archives are exhibiting previously unpublished German photographs that came to light some time ago in the State Archives in Koblenz. The unknown photographer took pictures of German soldiers in action in the Dreyenseweg area (De Leeren Doedel – Oosterbeek-Hoog station). They bring over aspects of combat in a starkly realistic way. The exhibition is open on workdays from 9 am ’til 5 pm and runs until 24 September 1996.

When the call goes out for volunteers to pack, address and sort the Newsletters we are never disappointed. The photo shows four of these ‘silent workers behind the scenes’ in the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’: (left to right) Willem de Ruyter, Jan Smits, Cees Wichhart and Mieke de Langen. (photo: Chris van Roekel, 23 January 1996)

Pegasus Walk,26 October 1996
The thirteenth Pegasus Walk will be held in Lunteren on Saturday 26 October 1996.
The walk is intended to commemorate Operation Pegasus 1 in the night of 22/23 October 1944 in which 150 allied servicemen, in hiding after the Battle of Arnhem, managed to escape across the Rhine with the aid of the Dutch resistance.

Video documentary of fifty years of Airborne Walks
On Saturday 7 September 1996, the fiftieth Airborne Walk will be held in Oosterbeek.
This jubilee will be marked by the making of a video documentary. The video will provide an impression of the background and history of this, the largest day- walk in Europe, and will include historical film material.
Bal Bedrijfsvideo in Oosterbeek has been working for some time now on the preparations for this film.
One of the many preparations for the fiftieth Airborne Walk was the striking of a special medal in Culemborg, an event which Joop Bal got down on tape.
The film, which will be available for sale at the end of September, will last about 45 minutes and will cost 37.5 guilders including postage and packing. Part of the profits will go to the ‘Lest We Forget’ Trust which assists old campaigners who are financially unable to attend the annual commemoration.
The film can be ordered from Bal Bedrijfsvideo, Rozensteeg 1, 6862 DH, Oosterbeek, tel. 026-3340719.
If you have photographs or films of previous Airborne Walks and would be happy to make them available to the makers of the documentary, please contact them at the above address.

Monument to Baskeyfield VC
Mr Th. Peelen from Rheden informs us that there are plans afoot to erect a monument to Lance-Sergeant Jack Baskeyfield VC in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.
Baskeyfield (2nd Bn, The South Staffordshire Regiment) was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his action at the Acacialaan in Oosterbeek on 20 September 1944 during which several German tanks and/or self-propelled guns were destroyed.
It is presumed that he was killed on that day, and his grave has never been found.
A sum of 37,500 pounds will be required for the setting up of this monument in Baskeyfield’s home town and various activities are being undertaken to raise this money.
One of these is the sale of a special commemorative plate depicting Baskeyfield’s action. The plate costs 20 pounds plus 3 pounds postage and packing. For information on ordering from the Netherlands contact our member Alex Junier, Van Hogendorpstraat 76, 2515 NW, Den Haag, tel. 070-3893862.

New museum in Deelen
A small museum was opened in a building on the ‘kop van Deelen’ on Friday 7 June 1996. Its central theme is the air war over the Netherlands during the period 1940-1945. The opening ceremony was performed by Mr R.J.E.M. Zinnick Bergmann, who served as a Typhoon pilot with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War (see Ministory 28, October 1990).
The museum’s exhibits include many interesting pieces of wreckage from allied and German aircraft shot down during the war. Most of this wreckage has been excavated over the years from the Betuwe area by the Dutch Aircraft Examination Group (DAEG), which also cares for the conservation and description of the finds. Besides aircraft parts there is also a large collection of airmen’s personal belongings to be seen. The museum also covers the history of Deelen airfield, which was developed into an important Luftwaffe base following the German invasion in May 1940.
The museum is located in the old NCO’s mess (building 20) in Hoenderloseweg, at the highest point in Deelen incidentally, and is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (tel. 026 3718 320).

 

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 64, November 1996
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

Ted Shaw does it again
As in previous years, parachutists from the 10th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, carried out a parachute drop onto Ginkel Heath near Ede during the 52nd commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem. Once these 200 servicemen were on the ground there followed a parachute descent by a number of Arnhem veterans. Among these men daring once more to take up the challenge, whose ages vary from 70 to 82 and who made the jump linked to a ‘tandem¬master’, was again our British representative Mr Ted Shaw, MC. We extend our hearty congratulation to Ted on this magnificent achievement!
Ted laid a wreath at the ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ during the memorial service at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek on Sunday morning, 22 September 1996. He was accompanied by two schoolchildren from the Renkum municipality. For the last few years the wreathlaying has been carried out by George Gatland, but unfortunately ill health prevented George from attending this year’s commemoration.

Theme day on Sunday 15 December
The traditional theme day for society members will be held again this autumn. This year it will be on a Sunday so that those who have to work on Saturdays have a chance to attend; the date, 15 December next.
The programme is as follows:
11.00 hours: reception with coffee in the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek, after which the new storage space beneath the Hartenstein terrace will be open for inspection. The storage room was partially financed by our society. At the same time the museum’s library and archives will be open (opened especially for the occasion no less!) to visitors.
Around midday lunch may be taken at one’s own expense.
13.30-14.00 hours: reception of members for the afternoon programme in Zalencentrum ‘Lebret’, Lebretweg 51 in Oosterbeek. This programme centres entirely on the film ‘A Bridge Too Far’, made in the summer of 1976.
14.00-15.00 hours: lecture by Robert Voskuil, with slides, on the making of the film. The speaker was given a special pass by the staff of producer Joseph Levine, which allowed him free movement around the film sets and the freedom to take photographs. This resulted in a large collection of slides, a selection of which has been chosen for tliis presentation. Among the slides to be seen will be those taken in Deventer and Zutphen, at Huize’t Schol (where the Hartenstein headquarters was reconstructed), at the Nijmegen road bridge, at Ginkel Heath, in Bronkhorst (where Oosterbeek church and the Ter Horst family home was ‘built’) and on the Garderense Heide.
15.00-15.45 hours: break.
15.45-16.45 hours: a showing of the British documentary film ‘The Arnhem Report, the making of ‘A Bridge Too Far’.
17.00 hours: end of the theme day.
The video ‘A Bridge Too Far’ is still widely available and it is perhaps a nice idea to do a bit of homework and watch the film again as preparation for the theme day!


21 September 1996. This year’s ‘Leader of the Pilgrimage’, Major T.l.J. Toler, congratulates a number of veterans on their successful parachute jump at Ginkel Heath.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

Message from your UK representative
Thank you for your support of tire Friends and for your generosity.
A kindly reminder that subscriptions are due on the 1st of January 1997. Donations are always welcome. Signed
Ted Shaw, UK representative.

Second excursion to England, 2 to 6 April 1997
We have received news from Colonel Middleton, controller of the Airborne Forces Security Fund, that an army building in Aidershot will be available from the 2nd to the 6th of April 1997 as accommodation for the second excursion to England. All members who had written-in for the first excursion, but were unlucky, will be asked if they are interested in going on the second trip.
Members who did not previously apply for a place can now do so by letter. If there are seats over in the bus, participants will be chosen by lottery.
Further information will be included in the next Newsletter.

General Hackett presents his wristwatch to the museum
General Hackett recently presented the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ with the wristwatch that he has owned for 55 years and which he wore during the Battle of Arnhem. Hackett obtained the timepiece in 1942 while stationed in Palestine. It was still in use until a short time ago.

Airborne Museum commemorative envelope
The Airborne Museum has begun issuing a new series of commemorative envelopes with ‘Monumenten van de Slag om Arnhem’ (Monuments of the Battle of Arnhem) as their theme. The first edition shows the Airborne Monument in Oosterbeek, designed by the Oosterbeek architect H.W. Wesselink. The monument was made by sculptor Jacob Maris and was unveiled on 17 September 1946 by Queen Wilhelmina.
The first 400 from the 1,000 numbered envelopes have been franked with a 90 cent Operation Market Garden commemorative stamp from 1994. The rest bear the 100 cent stamp that was issued this summer. They are for sale in the Airborne Museum at 6 guilders each.

Plaque for Baskeyfield, VC
On Friday 20 September 1996, a plaque was unveiled at the corner of Benedendorpsweg and Acacialaan in Oosterbeek in memory of John Daniel Baskeyfield (2nd Bn, The South Staffordshire Regiment). Baskeyfield died here on 21 September 1944. He was later awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. The initiative for this memorial was taken by Mr Th. Peelen from Rheden, one of our members. During his speech he recalled the dramatic events that took place 52 years ago at this spot, which is now marked by a beautiful tree. After the speech a veteran from the above mentioned battalion unveiled the plaque, which carries the regimental emblem and the text ‘Jack Baskeyfield Tree, 20 September 1996’.

Sadly, the weather left a little to be desired during the memorial service at the Airborne Cemetery on 22 September Inst. Girls from the Koninklijke Harnionie use plastic bags to protect their clarinets from the rain. (Photo: Berry de Reus)

50th Airborne Walk
The 50th Airborne Walk took place on 7 September 1996 in ideal weather conditions. Among the 35,000 plus participants were 22 people who have taken part in every walk since 1947, including our Board member Chris van Roekel.
A video has been made to mark the occasion of this jubilee walk documenting its history. After looking back at the Battle of Arnhem, the video goes on to show how the first walk of 49 years ago, in which 1,700 people took part, has grown into the biggest day walking event in the world. With the aid of unique historical film the makers give a picture of the event over the years, and include interviews with people who have been closely involved. It closes with an impression of the 50th walk.
The first copy of ’50 Jaar Airborne Wandeltocht, een hele afstand’ (50 years Airborne Walk, quite a distance) was presented to Mr P. Vos, chairman of the Police Sports Association ‘Renkum’, on 11 October last.
The video is on sale in the Airborne Museum, price 30 guilders.

Can anyone help?
The editors have received a letter from England from George Barton, ex-Sergeant in No. 2 Anti-Tank Platoon, Support Company, 7 KOSB. George recently became a member of the Society of Friends and, while looking through some back numbers of the Newsletter, came across a photo on page 3 of Ministory No. 42.
It shows a Signa! Sergeant whom the author of the Ministory believed belonged to the Recce Squadron. However, George has identified the man as being Lance Sergeant Frank Hooper from Birmingham, who served in the Signal Platoon, 7 KOSB. In his letter George writes that the pair became good friends while prisoners-of-war, and on return to England remained in contact until 1953. After that contact was lost.
George would like to know what became of Frank Hooper. Can anyone help?

German anti-aircraft gun unearthed
The spectacular ‘exhumation’ of a German anti-aircraft gun took place on Friday 30 August 1996 in the Meinerswijk polder, south of the Rhine near Arnhem. In September 1944 this gun, together with other German artillery, fired on British Airborne troops on Onderlangs and Bovenover in Arnhem in an attempt to stop the advance to the bridge, namely on 19 September.
After the war the gun was not broken up for scrap, probably because it was too heavy to move. Instead the 4,5 ton monster, which had been dug in and rendered unserviceable by the Germans, was covered with earth.
For years aficionados knew that there was an anti-aircraft gun buried at that spot, then, some two months ago, members of the Dutch Aircraft Examination Group (DAEG) decided it was high time they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. After locating the exact place with a metal detector, excavation began. This was done with the aid of a crane supplied free of charge by the owners of the land, the Bruil company from Arnhem.
On excavation the weapon appeared to have been reasonably well preserved by the heavy clay in which it had been buried. The damaged barrel lay loose nearby and the nine black rings on it indicated how many aircraft it had shot down. On some places the German camouflage paint was also still visible. First inspection clearly revealed that it was a French 75 mm gun which the Germans had captured during the fall of France in 1940. It was modified and given the name ‘7,5 cm Flugzeugabwehrkanone M 36(f). Once above ground the artillery piece was placed on a low-loader supplied by the J. Bouwman Jr. company from Oosterbeek and taken to Deelen airfield, where it was set up in the DAEG museum. The members of the group that runs the museum will look after the preservation and restoration, which will be sponsored by the Pas painting company from Apeldoorn.
An investigation will also be made into the history of the gun and into the precise role it played in the Battle of Arnhem. Wybo Boersma is trying to get in touch with any members of the gun’s crew still living. When the story is complete we, aided by the DAEG, hope to publish it in the form of a Ministory.

A delegation from the 10th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, place flowers at the monument in the garden of Utrechtseweg 192 in Oosterbeek during an informal meeting on 21 September 1996. In September 1944 the houses in this area were defended by men of the above- mentioned battalion.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

Recent Airborne Museum acquisitions
1. We have been given a sleeve emblem by a veteran from the former German ‘Reichs Arbeits Dienst’ (RAD), bearing the number 212/6. Two years ago the foundation obtained a complete RAD uniform, but the sleeve emblem was incorrect.
RAD unit 212/6 was stationed in Westervoort and Oosterbeek Laag in 1944. It consisted of 16 and 17 year-old German youths who operated the anti-aircraft guns in Westervoort, Arnhem and Oosterbeek. Some of them also operated as infantry with the 10th SS Panzer Division.
2. Corporal W. (Bill) Turner of the 21st Independent Parachute Company presented his battledress blouse to the ‘Hartenstein’ museum during the recentcommemoration period. Turner served in North Africa, Sicily, at Arnhem, in Norway and in Palestine. He was made prisoner-of-war during the Battle of Arnhem. In 1945 he was given a new battledress, made in South Africa. The shoulder flash he wore in 1945 was light blue in colour with ‘PARACHUTE REGIMENT’ on it instead of the maroon version with ‘PARACHUTE’ and ‘XXI’ (see Ministory No. 42, appendix to Newsletter No. 54).
3. A complete battledress, pocket book and a number of documents belonging to Private Jim Longson have been purchased from a dealer with the aid of money from the Friends’ Society. Longson was with the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment, and was made prisoner-of-war on 25 September 1944. In 1991 he wrote the book ‘An Arnhem Odyssey” in collaboration with Christine Taylor, a book which dealt with the efforts of the Border Regiment during the Battle of Arnhem.
4. The Army Catering Corps Association has sent along a set of AAC emblems, missing until now from the ’emblem board’ in the large room at the Airborne Museum.
(W. Boersma)

Appeal
Oosterbeek has long been a favourite spot with holiday-makers. Even before the Second World War it possessed many hotels and boarding houses. During the Battle of Arnhem a number of these establishments played a vital role. Some were used as hospitals by the British, hotels like the Vreewijk, Schoonoord and De Tafelberg. Others, by contrast, were in German hands or served as shelter for the civilian population. The Airborne Museum intends to devote next year’s spring exhibition to the part played by these buildings during the fighting in September 1944. The search is on for members who are willing to assist in bringing this exhibition to fruition, as well as people who are actually prepared to provide muscle power!
Anyone interested can contact W. Boersma, Binnenhof 38, 6715 DP, Ede, telephone (0318) 639933. He can also be reached at the ‘Hartenstein’ museum, (026) 3337710.
(W. Boersma)
house of God before its destruction in 1944/1945. Tire text gives a potted version of the building’s history. For the benefit of the many visitors who come from abroad there is also a text in English, concentrated mainly on the events during the Battle of Arnhem.

With the aid of a heavy crane, a German anti-aircraft gun is excavated from Meinerswijk polder near Arnhem on 30 August 1996. The barrel, which the retreating Germans had blown off, is lying alongside and is not visible in the photo.
(Photo: Bart Leyten)

Booklet ‘Gestrand in Brabant’ (Stranded in Brabant) reprinted
The booklet ‘Gestrand in Brabant, Market-Garden – September 1944. Voortijdige zweefvliegtuiglandingen’ (Stranded in Brabant, Market Garden – September 1944. Premature glider landings) has been reprinted and is therefore once more available. Among other subjects, this publication, put together by Jacq. van Eekelen and Jos Korsten, deals with gliders that were on their way to the Arnhem area but never made it.
The Market Garden Comite Den Dungen published the book which is of A4 format and comprises 49 pages (with photographs).

Information panel at the Old Church
On Saturday 14 September 1996, Renkum burgomaster Verlinden unveiled an information panel on the wall of the Old Church in the Lower Village, Oosterbeek, on the occasion of the annual Open Monuments day. The panel is alongside the main entrance on the north side, and shows the development scheme and building history of the church since the 10th century, in various colours on a brown background. There is also a picture of this

 

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 65, February 1997
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

 

17th General Members Meeting, 26 april 1997
The management invites you to attend the 17th General Members Meeting and AGM of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum Oosterbeek.
The meeting will be held in the Concert Hall, Rozensteeg 3, opposite the Old Church in Benedendorp, Oosterbeek (tel. 026-3332046), on Saturday 26 April next starting at 2 pm.
The agenda is as follows:
1. Opening
2. Minutes of the General Members Meeting of
27 April 1996
3. General Report 1996
4. Financial Report 1996
5. Audit Committee Report
6. Budget for 1997
7. Election of Officials
8. Appointment of reserve member to the Audit Committee
9. Questions
10. Closure of the meeting
Point 4: Financial reports and information will be sent separately to our Dutch members.

Theme day, 15 December 1996. Wybo Boersma shows uniform items from the collection to interested members during a tour of the Airborne Museum’s new store, (photo: Berry de Reus)

Point 5: The Audit Commission report will be available for perusal half an hour before the meeting begins.
Point 7: Mr R. Fennema has reached the end of his term of office and has decided not to stand for re-election. The management proposes Mr E. van der Meiden from Oosterbeek as candidate for this vacancy. Article 8 of the Statutes allows for the proposal of alternative candidates. In this case a written nomination should reach the secretary (C/O Utrechtseweg 232, 6862 AZ, Oosterbeek) at least 10 days before the meeting, signed by a minimum of 10 members and accompanied by a declaration of availability from the candidate. The candidate must be a Society member and an adult.
Society members will have the opportunity of exhibiting items from their personal collections of Battle of Arnhem material in one of the small rooms adjoining the main concert hall between the hours of 11 am and 1 pm. At the same time those interested will have the chance to exchange information. Anyone wishing to reserve ‘table space’ for their exhibits should get in touch with Eugene Wijnhoud, telephone 026-4610208.
Following the General Members Meeting the afternoon will be rounded off with the showing of a film about the Battle of Arnhem.

Annual Report, 1996
Management Mr A.A. Hofman stepped down during the General Members Meeting in 1996 and Mr E.Th.A. Wijnhoud from Arnhem was appointed in his place. Management met 11 times during the year and management delegations held various discussions with groups of members on policy matters.

Membership
We began the year with 1258 members. During 1996, 88 Dutch and British members were removed from the membership list due to non-payment of subscriptions.’ Sadly, 17. of our members died during the year. These were the ladies S. Pronk, E. van Niekerk and A. van Maanen-Mellema, and the gentlemen A. van Veelen, G.J. Perry, J.G. Christerus, R.C. Kift, J.F. Das, C.A. Komen, J.G. Schut, G. v.d. Top, W. Bell, C. Taylor, Ch. Rushton, J.J. Davidson, E. van den Dam and E. Small.
Membership increased by 103, which meant that we closed the year with membership virtually unchanged at 1256.

Newsletters
Thanks to the efforts of the editors, ably assisted amongst others by the group of members who are always on hand to get tilings ready for posting, we were again able to publish four Newsletters in 1996 together with associated Ministories.

Work groups
A number of members put themselves forward for membership of the ‘Activities and Events’ and ‘Publications’ work groups. These will be set up early in 1997. Disappointingly, the ‘Fund raising’ work group failed to get off the ground due, seemingly, to lack of interest.

Schools project
The Schools Project, intended to provide today’s youth with information about the Battle of Arnhem, continues to be a success. There is still great interest both here and abroad for this project, which was instigated by the Society in conjunction with the Airborne Museum and the Airborne Commemorations Foundation.

Gifts to the museum
In 1996 the Friends’ Society presented the Airborne Museum with gifts to the tune of almost 40,000 guilders. These concerned the following items:
1. An RAF aircrew oxygen mask and headset.
2. Equipment, war material and documents, purchased from Mr McAnelly and Mr Kloosterboer.
3. Racking for the new store in the cellar.
4. A substantial financial contribution for the building and equipping of the new storage space.
5. The background painting for the Signal Corps diorama.

ExcursionfTheme day
The excursion to England in April was an outstanding success. The number of people wishing to go on the trip far exceeded the number of places available, which is why a second excursion has been arranged for 2 to 6 April 1997.
The theme day in December attracted 100 members. In the morning there was a reception at the Airborne Museum and in the afternoon those present were treated to an illustrated lecture on the making of the film ‘A Bridge Too Far’.

New items for sale
Last year a collection of new sales items was introduced, partially in connection with the 50th Airborne Walk. The collection included a new Pegasus sticker, a Pegasus embroidery set and a number of miniature weapons such as the Sten gun, the Bren gun, the Lee Enfield and Lee Enfield Sniper, and the Thompson sub-machine gun. Sales are going extremely well.

Sales Stands
The Society was present at various events during 1996 with sales and promotional stands. The venues included the Dutch Royal Air Force Open Days at Twente, Resistance Day, The Airborne Walk, the Pegasus Walk, the Theme Day and the General Members Meeting. Sales resulted in 4146.50 guilders for the Society and 4807.25 guilders for the Museum. All in all 1996 was a year we can look back on with satisfaction.
(M. de Langen)

A message from the U.K. Representative
Although subscriptions became due in January this year, it is not too late for you to let me have them. This, of course, applies to those who have not yet sent them. Unfortunately, we are losing a great many of our subscribers, as one would have to expect in this age group. The ‘Last Post’ gets longer and longer as the years proceed. May I therefore thank those who have contributed and I look forward to hearing from those who are about to.
With kind regards, Ted Shaw. U.K. Rep.

Second excursion to England, 2 to 6 April 1997
The second 5-day excursion to England will take place from Wednesday 2 April to Sunday 6 April 1997. Thanks to the kind cooperation of The Parachute Regiment we shall once more be welcome in the quarters and NCOs’ mess at Browning Barracks in Aidershot. This will be the base for our various trips.
The programme is essentially the same as for the first excursion with one exception. This time, the first day-trip will be a visit to the legendary airfield at Duxford. This airfield, where many of the buildings are exactly as they were during the Second World War, has been transformed into a gigantic museum. All manner of military aircraft are exhibited in the enormous hangars, and in one of them one can watch restoration work being carried out on the machines. Also of great interest is the original ‘Operations Room’ from where this sector was controlled during the Battle of Britain, hr addition to the old aircraft on display the Imperial War Museum has a separate hall where all the large, heavy material too large for its London location is on show.
On the second day we spend the morning at the Airborne Forces Museum in Aidershot followed by a visit to the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop in the afternoon, where, among the exhibits, are a number of gliders of The Glider Pilot Regiment. Saturday morning is earmarked for a visit to the Imperial War Museum in London, with the afternoon being given over to shopping and sightseeing. We travel by luxury coach, crossing the channel via the Channel Tunnel on board ‘Le Shuttle’. On the way a short stop will be made at the small Belgian town of Ypres, a famous World War 1 location. Meanwhile, those who were unlucky last year have
been given the opportunity of taking part in this second excursion. Most have taken the opportunity but there are still a few spare places.
Application forms can be requested by ‘phone or letter from C. van Roekel, Benedendorpsweg 119, 6862 WE, Oosterbeek, telephone 026-3333261.
The returned forms will be dealt with on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. You can also indicate on the form if you wish to be considered for a ‘last minute’ place in the event of someone dropping out at the eleventh hour.
Due to the current strength of the pound the excursion price has been set this time at 450 guilders a head. This covers the bus journey, ‘Le Shuttle’ fare, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entry charges, travel insurance and a comprehensive tour guide. The guide, containing all details of the places to be visited plus other important information, will be sent to all participants.
Cancellation after 31 March will incur certain administration costs.
(C. van Roekel)

Walking tour on 7 June next
A walking tour has been organised for Saturday June 7 1997 taking in the western limits of the ‘perimeter’, the horseshoe-shaped area in Oosterbeek defended by the British and the Poles up to the end of the battle. Further information will appear in the next Newsletter.

New edition of ‘Who was Who’
In 1992 the first edition appeared of ‘Who was Who during the Battle of Arnhem’, compiled by Chris van Roekel. This ‘Order of Battle of Airborne Officers who fought at Arnhem in 1944’ booklet was so popular that it was sold out in no time. Last December a second, revised edition was published. Warrant Officers are now included in this new edition as well as the decorations awarded for and as a result of ‘Arnhem’. There are also a number of new illustrations, including colour plates of the awarded decorations.
The new ‘Who was Who’ is available at the Airborne Museum, price 30 guilders.

‘Unexpected Guests’ exhibition
An exhibition will be held in the Airborne Museum from 26 April up to and including 2 November 1997 on the role of the hotels and boarding houses in Oosterbeek during the Battle of Arnhem. This subject has been chosen to correspond with the 100-year existence of the VVV (Tourist Office) in the municipality. Many years ago the village of Oosterbeek and surroundings became a spot for long or short-stay holidaymakers, and from the very beginning hotels and boarding houses abounded. A number of these buildings played a part during tire Battle of Arnhem, both for the British and the Germans, and this exhibition attempts to give a picture of those times. Not much is now known of the boarding houses in particular and very little material about them is to be found. The organisers hope that more information on the subject will come to light during the exhibition, any such information then being incorporated.
(W. Boersma)

Special events
The Airborne Museum will once again be taking part in the National Museum Weekend to be held on 12 and 13 April 1997. This year the weekend has a ‘walking’ theme. Participating museums will be setting out a walking route in their vicinities which visitors can follow. During the weekend in question the Airborne Museum will be reducing admission by 1 guilder. Visitors to the museum will receive a free route map of the ‘Perimeter Walk’. This is a walk of 4 kilometres, starting at the museum and running through the area between the museum and the Rhine, passing on the way various points of note from the battle, among which the small church in Lower Oosterbeek. At 12, 2 and 4 pm on both Saturday and Sunday a guide will be present to lead the walk and provide explanations on the way. Of course one can walk the route independently at any time suitable to oneself. The museum is looking for people who are prepared to act as guides and for someone willing to take on the organisation of the two days.
The whole month of April has in fact been designated a ‘walking month’ by tire Tourist Offices. On the three Sundays in April outside of the Museum Weekend, a guided Perimeter Walk can be made starting at 2 pm. For these a route map can be obtained from the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ or from the Tourist Office, price 2.75 guilders. Guides are also requested for these walks. Volunteers to and information from W. Boersma, telephone 026-3337710 (museum) or 0318-639633 (private).

‘With Spanners Descending’
This is the title of a book recently published by Bluecoat Press, Liverpool, on the history of the ‘Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers’ (REME) in the 1st Airborne Division during the period 1942 to 1945. in it the author, Mr Joe Roberts, describes a military unit which up to now has received little recognition but which was of vital importance to the division. As a writer Mr Roberts was in a unique position because, as Orderly Room Clerk, he served with the 1st Airborne Divisional Workshop (REME) from its inception up to its disbandment. This allowed him virtually unlimited access to all manner of documents, such as operational orders, military plans and lists of promotions and transfers. His administrative talents are clearly shown in the excellent way the book is laid out both historically and chronologically.
The personal stories of the various REME veterans, in particular those of Bill Nickle, Ted Sullivan and Terry Criddle, are especially interesting.
In my view the book’s only weak point is the scarcity of technical detail. If this aspect had received more attention the essential role of the REME in the British army would have been made clearer. As excuse one could say that this is an historical summary, not a technical dissertation.The title is very well chosen and could be freely translated as ‘Airborne Vakmensen’ (Airborne Tradesmen). The book also lifts that part of tire veil surrounding the somewhat mysterious designation, REME. This makes it a must for anyone interested in the Battle of Arnhem.
‘With Spanners Descending’ comprises 134 pages, 40 photographs, and a number of appendices at the back. The book is in English and costs 9 pounds 99 in Britain. It is also available from the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek at 32.50 guilders.
(Don A. Jacobs)

Appeal
The sister of a British soldier killed at Arnhem would like any information concerning her brother, Bombardier L.R. Cook. This artillery man was attached to the 1st Airlanding Anti Tank Battery, Royal Artillery, but to which Troop is not known. He died on 20 September 1944 and lies in an unknown grave.
His photograph appears in this Newsletter. Who can help this lady with information about Bombardier Cook?
Reactions please to the Newsletter editors. (Eugene Wijnhoud)

Bombardier L.R. Cook of the 1st Airlanding Anti Tank Battery R.A., who was killed on 20 September 1944. His grave is unknown. Who can provide his family with information as to his fate?
(photo: Eugene Wijnhoud collection)

‘Arnhem Venture’
One of the soldiers who took up the pen to record his adventures on returning to England from Arnhem at the end of September 1944 was Ron Kent. Sergeant Kent belonged to the 21st Independent Parachute Company, the unit whose main task was to mark the dropping and landing zones and which later played a full part in the fighting in Oosterbeek. His detailed account, written in 1944, is now available in printed form. It consists of 55 ringbound, photocopied pages with a plastic front cover, and is illustrated with a few photographs and maps. ‘Arnhem Venture’ can be ordered from Derek Duncan, Heather Way, Lower Bourne, Farnham, GU109 3HG, England. It costs 7 pounds in Britain, 10 pounds elsewhere, including postage and packing. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Airborne Forces Charities’.

43rd (Wessex) Brigade and Association
In Ministory 46, Major Douglas Goddard MBE told of his experiences as a lieutenant with the 112th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Field Regt R.A., a unit of the 43rd (Wessex) Division at the Battle of Arnhem. The division was involved in all major actions from the Normandy invasion up to the end of hostilities in May 1945. By that time, when the division had reached the area around Cuxhaven in Germany, it had covered 800 miles and lost 12,000 men during the period from June 1944.
At our request Mr Goddard has provided further relevant information.
The division was disbanded in 1967 but, 17 years later, the name was resurrected with the formation of the 43rd (Wessex) Brigade, a component of the 3rd (UK) Division. As with all military emits in the United Kingdom, the brigade has a strong regional flavour, the region comprising Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire (part of), the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly. The brigade is made up of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, 4th Devon and Dorset, 6th Light Infantry, 243 (Wessex) Field Hospital RAMC and 43rd (Wessex) Provost Unit; it is stationed at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter.
From ancient times the Wyvern (a two-legged winged dragon) was depicted on the coats-of-arms and standards of the kings of Wessex, in the distant past a kingdom in the south west of England (the West Country). Since then this mythical beast has become a symbol for all warriors and military men from this part of Britain. It is therefore logical that the military unit bearing the name of this ancient kingdom should have the Wyvern as its emblem. Compared to other similar associations, the 43rd Wessex Association only recently came into being, namely on 14 September 1995. Membership, at the moment standing at some 300, is drawn from former soldiers of the division as well as from members of today’s brigade.
The most important aims are the establishment of a bond between the old division and the present-day brigade, ensuring that the history, memorabilia and traditions of the Wessex Division are not lost, and the provision of a veterans’ organisation for those whose military units have been disbanded since the Second World War and for whom no old-comrades clubs exist.

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 66, April 1997
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

Walking excursion on Saturday 7 June 1997
A walking excursion is to be held on Saturday 7 June next which will follow a route along the western edge of the former allied 1944 ‘Perimeter’. Explanations will be given at various spots along the way.
The Perimeter covered the area in west Oosterbeek that was defended by British and Polish airborne troops against the Germans until the end of the battle.
The programme is as follows:
09.30 -10.00: reception of participants, with coffee, in the Airborne Museum, Oosterbeek.
10.00 -12.30: walk to various locations in
Utrechtseweg, Sonnenberg, Valkenburglaan, Van Borsselenweg and Westerbouwing. All participants need to be at ‘De Westerbouwing’ restaurant by 12.30 at the latest.
12.30 -13.30: lunch at ‘De Westerbouwing’.
13.30 -15.30: walk to various locations at Hemelse Berg, Pietersberg and Park Hartenstein.
There will still be time to visit the Airborne Museum on returning to the Hartenstein.
The ‘Events’ work group under the direction of Eugene Wijnhoud, ably assisted by a number of other members, is organising the walking excursion.
The cost of the excursion is 22.50 guilders, which includes coffee on arrival for the start, lunch at ‘De Westerbouwing’ and an extensive tour guide. Closing date for applications to take part is 24 May. The number of participants is limited to 100 and, as usual, applications will be handled on a ‘first come first served’ basis.

Treasurer Fennema retires
At the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum’s recent AGM, Mr R. Fennema announced that he was stepping down as treasurer.
He has occupied this post for more than 15 years, since 20 March 1982 to be precise, and carried out the task with great care and in his own particular style. He will be succeeded by Eric van der Meiden from Oosterbeek.
We shall return to this ‘changing of the guard’ in the next Newsletter.

Reconstruction of a meeting between a British patrol and inhabitants of Oosterbeek during the Battle of Arnhem, for the poster for the ‘Onverwachte Gasten’ exhibition in the Airborne Museum ’Hartenstein’. In the background is De Tafelberg, one of the hotels used as an emergency hospital in September 1944.
(Photo: Berry de Reus, 13 March 1997)

Work Groups
Besides the Newsletter and Ministory editing team there are now two new Friends’ Society work groups.
They came into being on 1 January 1997 and are the ‘Events’ and ‘Publications’ work groups.
The first-named organises theme days and excursions, and consists of Eugene Wijnhoud (management member), plus Society members P. Stolte and M. van der Laan.
The second group looks after the production of all books and brochures planned for publication by the Society. This group comprises C. van Roekel (management representative), and Society members F. Miedema, J. Oorthuys, E. Eskes and M. Peters.

Opening of ‘Onverwachte Gasten’ (Unexpected Guests) exhibition
This year’s annual ‘temporary’ exhibition in the Airborne Museum is entitled ‘Onverwachte Gasten’ and highlights the role of Oosterbeek hotels and boarding houses during the Battle of Arnhem. The exhibition opened on 25 April 1997
A pre-investigation, carried out with the help of the Renkum municipal archivist, showed that Oosterbeek possessed more than 100 hotels and boarding houses before the Second World War. It is impossible to tell the story of all these buildings in the space available, besides which there is nothing known about many of the hotels and, in particular, the boarding houses. Therefore a selection has been made.
In the exhibition the subject is brought to life through photographs, extracts from military and civilian diaries and via an extremely detailed and realistic diorama. Various Society members assisted in the organisation of this exhibition, or by the provision of material. The exhibition runs until 2 November 1997 and to mark it the Airborne Museum has produced a poster depicting an event that must have taken place time and time again during September 1944. It shows civilians giving information to an allied airborne patrol. See the photo on page 1 of this Newsletter.

‘Onbekend Herkend’ (The Unknown Identified)
The Airborne Museum is organising a special day on Saturday 21 June 1997 under the name ‘Onbekend Herkend’. On the day, museum visitors can bring along, for them, unknown military and civilian objects and documents that have a (possible) connection with the Second World War.
A team of experts will be on hand between 11.00 and 16.00 to attempt to identify the objects. They will also provide as much background information as possible. No value will be placed on the items and documents as this is only relative.
(W. Boersma)

Slit trenches protected
For some time the Friends’ Society has been making great efforts to ensure the protection of several groups of slit trenches from September 1944 that are still to be found in the woods in and around Oosterbeek.
Last February the society management received a letter from the Forestry Commission stating that the slit trenches in the northeast corner of Johannehoeve are now on the protected list. The trenches will be borne in mind during any possible future work in the wooded areas concerned.


Oosterbeek, 19 February 1997. Author Cor Janse (centre) presents the first copies of his second book, ‘Blik Omhoog’, to Philip Reinders and Peter Vrolijk in the Airborne Museum, in appreciation of their valuable help.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

Presentation of ‘Blik Omhoog’ (Glance Skywards)
It was long awaited and now at last it’s here; the second part of Cor Janse’s book on the history of Wolfheze village during the Second World War, ‘Blik Omhoog’. This second book in the proposed three- book series deals entirely with the Battle of Arnhem in so far as it involved the village and its surroundings.
‘Blik Omhoog II’ received its baptism at a well- attended meeting in the Airborne Museum on 19 February 1997. Following an introduction by the author the first two copies of the book were presented to Philip Reinders from Vlaardingen and Peter Vrolijk from Rotterdam. These two, members of the ‘Arnhem Battle Research Group’, freely provided the author with information relating to the fighting in Wolfheze during September 1944 from their vast collection.
One of the least known aspects of the Battle of Arnhem is the series of bombing raids on Wolfheze, Oosterbeek, Arnhem, Ede and Wageningen which preceded the airborne landings on 17 September 1944. Through the study of previously unpublished documents from American archives, and correspondence with former Flying Fortress aircrews, Cor Janse has succeeded in being the first to paint a clear picture of these air raids. Besides reports, the book contains unique aerial photographs taken from the American bombers during the raids. The attacks had disastrous consequences for Wolfheze; dozens of civilians fell victim and material damage was tremendous.
Over the years Cor Janse has managed to track down hundreds of old Wolfheze inhabitants, both in the Netherlands and abroad. His new book presents many of the stories told to him about the bombardments and subsequent fighting, and these personal recollections form the basis of the book.
The third book in the trilogy will deal with the period of the evacuation of the civilian population after the Battle of Arnhem, the liberation and the return of the population in 1945. When this will be published is not yet known, but it is intended to round-off the project in 1997.
Blik Omhoog II’ comprises 428 pages, approximately 200 illustrations, and is available from bookshops in the municipalities of Arnhem and Renkum as well as from the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’. It costs 44 guilders.

From the Airborne Museum 1996 Annual Report
* The Airborne Museum received 54,060 visitors in 1996. Of these 52,676
were paying visitors while 397 Arnhem veterans and 987 Friends’ Society members visited free of charge.
* A visitors poll was held during the months of July and August. The results, which are compared with those of polls held in 1992 and 1993, will help form the basis of future policy.
* A steel filing cabinet in which the items are separated from one another by sheets of acid-free paper is now being used for the storage of the newspaper and magazine collection. The newspaper archive for the period September 1944 to June 1945 contains 376 items.
* By means of an exchange action (copies of) unusual archive material and photographs have been obtained from Fulbeck Hall, the former headquarters of the 1st Airborne Division in Lincolnshire, England.

Diploma for Roland Boekhorst
Roland Boekhorst, a full-time Airborne Museum employee, recently, and successfully, completed the course for museum conservators. He obtained his diploma after following a two-year course at the Gelders Opleidingscentrum (Gelderland Education Centre) in Veenendaal.
The course included a number of working visits to various museums throughout the Netherlands. Some of those taking the course also visited the ‘Hartenstein’ museum as part of their studies.
The managements of the Airborne Museum Foundation and the Friends’ Society would hereby like to congratulate Roland on the award of his diploma!


Airborne Museum, 27 March 1997. Curator Berry de Reus receives Dr Frazer’s medal set and medical instruments from the hands of John Buis from Canada. On the right is Mr A. Groeneweg, member of the museum foundation management team.
(Photo: Robert Sigmond)

Book Fair
The annual book fair will be held in the Airborne Museum on Saturday 31 May next between 11 am and 4 pm. Stands selling second-hand books on World War II will be set up at various places in the building. The Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum will also be present with a stand selling books about the Battle of Arnhem. Many older books on this subject have been out of print for many years and are difficult to find, but rare titles do often come to light at the book fair.
Members of the Documentation Group ’40 – ’45 will be there as well with a number of sales stands. During the fair it will also be possible to register titles for which one may have been searching a long time. The museum will pass such titles on to the various societies having expertise in the subject in question. Last year more than 300 people visited the fair; there were around two thousand books on offer.
(W. Boersma)

Gift of ‘Pilots Flying Log Book’
Mr G. Raymond McLaren recently presented the Airborne Museum with a number of newspapers, photographs and the ‘Pilots Flying Log Book’ of his brother, Staff Sergeant W.C. McLaren.
William C. McLaren was a glider pilot with ‘F’ Squadron, 2nd Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment. He was killed on 19 September 1944 in Lower Oosterbeek, close to tire Arnhem/Nijmegen railway line. He was buried in a temporary field grave to the south of Hotel de Tafelberg in Oosterbeek. He now rests in the Airborne Cemetery, grave number 3 D 9.
(W. Boersma)

Unique acquisition
On 27 March 1997, the medical instruments and medal set belonging to Doctor S.M. Frazer were presented to the Airborne Museum. Major Frazer was the deputy commander of the 181st Airlanding Field Ambulance in September 1944. In the years before his death he was registered as a resident of the Bermudas, where his widow still lives.
While on a visit to the Bermudan islands, Canadian John Buis heard that Dr Frazer’s widow still had her husband’s medal set as well as the medical instruments used during the Battle of Arnhem. He contacted the curator of the Airborne Museum, Mr Berry de Reus, whose enthusiasm for the plan to get these items to Oosterbeek was immediate and unbounded!
Thanks to the co-operation of Dr Frazer’s widow and the efforts of Berry de Reus and John Buis, these unique objects now have a new home in the museum.
There will be more on this gift in the next Newsletter, (see photo on page 3).

Museum obtains ‘Phantom’ emblem
The Airborne Museum has recently obtained an extremely rare sleeve emblem of the allied ‘Phantom’ unit, sections of which were involved in Operation Market Garden in September 1944. Their task was to report the progress of the operation directly to allied headquarters. During the Battle of Arnhem this was only partially successful.
(W. Boersma)

Reaction to Ministory No. 51
In Ministory No. 51, Tom Henney described, among other things, the withdrawal across the Rhine during the night of 25/26 September 1944. He described the boats used in the withdrawal as ‘…canvas boats manned by Canadian Engineers..’
The editors have received a letter from Mr F.J. Petrie M.M. from Cirencester in England with the following interesting comments:
‘This description reveals an understandable confusion in the memories of many veterans whose eye-witness accounts variously describe the boats as “powerboats – collapsible wood and canvas affairs with motors – small rowing boats – boats paddled like Red Indians – canoes – amphibious vehicles – DUKWs.”
As I was the British sapper who took the first boat across the river at the most westerly ferrying point that night, may I be allowed to describe the two types of boat actually used, and to name the British and Canadian sapper (Engineer) units which participated.
In the case of my own unit, 553 Field Company Royal Engineers (43rd Wessex Infantry Division),two platoons were detailed for the operation with a third platoon being kept in reserve. I expect that the other Wessex Division sappers involved, namely 260 Field Company Royal Engineers, had the same platoon strength, and also that the manpower of the two Independent Canadian Companies, the 20th and 23rd Field Companies of the Royal Canadian Engineers, was similar. This gave a comparable British and Canadian sapper involvement at their four respective ferrying points.
The two Canadian Companies operated stormboats, which were of wooden construction and powered by outboard motors. A stormboat was 20 feet long and six and a half feet in width. It’s operating capacity was 13 fully armed men with a crew of two. The speed of the boat was 20 knots empty and 6 knots fully laden.
The two British Companies operated assault boats, as these were the boats normally carried by an Infantry Division. An assault boat was of collapsible canvas construction with a timber gunwale and wooden frame and floor. The sides when raised were supported by wooden struts. This craft was almost 17 feet in length and five and a half feet wide. It’s operational capacity was 12 fully armed men with a crew of 2 using paddles, not oars.
I would add that during the night and early morning of the operation, because of the difficult river conditions, the British crews paddling the assault boats had first to be increased to three men, then to four and finally to eight men.’

The Arnhem Library ‘Market Garden’ collection
The Arnhem Library possesses a huge and valuable collection of literature on Operation ‘Market Garden’. For this collection, which at the moment comprises 1730 titles, only material related to tire fighting in the province of Gelderland has been selected, not, therefore, on the airborne landings and advance of the allied ground forces in the North Brabant newspaper and magazine articles, photographs regimental histories, OS maps, reports, ‘ commemoration programmes and so on.

Download nieuwsbrief

FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 67, August 1997
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-553616

New ‘Airborne Soldier’ statuette
Ten years ago a statuette of an ‘Airborne Soldier’ was produced specially for our society of which about one hundred were sold. Since then no such work of art has been available for sale despite continued interest and demand, and thus interest has prompted the Society into commissioning the design of a new statuette.
Chris van Roekel and the British designer (and veteran) Peter Hicks worked for a year on a design that would meet our stringent demands. The final result, made in beautiful, bronze-coloured synthetic resin, is a detailed reproduction of a British Airborne soldier from September 1944.
Peter Hicks is one of the top artists in this field and, although no longer active in his studio, we are delighted that he saw it as a challenge to exercise his special talent once more to create an ‘Airborne Soldier’.
Naturally enough this little artwork is not cheap. Even though the Society is offering the statuette at cost price it still works out at 250 guilders. We are well aware that many of you will find this a large sum to pay out in one go, and for this reason we have come up with a financing scheme, exclusively for members who live in the Netherlands, whereby payment can be spread over five months. All you have to do is send us five completed and signed cheques for 50 guilders and we will see to it that they are cashed in sequence at the end of each month. The statuette will be sent to you on receipt of the first payment, postage and packing being at your expense, to be paid on delivery.
Should you wish to make use of this scheme, just send your five cheques to the treasurer, E. van der Meiden, St. Bernulphusstraat 8, 6861 GS, Oosterbeek. Of course there is nothing to stop you paying the full amount by making out a cheque payable to the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum’s giro number 4403641, marked ‘Airborne Soldier’.
Although the statuette is not cheap, this is an opportunity you should consider seriously, given its value. Orders will be dealt with as quickly as possible and in sequence.
(E. van der Meiden)

The new para statuette, specially designed and made for our Society by Peter Hicks. It is produced in bronze¬coloured synthetic resin and is approximately 25 cm tall. (Photo: W. de Ruyter)

Battlefield Tour
A special battlefield tour is to be held on Saturday 13 September next. This is principally intended for members wishing to obtain a total picture of the battle area at Arnhem. Quite often, those not living in the vicinity of the capital of the province of Gelderland are not in a position to make a tour by

Chairman J. Smits thanks retiring treasurer R. Fennema during the AGM on 26 April 1997for all the work he has done for the Society.
(Photo: Berry de Reus)

themselves, and to visit the sites which played a part in the Battle of Arnhem.
The battlefield tour is being organised on the initiative of Mr W. Boersma of the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’. Fie will also lead the tour, assisted by a number of guides. The programme is as follows:
9 am -10 am: reception of participants, with coffee, in the Airborne Museum, Utrechtseweg 232, Oosterbeek.
10 am -11 am: the scale model of the battle area will be used to explain the tour to those taking part (in groups). Photographs of locations to be visited during the excursion will be viewed in the museum.
11 am -12 noon: a walk through the Hartenstein Park, past the tennis courts, to the Tafelberg. If possible, the interior of this building will also be inspected. Participants then walk to the Schoonoord restaurant.
12 noon -1 pm: lunch at the Schoonoord, Pietersbergseweg 4, Oosterbeek.
1 pm – 4.30 pm: battlefield tour by bus taking in the following points: dropping zone ‘X’, landing zone ‘S’, the spot where the Reconnaissance Squadron was ‘ambushed’ at Wolfheze, the Bilderberg area, Westerbouwing, the route of Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost’s 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment through Oosterbeek and Arnhem, the Rhine bridge, Bovenover (including the St Elisabeths Hospital), the Old Church in Lower Oosterbeek and the Airborne Cemetery.
4.30 pm – 5 pm: discussions in the Schoonoord. Alterations to the programme are possible.
The number of participants is limited to 47 maximum and 35 minimum. The cost is 42.50 guilders. This price includes coffee on arrival at the museum, lunch, the bus tour and an excursion map. You can reserve a place by paying the amount into the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum’s giro account number 4403641, under the heading ‘battlefield tour’. This stun should be received by 9 September at the latest. In view of the short period of time between receipt of this Newsletter and the closing date for entries, would-be participants are kindly requested
to transfer the money as soon as possible! Just ring Mr Boersma if you nevertheless have any doubts about your payment having been received on time. Reservations will be dealt with in the order of receipt of the giro transfers. Should the maximum permissible number of participants be exceeded, only the ‘unlucky’ ones will be notified.
All further information can be obtained from Mr Boersma on (026) 3337710 (Airborne Museum) or (0318) 639633 (private).

Royal recognition for Jan Hey
On 29 April last Jan Hey was admitted to the ‘Order of Oranje Nassau’. He was awarded this royal honour in recognition of his efforts over the years to trace servicemen registered as ‘missing’ during the Second World War. He is internationally recognised as an expert on the subject of war graves.
Jan Hey is also the man who compiled the ‘Roll of Honour, Battle of Arnhem, 17-26 September 1944’, published by our Society in 1986. That this standard work fills a need is shown by the fact that a 3rd edition was published in 1993.
It is wonderful to think that the work of Jan Hey, member of our society and, himself, always the most modest of men, has at last been recognised by higher offices.
On behalf of the management and members of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Jan on his well-deserved honour.

Gift of battledress
At the beginning of May this year, Mr PJ. Southwell from England presented the Airborne Museum with his battledress.
In September 1944 he was a driver attached to 7 Section, C Troop, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron. On the afternoon of Tuesday tire 19th he was part of a recce patrol that went from Wolfheze to the Amsterdamseweg via Kruislaan. They came under German fire near the ‘Planken Wambuis’ restaurant. As a result, Southwell and a number of others were taken prisoner. Just two C Troop jeeps and seven men managed to get back to Wolfheze. (See ‘Remember Arnhem’ by John Fairley, pages 85 and 96-101).
Southwell served earlier in North Africa and was one of the two squadron members to wear the ‘Africa Star’.
This is the first Reconnaissance Squadron uniform that the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ has been able to add to its collection.

Exhibition 1998
Although it seems a long way off, the Airborne Museum is already making preparations for the 1998 exhibition. The chosen subject is ‘The history of the military prisoners-of-war from the 1st Airborne Division’. This is a subject that, up to now, has received very little attention. There are plenty of stories known, but the matter has never been gone into systematically.
It is intended to set up a workgroup for the exhibition. Activities will include the collation of available information and photographs, inventarisation of the material, the writing of a scenario, the make-up of the exhibition within the available space, the production and translation of texts and, finally, the set up of the exhibition itself. The group will also be responsible for publicity and, as you can see, anyone wishing to help has a wide selection of interesting work from which to choose. Both the Airborne Forces Museum in Aidershot and the Imperial War Museum in London have agreed to co-operate.
The aimed-for date for the setting up of the workgroup is the end of September. The Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ would like to appeal to interested members of the Society to take part in this project. Further information can be obtained from Mr W. Boersma, Binnenhof 38, 6715 DP Ede, tel. (0318) 639633 or (026) 3337710 (Airborne Museum).

Two servicemen from Hie Dutch Army’s Recovery and Identification Service gather together the remains of the dead British soldier found on 7 July 1997 during excavation work along the Van Lennepweg in Oosterbeek. (Photo: Berry de Reus)

Remains of British soldier found
On 7 July 1997 the remains of a British serviceman were unearthed during excavation work along Van Lennepweg in Oosterbeek. The Dutch Army’s Recovery and Identification Service was immediately alerted and members from that unit arrived to complete the exhumation.
In September 1944 a defensive line manned by 1st Battalion The Border Regiment was located in the region of the discovered remains. One of the documents that may be of help in identifying the soldier is a sketch map of the Van Lennepweg area, drawn by a veteran after the war. This map shows the British positions as well as a number of places where soldiers were known to have been killed. It also indicates the spot on Van Lennepweg where the above mentioned soldier died.
Only when identification has been completed will the name of the missing man be made public.
The remains of six soldiers have been found in the Oosterbeek area in the last four years. Alas, due to a disgraceful lack of co-operation on the part of the British authorities, three of these have yet to find their final resting place in the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek. We might add that the longest outstanding discoveries date back to February 1994!

‘Traitor of Arnhem’
Some time ago a new book about the Battle of Arnhem appeared on the scene entitled ‘Traitor of Arnhem’. In it the author, Allan A. Samm, describes his personal experiences during his military training, in North Africa, Italy and during the Battle of Arnhem.
Samm, who served with the Reconnaissance Squadron, reached the western outskirts of Arnhem but was forced to withdraw to Oosterbeek on 19 September 1944. There he was involved in the fighting around the Hartenstein until the end of the battle. He was among the lucky ones who managed to escape across the Rhine on the night of 25/26 September.
The book’s title refers to the Dutch double spy Christiaan Lindemans, alias King Kong, whose past is, once more, summarised in the final chapter.
‘Traitor of Arnhem’ was published in 1996 by Minerva Press in London. The ISBN number is 1 86106 175 5 and the price in the UK is 7 pounds 99.

Appeal
The Publications Workgroup recently came into being within the Friends’ Society, its aim, to select and take care of items to be published by the Society. Many of our members study specific aspects of the Battle of Arnhem. This often involves a military subject, events in a particular area or equipment used by the soldiers, and the results of such studies can serve as a star-ting point for a publication.
At the moment the workgroup is busy making an inventory of possible subjects and we would like to hear from members who have manuscripts (self-written or not) that could be, and be allowed to be, published. Of course, it should be mentioned that the sending in of a manuscript does not automatically lead to its being published by the Society. This depends on such things as the subject, the length and quality of the manuscript, etc.
Applications regarding potential publications should be sent to, Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum, ‘Publications Workgroup’, C/O Utrechtseweg 232, 6862 AZ Oosterbeek, and should be accompanied by a short description of the material concerned.
(M. Peters)

Excursion guide still available
There are still a few copies available for sale of tire guide for the theme day excursion held last June 7. The theme was the battle along the western edge of the British Perimeter in September 1944.
It costs 7.50 guilders plus 2.50 guilders postage if the guide has to be sent by post. Those interested should contact Eugene Wijnhoud, Bronbeeklaan 36, 6824 PH, Arnhem, ‘phone (026) 3610208.

‘Onbekend Herkend’ (The Unknown Identified) a success!
On Saturday 27 June 1997 an information day on material from the Second World War was held in the Airborne Museum. This was the second time such a day has been held. About thirty people turned up at the museum with items and documents for investigation by messrs Boersma and Takens. Although there were no spectacular finds, those on offer were extremely varied. Of great interest was a small collection of poems that was printed and distributed by the Underground between September 1944 and May 1945. A lady found the booklet on the Ginkelse Heide near Ede at the end of the war. A sterilisation set left behind by a German doctor in the Roermond area was given to the museum as well as a bag containing ground signal panels and a thermos flask from an aircraft.
It is intended to hold a similar information day in a few years time.
(W. Boersma)

‘Airborne Battle Wheels’ weekend
The ‘Airborne Battle Wheels’ society will be holding a get-together in Oosterbeek from 18 to 21 September 1997. The members of the club, inaugurated in 1995, collect and restore British military vehicles from World War II, with the emphasis on the transport used by the British Airborne divisions.
Following the parachute drop on the Ginkelse Heide on Saturday 20 September next, a large number of the society’s members will make a trip in and on their mobile possessions through Arnhem, Oosterbeek and environs. This tour will end at the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ driveway, where interested parties will be able to view and photograph these historic vehicles between the hours of 4 pm and 5 pm (give or take a few minutes).

The grave of Bakhuis Roozeboom no longer ‘unknown’
For almost 52 years he lay in the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek under a headstone bearing the text, ‘A Soldier of the 1939-1945 War, Known Unto God’: August Bakhuis Roozeboom, a Dutch Commando who died at Arnhem.
This Dutch Canadian served wifh No. 2 Dutch Troop, No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando, and landed near Wolfheze with the 1st British Airborne Division in September 1994. He was killed during an engagement with the enemy close to the railway viaduct over the Benedendorpsweg in Oosterbeek. On 20 September he was buried in a field grave near the tennis courts behind the Hartenstein Hotel. His personal identification details were lost when his remains were transferred to the Airborne Cemetery after the war.
Some time ago it became evident from a meticulous investigation by Jan Hey that August lay in grave number I.A.6 as an unknown Canadian soldier. Eventually the Commonwealth War Graves Commission agreed with the conclusions in Jan Hey’s report. A new headstone was made, put in position and blessed during a short service on 5 May last. Dutch members of Bakhuis Roozeboom’s family attended the service along with twenty veterans from No. 2 Dutch Troop.

A short service was held in the Airborne Cemetery, Oosterbeek on 5 May 1997 at the grave of Dutch Commando August Bakhuis Roozeboom. His grave had just been given a new headstone.
(Photo: Robert Voskuil)

Obituary: Jan Peelen
Jan Peelen passed away at his home in Zaandijk at the end of April 1997. He was 86 years of age. During the war he lived in the village of Renkum, where he was an active member of the Resistance. He was very closely involved with operation ‘Pegasus I’, the operation in which 120 allied servicemen managed to escape across the river Rhine at Renkum during the night of 22 October 1944. Among many other tilings Jan Peelen made sure that the soldiers were provided with weapons for this enterprise. Despite the fact that the area was crawling with Germans he transported the arms on his ‘butcher’s’ bike to the rendezvous in the woods, where the Allied soldiers were getting ready for their journey over the Rhine. In 1949 Jan was made a ‘Knight in the Military Order of William’ in recognition of his Resistance work. He also received many high British honours.
His experiences were described in a booklet written by his brother, GJ. Peelen. It appeared just after the war and was called : “‘t Begon onder melkenstijd” (It began during milking time). The booklet was reprinted many times.

 

Download nieuwsbrief

FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM

Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 68, November 1997
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-S53616


Obituary: General Sir John Hackett

On 9 September 1997, a week or so before the 53rd commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem, General Sir John Hackett passed away at his country home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Sir John was 86 years of age.

General John Hackett stands lost in thought between the graves after the service of remembrance at the Airborne Cemetery on Friday 77 September 1965.
(photo: Henk Vreman)

He commanded the 4th Parachute Brigade which landed on the Ginkelse Heide near Ede on 18 September 1944. Nearly a week later, on Sunday the 24th, he received serious shrapnel wounds to the stomach and legs. He was taken to St. Elisabeths Gasthuis in Arnhem where his life was saved by the British surgeon Lipmann Kessel. Hackett was registered as a corporal at the hospital, so the Germans never knew that such an important man lay within their grasp.
Ten days later he was ‘transported’ to Ede by Piet Kruyff, one of Arnhem’s most important Resistance leaders who operated under the codename ‘Piet van Arnhem’.
In Ede he went into hiding in the house of the ladies De Nooij. Fie was given false Dutch identification papers bearing the name ‘Johan van Dalen’. Four months later, aided by the Resistance, he managed to reach the liberated part of the Netherlands via the Biesbosch.
After the war he held many high military posts, including that of commander of the British Army of the Rhine. He remained on active service until 1968. He recorded his experiences during and after the Battle of Arnhem in his 1977 book ‘I Was a Stranger’, the Dutch version of which, entitled ‘Ik ben een vreemdeling geweest’, appeared two years later.
The general was ‘leader of the (September) pilgrimage’ on many occasions, the last time being the 50th commemoration in 1994.
Sir John Hackett will be the subject of a Ministory some time in the future.

In Memoriam: Ken Greenough
One of our members, Ken Greenough, passed away on 19 October 1997 at the far too young age of 29. His death came at the end of a short illness with fatal complications. He was last in Oosterbeek in September this year for the commemoration. Ken, who lived in St. Helens near Liverpool, had been intensively involved with the history of the Battle of Arnhem for more than ten years, and his knowledge of the subject was encyclopedic. He corresponded with many veterans and had an extensive archive of personal stories and reports. This information was available to one and all, and any questions were always answered with the greatest of care.
He acted as a guide during the theme day on 7 June 1997. Participants will certainly remember his detailed explanation and unbounded enthusiasm.
It is difficult to imagine that Ken is no longer with us. He was buried in St. Helens, his home town, on 28 October. Among the many people who accompanied him on the journey to his final resting place were a delegation of Arnhem veterans and a number of his Dutch friends.
We shall miss Ken tremendously, and our thoughts are with Iris family at this tragic time.
(Robert Voskuil)

Theme day
The society is organising a theme day to be held on 13 December 1997 in the Lebret conference centre at Lebretweg 51 in Oosterbeek. This time the subject will be the German side of the Battle of Arnhem.
The programme is as follows:
1.30 pm – 2 pm: reception of the members.
2 pm – 3 pm: lecture by society member Mr Peter Berends from Leidschendam, entitled ‘The 9th SS Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen” and other German units during the Battle of Arnhem and shortly after, September-October 1944’.
Mr Berends has been studying the subject for a number of years and hopes eventually to round off this study with a book.
3 pm – 3.30 pm: intermission.
3.30 pm – 4 pm: the second part of Mr Berends lecture and the opportunity to ask questions.
4.15 pm – 4.30 pm: showing of the cinema newsreel ‘Die Deutsche Wochenschau’ (The German Newsweek), dating from 5 October 1944, which includes German film of the Battle of Arnhem.
4.45 pm (approx): end of the theme day.

John Frost’s hunting horn ‘found’ after 53 years
The Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ was unexpectedly enriched on 16 September 1997 by a unique acquisition: John Frost’s original hunting horn, often used by him during the war to pass on orders and signals to his men of the 2nd Parachute Battalion.

Frost was given the 25 cm long copper horn with its silver mouthpiece by the hunt of which he was at Oosterbeek, 16 September 1997. Mr E.R. Oosterwijk from Meppel poses at the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ with John Frost’s hunting horn, found by him at the Rijnbrug in Arnhem in July 1945.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

member. It is engraved; ‘Capt. J.D. Frost, with best wishes from the members of the Royal Exodus Hunt’. When Frost, who had by then been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, was taken prisoner at the end of the battle at the Rijnbrug in Arnhem in September 1944, the musical instrument was taken from him by a German soldier. The hunt gave Frost a new horn after the war.
Now, 53 years after Frost’s original horn was ‘stolen’, it has resurfaced. It was offered to the Oosterbeek museum by Mr E.R. Oosterwijk from Meppel. Mr Oosterwijk found it in July 1945 close to the Arnhem road bridge. ‘I was there as a member of the Nijmegen air protection service, clearing rubble. I saw the hunting horn lying on the ground, completely blackened. I had it cleaned later’, says Mr Oosterwijk. The souvenir was taken home and stood for fifty years in a cabinet in his living room. The man from Meppel, now 76 years of age, decided it was high time that the instrument was given a new, good home. He was scarcely aware that he was in possession of a truly unique object.
On the advice of the local VW (tourist office), Mr Oosterwijk rang the Airborne Museum. There, the reaction of the staff was so enthusiastic that our prospective benefactor leapt aboard the first available train in order to take the hunting horn to Oosterbeek. John Frost’s widow has given the ‘Hartenstein’permission to include the horn in its collection. Needless to say the museum staff are absolutely delighted with this exceptional acquisition.

New commemorative envelope
A new Airborne Museum ’Hartenstein’ commemorative envelope made its appearance on 17 September 1997. It is the second in a series with ‘Monuments of the Battle of Arnhem’ as its theme. This envelope shows the Polish monument in Driel. The monument was designed by Jan Vlasblom from Rotterdam and was unveiled on 16 September 1961 by Major-General Stanislaw Sosabowski, commander of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group in 1944.
Two pillars were added in 1970 bearing the names of the 94 Polish servicemen who died during or as a result of the Battle of Arnhem.
750 numbered copies of the new envelope have been issued. The first 400 are franked with both 80 cent ’50 Years Marshall Aid’ commemorative stamps; the other 350 bear a single stamp. All were franked on 17 September 1997 with the philatelists stamp of the Oosterbeek Post Office.
As in previous years, envelope no. 001 was presented to the leader of the pilgrimage, this time Major- General A.J. Deane-Drummond.
The commemorative envelope with the two stamps costs 7 guilders, the example with one stamp, 6 guilders. They are available from the Airborne Museum.

Operation Market Garden on the Internet
The ‘Operation Market Garden’ website, set up by Andries Hoekstra from Arnhem, can now be found under http://www.pim.nl/mg/pegasus.htm. This shows the progress of the fighting in September 1944 with the Battle of Arnhem as the focal point.
The site also provides much more additional information. For instance, one can learn about the organisation of the Allied and German troops, their equipment, clothing and weapons. It also provides all manner of current information such as new publications on the subject, and one also has the opportunity to make comment.
At the moment the site consists of more than 300 pages and has been nominated one of the best in the world. Mr Hoekstra is supported by the Haarhuis Hotel in Arnhem and the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek.

A look-back at the excursion
Fifty-eight people took part in the ‘battlefield tour’ of the former Arnhem and Oosterbeek battlefields, announced in the previous Newsletter.
After an explanation of the route in the Airborne Museum by the four guides, aided by the scale model of the battle area and photographs, the company left for a walk through the Hartenstein park. There then followed a visit to the former hotel ‘De Tafelberg’. Thanks to the kind co-operation of the present inhabitants the ‘tourists’ were allowed to take a look inside the building.
After lunch at the Schoonoord restaurant a bus tour of the former battlefield was made. Dropping and landing zones ‘X’ and ‘S’ were visited in turn. A short walk was then made to the tunnel under the Utrecht/Arnhem railway line near Wolfheze where, on 17 September 1944, part of the Reconnaissance Squadron ran into an unexpected German defensive line.
Via the ‘hollow’ alongside the Valkenburglaan, the journey continued on to the John Frost Bridge, the St. Elisabeths Gasthuis and Zwarteweg in Arnhem. The tour ended at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek. Guides gave explanations at all points with the aid of maps and aerial photos.
Next year it is planned to make one or more similar general excursions for members or other interested parties.
(W. Boersma)

The Rev. R.F. Bowers and an acquaintance enjoy a small glass of Dutch gin together during the parachute drop on the Ginkelse Heide on 20 September 1997.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

‘Off at last’
‘Off at Last’ is the title of the new book about the 7th (Galloway) Battalion The King’s Own Scottish Borderers (7 KOSB), written by society member Robert Sigmond from Renkum.
The battalion was raised in 1939 and was used for coastal defence in Britain during the first years of the war until becoming ‘airborne’ in 1943. Together with the 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment and the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment, it became part of the 1st Airlanding Brigade.
The battalion took part in the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944. Some 760 men under the command of Lt. Col. Robert Payton Reid left England by glider on 17 and 18 September 1944. Only 74 of them came back over the Rhine on the night of 25/26 September, eventually reaching Nijmegen. One hundred and twenty men of 7 KOSB lost their lives as a result of the Battle of Arnhem.
This nine-day period forms the main part of the book, although attention is also given to the Pegasus I and II escapes as well as to the prisoners-of-war. The battalion was re-constituted in 1945 and remained for a time in Norway as part of a liberation force. A chapter is also dedicated to this period.
The making of the 1945 film ‘Theirs is the Glory’ is given some attention as well, because a number of battalion members took part in the film.
Robert Sigmond has been studying the history of 7 KOSB since 1983 and has worked for three years on the production of ‘Off at Last’. More than 60 veterans made contributions in the form of personal accounts, documents and photos. Instead of (topographical) maps, the book contains aerial photographs taken at the time of the battle upon which the troop positions are indicated.
This book could be regarded as a sort of follow up to ‘When Dragons Flew, An Illustrated History of the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment 1939-1945’, published in 1994. The third part of what could be called a series on the 1st Airlanding Brigade is being worked on at the moment, the subject being the 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment. 1.250 copies of ‘Off at Last’ have been produced and it is written in English. This beautifully prepared publication consists of 224 pages with 298 illustrations, and has a dust jacket in colour. The ISBN number is 90-9010449, it costs 57.50 guilders and is available from the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ and the Oosterbeek bookshops.
‘Off at Last’ can also be obtained by post by sending a cheque for 24 pounds (includes 4 pounds p&p. Write your name and address on the back of the cheque) or a Eurocheque for 24 pounds (also giving your name and address) to R.N. Sigmond, Utrechtseweg 126-A, 6871 DV Renkum, The Netherlands.
Further information can be provided by the author by ringing 0317 313533.

Reunion in Fallingbostel
A reunion was held at the former German prisoner- of-war camp Stalag XI-B in Fallingbostel during the weekend of 11 and 12 October 1997. Former prisoners-of-war and camp liberators were invited to the reunion on the initiative of L/Cpl Andy Hone of the British Tank Transporter Regiment, stationed there at the moment. Of the total of 14 veterans present, nine had fought in the Battle of Arnhem. It was a busy and interesting gathering. High points were a lecture by the local historian Hinrich Baumann, a walk along the site of the former camp, a memorial service at the Becklingen War Cemetery and a visit to the Tank Regiment Museum with its collection of excavated objects.
Compared to the original number of allied soldiers

Saturday 20 September 1997. Vehicles of the ‘Airborne Battle Wheels Oosterbeek’ association drive in convoy along Telefoonweg, taking them across the middle of former landing zone ‘X’. The journey ended at the Airborne Museum.
(photo: Berry de Reus)

involved, the number of participants at the reunion was relatively small. Later on it seemed this became the reason why close friendships were formed between people who did not know one another at all or had not seen one another since April 1945.
Thanks to the help of Stan Brooks (C Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion) I too was allowed to attend this reunion.
(Marcel Anker)

German Renault tanks in Oosterbeek
During a theme day in October 1992, society member Geert Maassen gave a lecture on the deployment of French Renault tanks by the Germans during the fighting in Oosterbeek in September 1944.
This talk prompted Philip Reinders of the ‘Arnhem Battle Research Group’ to delve deeper into the subject.
The results of Philip’s delving have now been put together in a brochure, published by himself, entitled ‘Panzer Kompagnie 224, De Char B2 in Nederland 1943-1945′. Besides a summary of this German company’s activities, the 40 pages also contain photographs of almost all the tanks that were put out of action in Oosterbeek as well as photos from the period before and after Arnhem’. The publication can be ordered by writing to Philip Reinders, Delftseveerweg 37d, 3134 JG Vlaardingen, The Netherlands, or telephoning/faxing 010 4356704.

Message from your UK representative
Thank you for your support of the Friends and for your generosity.
A kindly reminder that subscriptions are due on the 1st of January 1998. Donations are always welcome.
Signed
Ted Shaw, UK representative.

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FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM

Editors:
Drs. R.P.G.A. Voskuil
C. van Roekel
G.H. Maassen jr.
Newsletter No. 69, March 1998
Translated by Cathrien and Peter Clark
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. E.E. Shaw, 298 Totnes Road Paignton – Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803-S53616

18th General Members Meeting
The management invites you to attend the 18th General Members Meeting and AGM of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum Oosterbeek.
The meeting will be held in the Zalencentrum Lebret, Lebretweg 51, Oosterbeek (tel. 026 3333168) on Saturday 4 April next, starting at 2 pm.
The agenda is as follows:
1. Opening
2. Minutes of the General Members Meeting of
26 april 1997
3. General Report 1997
4. Financial Report 1997
5. Audit Committee Report
6. Budget for 1998
7. Election of Officials
8. Appointment of a reserve member to the Audit Committee
9. Increase in membership fees
10. Questions
11. Closure of the meeting.
Point 4: Financial reports and information are enclosed.
Point 5: The Audit Commission report will be available for perusal half an hour before the meeting begins.
Point 7: Mrs J.M. de Langen and Mr W.T.B. de Ruyter have reached the end of their terms of office, and have declared themselves available for re-election. Article 8 of the Statutes allows for the proposal of alternative candidates. In this case a written nomination should reach the secretary (Sportweg 2, 3871 HH Hoevelaken) at least 10 days before the meeting, signed by a minimum of 10 members, and accompanied by a declaration of availability from the candidate. The candidate must be a Society member and an adult.
Point 9: Each year half of the Friends’ Society contributions are given to the Airborne Museum, with the other half being used by the Society itself.
However, Newsletter production and postage costs already amount to more than half of the contribution monies. Publication of the Newsletter remains possible thanks to our sales stands activities and gifts from members, but this is an uncertain and shaky financial basis.
The management has therefore decided to propose to increase the annual subscription for members living in the Netherlands by ten guilders as of 1 January 1999. This also applies to family membership. Membership subscriptions for UK members will rise to 10 pounds, except for veterans who will continue to pay one pound. The amount for members in other European countries will be 35 guilders, with 50 guilders for the rest of the world.
After the meeting a film about the Battle of Arnhem will be shown.

Summer 1945. Shooting taking place at the Hotel de Tafelberg in Oosterbeek during the making of the film ‘Theirs is the Glory’.
See the appeal elsewhere in this Newsletter.
(photo: R. Voskuil collection)

Annual report 1997
Mr R. Fennema stepped down as member of the management team during the General Members Meeting of 26 April 1997. Mr E. van der Meiden from Oosterbeek was appointed in his place. Management
met 11 times, and held one meeting with the Airborne Museum Foundation Board. A number of management members attended the ‘Publications’ and ‘Events’ work group meetings.
Mr W. Boersma represented the Foundation Board at our meetings, his input being much appreciated.
We started the year with 1256 members. Alas, 14 members passed away during the year, namely the ladies B. Breman-Peters, C. v.d. Ende-Voorwinden and Mrs Koelma-Wijk, and the gentlemen A. v.d. Zijpp, G. Dijkstra, P. v.d. Slot, J. v.d. Voort, E. v.d. Dam, G. Stallinga, M.M. Schut, GJ. Oskamp, A.G. v. Tricht, J.H.D. Lee and K. Greenough. Sixty-nine members were removed from the membership list in 1997 through termination of membership or non-payment of subscriptions. The addition of one hundred and nine new members increased our membership to 1282 by the close of the year.
The Newsletter appeared 4 times thanks to the efforts of the editorship and the assistance of the few members who are always on hand to prepare the publications for distribution.
The ‘Events’ and ‘Publications’ work groups have been very active since their inauguration at the start of 1997.
The Schools Project, which provides the youth of today with information about the Battle of Arnhem, continues to be successful. There is still great interest in it, both here in the Netherlands and abroad. Support for the project was received from the Airborne Commemorations Foundation.
The excursion to England in 1996 was such a success that it was repeated in 1997, taking place from the 2nd till the 6th of April. On Saturday 7 June the ‘Events’ work group, led by management member E. Wijnhoud, organised a walk through the western part of the former ‘Perimeter’. Many members took part. The special Battlefield Tour on 13 September 1997 gave an overall picture of the battle area at Arnhem. It was organised by Mr W. Boersma, and was enthusiastically received by the 58 participating members. The theme afternoon on 13 December 1997, which this time concentrated on the German side of the Battle of Arnhem, was attended by more than 200 members. The programme consisted of a lecture by Society member P. Berends, followed by the showing of a German newsreel film ‘Die Deutsche Wochenschau’ from 5 October 1944.
Last year part of the money earmarked for 1998 had already been handed over to the museum. Because of this the amount available to the museum this year came to 3,313 guilders and 68 cents. This was spent on the payment of 25% of the costs of the development of a future vision for the museum, and on uniforms and equipment.
There has been a continuing call for the statuette of a British parachutist produced 10 years ago, so management decided this year to commission a similar design. The new statuette was created by the British designer Peter Hicks. Beer mugs were once again included in the sales inventory.
Society promotion/sales stands were present at the Royal Netherlands Air Force Open Days at the Gilze Rijen air base, the Resistance Day, the Airborne Walk, and the Pegasus Walk, and at the Society’s theme day and the General Members Meeting. Sales results for the Society amounted to 4,937 guilders.
All in all a good year.
(M. de Langen, secretary)

Message from the treasurer
In the previous Newsletter we omitted to mention the subscription fees for individual and family membership. In spite of this omission many people had already paid their 1998 subscriptions by December, some with a gift on top. For this our heartfelt thankslAs opposed to other years, members who have already paid their subs receive their membership cards along with this Newsletter. Management chose this method in order to save on postage. Members who have not yet made their contribution for 1998 are asked to do so as soon as possible. Individual annual membership costs 20 guilders, family annual membership 30 guilders. (E. van der Meiden, treasurer)

Theme days in 1998
The following theme days will be held in 1998. The annual excursion: Saturday 13 June.Theme afternoon, comprising a lecture and film show: Saturday 31 October.

Battlefield Tour
Mr W. Boersma from the Airborne Museum will be organising a general battlefield tour on Saturday 6 June 1998.
The programme is as follows: 09.30-10.00 am: Reception of participants, with coffee, in the Airborne Museum. 10.00-11.30 am: Guided tour of the Airborne Museum. 11.30 am-12.15 pm: Walk to the Schoonoord restaurant. 12.15-1.15 pm: LUNCH. 1.30-4.30 pm: Battlefield Tour by bus.
The sites visited on the tour will include: The landing and dropping zones, Wolfheze, Onderlangs, the John Frost Brug in Arnhem, the Perimeter in Oosterbeek, Wester-bouwing, Oosterbeek-Laag Church, the Tafelberg and the Airborne Cemetery. The cost is 45 guilders, which includes: admission to the Airborne Museum, lunch, the bus trip, and a special infor-mation folder.
The number of participants is limited to 45 and applications for a place on the tour will be dealt with ‘first come first served’, as usual.
People will only be notified if the Battlefield Tour is fully booked.
(W. Boersma)

Museum weekend, 1998
The national museum weekend will be held this year on 18 and 19 April. Countless museums will be open to the public, free of charge or at a reduced rate of admission. Most will also be organising extra activities for the weekend. This year there will be an emphasis on cycling and walking, providing an excellent opportunity to combine a museum visit with a more sporty activity. At the Airborne Museum ‘HartensteiiT one will be able to take part in a walk through the former battle area in Oosterbeek on both the Saturday and Sunday. The walk will cover 5 kilometres and last one and a half hours. The route will take us through the woods to the south of the Hartenstein, and past the Hemelse Berg, to the church in Oosterbeek-Laag and to the former hospital at ‘de Tafelberg’. On the way guides will explain the events that took place in September 1944.
The walks are free, and departure from the Airborne Museum will be at 12 noon, 2 pm and 3 pm on both days.

Exhibition on prisoners-of-war
The theme exhibition in the Airborne Museum this year will be focused on the British and Polish servicemen who were made prisoners-of-war during the Battle of Arnhem. A work group is busy with the gathering and description of material on the subject. Recent searches of archives in England provided numerous photographs, and film of the liberation of the camps was also unearthed. A reconstruction of part of a prison barracks will be built in the exhibition room in the museum cellar.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 18 April.

Memorial service for General Sir John Hackett
A memorial service for General Sir John Hackett was held at the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, London on 24 November 1997. Sir John died on 9 September last year. A Dutch delegation of 28 people flew to England for the service, in an aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The group included the burgomasters of Arnhem, Ede and Renkum, plus the Reverend Snoek and Mrs Snoek (nephew and niece of the De Nooy sisters, who sheltered the General after the battle), Mrs Caspers (the courier who led Hackett through the enemy lines), Mrs Lambrechtsen-ter Horst (daughter of Kate ter Horst), and many others who knew the then commander of the 4th Parachute Brigade personally.After the service Lady Hackett talked at length with members of the Dutch delegation.

‘Airborne Soldier’ statuette
The issue of a new statuette entitled ‘Airborne Soldier’ was announced in Newsletter No. 67. Interest in this little work of art has been enormous, and it is almost sold out. There are however a few examples still available. The statuette can be purchased at the Airborne Museum, price 250 guilders for members, 275 guilders for non-members.

Author Johann Nitrowski (right) meets Society member Robert Sigmond during the presentation of the book ‘Die Luftlandung’ in Hamminkeln on 11 December 1997. Robert offers Johann a copy of his recently published book ‘Off at Last’.
(photo: Bob Gerritsen)

Book about the airborne landings in March 1945
On 11 December 1997 the book ‘Die Luftlandung, das Kriegsende im Gebiet der Stiidte Hamminkeln und Wesel’ was presented in the council chamber of the city of Hamminkeln.
The author Johann Nitrowski told a packed chamber how the publication came into being. He first became interested in the wartime history of this area in 1979. He was invited to a presentation of a book about the war. This included the showing of two British films about the airborne landings at Hamminkeln. So began a search into the course of this allied airborne operation that took place in March of 1945, a search that was to take years. As well as studying documents in various archives, Nitrowski also tracked down and interviewed many allied and German veterans.
The recently published book deals with the attack by the 6th British and 17th American Airborne Divisions, which was aimed at forming a bridgehead over the Rhine at Wesel. This Operation Varsity was part of the much larger Operation Plunder, involving the crossing of the Rhine by ground troops.
The book comprises five chapters, each consisting of two parts. The first part gives a description of the objective and the course of the operation, while the second part is given over to eye witness accounts from both sides. The last chapter tells the story of the ground troops who, after crossing the Rhine, forced a breakout from the bridgehead. The descriptions are
very detailed, and the maps show clearly where the actions took place. ‘Die Luftlandung’ is written in German, and the first edition consisted of 1,200 copies. It contains 520 pages, 390 illustrations, and is in a 30 cm x 24 cm format. The first edition was sold out in one and a half days, and Hamminkeln’s Municipal Administration decided to commission a second edition. This will appear in mid March, and will cost 50 German marks. Sponsorship has made it possible to sell this beautiful book at such an incredibly low price.
Au thor Johann Nitrowski is not entirely unknown to some of our members. In May 1995 he led a theme- day excursion in the Hamminkeln area. During his explanations his enthusiasm and passion for the history of his region was obvious. This passion and his attention to detail guarantee an exceptional publication.
In view of the limited second edition, 2,000 copies, and the tremendous interest already shown, it is expected that the book will again be very quickly sold out. So, if you are interested in buying a copy, it’s best not to wait too long. More information can be obtained from
Bob Gerritsen in Duiven, tel 0316 263743.
(Bob Gerritsen)

David Lord’s Victoria Cross auctioned
Flight Lieutenant David Lord’s Victoria Cross was auctioned on 17 July last year by the London auction house Spink & Son. The medal reached a selling price of 110,000 pounds (approx. 370,000 guilders).
In September 1944 Flt.Lt. David Lord was the pilot of Dakota KG 374 from 271 Squadron RAF. During a resupply flight to Arnhem on Tuesday the 19th his aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft artillery, which set fire to the starboard wing. Instead of giving the order to bale out, Lord decided to fly on to the supply dropping zone. When the Dakota arrived over the dropping point, the despatches were able to eject six of the eight panniers. Although the machine was now burning more fiercely, Lord turned and flew once more over the dropping zone. After the last two panniers were dropped the aircraft crashed near Wolfheze. For his sacrifice Flt.Lt. Lord was posthumously awarded the highest British military decoration, the Victoria Cross. Only 106 VCs were awarded during the Second World War.
One can read a detailed account of Lord’s last flight and the search for the remains of his crashed aircraft in an article entitled ‘Arnhem VC Investigation’ in issue 96 of the magazine ‘After the Battle’.
The article was written by Society member Karel Margry.

‘Theirs is the Glory’ appeal
In August and September 1945, the film ‘Theirs is the Glory’ was shot in Arnhem and Oosterbeek. No actors were used in this re-enactment of the Battle of Arnhem, all parts being played by men of the 1st Airborne Division who had actually taken part in the battle a year before. In connection with an
investigation into the history of ‘Theirs is the Glory’, we would like to get in touch with veterans who were involved with the filming, and with inhabitants of Arnhem and Oosterbeek who experienced the making of the film at first hand.
We are also looking for photographs from that period. If you are able to help with this investigation, you are kindly invited to contact the Renkum Municipal Archivist Geert Maassen,
Post Box 9100, 6860 HA Oosterbeek, tel. 026 3348303.

Appeal: ‘de Oorsprong’ estate
Mr Philip Reinders from Vlaardingen is looking for civilians who took shelter in the Frowein air-raid shelter on de Oorsprong’ estate in Oosterbeek during the Battle of Arnhem. This shelter was (and is) in the woods next to the mansion, which was destroyed during the battle. Philip would also like to hear from anyone who knows anything about wreckage, field graves etc. on or nearby the estate. Any photos would also be greatly welcomed.
Reactions please to Ph. Reinders, Delftseveerweg 37d, 3134 JG, Vlaardingen. Tel/fax 010 4356704.

Book news
The editors have recently been made aware of the publication of the book ‘Slachtoffers van de Emmapyramide, Velps gevangenisleven in de winter ’44-’45 en de na-oorlogse speurtoch naar vermisten’ (Victims of the Emma pyramid, prison life in Velp in the winter of ’44-’45 and the post-war search for the missing), by J.O. van de Wai. The central theme is the fate of a group of men who were executed by the Germans at the foot of the Emma pyramid on 13 December 1944. The story also encompasses the Pegasus I and II Operations. The book is published by Fagus, from Aalten, and is available from Oosterbeek bookshops at 47 guilders 50.

Request
Society members who have produced publications, and would like to offer copies of the same for sale at theme days or the annual meeting, are kindly requested to let Eugene Wijnhoud know in good time. He will then make sure that a table is available in the room where the lecture or meeting is held. Eugene’s address is: Bernhardlaan 41,1 hoog, 6824 LE Arnhem, tel 026 3513100.

Notify us of your change of address on time
We still get membership cards and Newsletters returned to us ‘Address unknown’.
Every year the Society is put to an awful lot of unnecessary expense in getting these items to the correct addresses.Therefore, may we ask you, very kindly, if you intend moving house, please ‘ ’
inform us of your change of address in plenty of time. We can then ensure that your ‘Airborne’ mail arrives at the correct destination.

 

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