VVAM Newsletter 18 – 1985

NEWS-LETTER No.18 April 1985

Editor: Drs.R.P.G.A.Voskuil
Dutch-English translation: Mrs Wilkinson
The newsletter is printed four times a year.

Special subject day 1th May.
A special subject day is to be organised for our members on Saturday May 1th. The programme is as seen below.
10.30 am. We will meet at the Hotel Dreyeroord in Oosterbeek, starting with a cup of coffee, whilst a short introduction about the day’s programme and the route for the walk is given.
11.15 am. A showing of the Video film ‘Back To Arnhem’, about the experiences of the Reconnaissance Squadron during the battle of Arnhem. Followed by a walk through the North West Section of Oosterbeek. This part of the village, between 19th and 25th September, formed the northern section of the Horse shoe shaped territory that the British defended. During the walk special attention will be given to the sites where the Reconnaissance Squadron and the 7th Battalion The Kings Own Scottish Borderers fought.
11.00 pm. Lunch in the Hotel Dreyeroord.
11.15 pm. Short walk through the vicinity of the Hotel Dreyeroord. This Hotel was defended by units of 7 K.O.S.B. under the command of Lt. Col. Peyton Reid. At that time the Hotel was known as the ‘White House’.
16.00 pm. End of the Special Subject Day.
Our Guides for the day are three of our members; Mr. H. Duinhoven from Oosterbeek, Mr. N.J. van der Meer from Kruiningen and Mr. R. Sigmond from Bennekom. The day is organised for us by Mr. Van Roekel and Mr. Voskuil.
The cost for the day is 15’ guilders per person and includes the cost of morning coffee, lunch and the guidebook (The amount can be paid by giro number 1103611 for the account of the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum under the title ‘Subject Day’. Closing date for entry is 27th April.) To avoid the groups being too large, the number of people will be limited to about 100. Should there be more interested, the day will be repeated at a later date, and any late entries notified. Participants will be entered in order of acceptance, so don’t leave it too late before replying.
The day will procede even if it is raining.
Hotel Dreyeroord (tel. 085-333169) is situated on Graaf van Rechterenweg, about a 100 metres from Oosterbeek-Hoog Station. From Arnhem it can be reached by the No.l Trolleybus.

Appeal for information on fieldgraves.
The Mini-Story, enclosed with this Newsletter, is written by 52yr.old Mr.J.A. Hey. Mr. Hey is a textile technician from Hengelo. He tells us about an extensive record of information about Allied soldiers killed in action during the war in the Nether¬lands. For the greater part his information is derived from official war sources.
Thousands of Allied soldiers were killed and buried in Dutch soil. There are about 1100 soldiers lying in un-named graves. On the gravestones of these unknow soldiers are the words; ‘Known Unto God’.
Over the years, Mr. Hey has ascertained the correct graves of more than 30 unknown soldiers. This had been achieved by long and unstinted searching combined with assistance from citizens and other amateur researchers. The War Grave Commission in the Hague often calls on him for assistance. Over the years his records have earned a respected reputation.
Mr. Hey has a plan for a Roll Of Honour which will contain the names of all the British and Polish soldiers who were killed during the Battle of Arnhem.
Along with the names it will also record precisely where and when each soldier: was killed and where his fieldgrave was.
To acheive this he is appealing to the residents of Arnhem for any information that can be of assistance. If you think that you can be of any assistance please contact Mr. J.A. Hey, Aart van der Leeuwstraat 12, 7552 HS Hengelo, Holland, Tel. 074-422271 or Mr. G.H. Maassen, Archivist for the Renkum municipality.

Extract from the Mayor of Renkum’s New Year Speech.
In his New Year’s speech the Mayor of Renkum jhr. Mr. van Holthe tot Echten, recalled that through a tremendous effort by both the citizens and the Municipality of Renkum, the 40th Anniversary Commemoration celebrations had been an unforget¬table tribute to the British and Polish Veterans. He added “that it was the very least that we could do, a tribute established by our everlasting gratitude towards the British and Polish soldiers who strived in an heroic attempt to hasten our liberation. The battle may have been a military defeat, but it was a human triumph. Let us now, especially when many veterans will not return again to remember their mates, keep the flame burning and the memories alive. That is easily said, but it is a task for our Airborne Municipality, and we must remain the Airborne Munici¬pality at whatever sacrifice, even financial sacrifice, that is necessary”.

Airborne Museum attracts a record number of visitors.
During 1984, the year of the 4oth Anniversary of the Commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem, the Airborne Museum has attracted a record number of paying visitors – 98038. In 1983 it was 69954. Considering that the Friends of the Airborne Museum have free entry, and that this also applied to the Veterans, with a little simple arithmetic you will find that the official number of visitors was over 100,000.

New display case for Medal Sets.
In the large ground floor room of the Airborne Museum, a large display case for Medal Sets has recently been hung.
During the past years several Veterans of the Battle of Arnhem have, either donated, or lent their medals to the Museum. On the iniative of the secretary, Mr. W.J.M. Duyts, a showcase has been especially made. In the showcase, with every Set of Medals, there is a photo of the Veteran to whom the medal was awarded.
Meanwhile a number of Veteran Soldiers have promised, in the near future, to lend, or donate their own medals to the Museum.

Our Organisational Adviser was twice photographed.
1st: On the 17th September 19^lt. During the march of an Artillery Unit along the Utrechtseweg, near Kievitsdel, 15 month old Okko Luursema was photographed, on a 6-pounder anti-tank gun in the company of some British soldiers, by his mother. 2nd: years later Mr. Luursema returned to the same spot.

Appointment of Organisational Adviser.
Due to the increasing amount of work, it has been necessary to call on our members for assistance, with the result that Mr. Luursema, from Arnhem, is willing to become our Organisational Adviser. His main task will be to assist with the organisation of our Subject Days and Outings. (See above photo.)

Supplement to announcement in the last Newsletter.
In our last Newsletter there was an announcement about the addressing of corres¬pondence to the Society. The following address must be added: Correspondence concerning financial matters, please address to:-
The Treasurer, Mr. R. Fennema, Benedendorpsweg 150, 6862 WP, Oosterbeek,The Netherlands .

Issue of Commemorative envelope.
In May of this year, our Society are issuing a special Commemorative envelope. This envelope will be supplied with a commemorative stamp and a special stamp from the Airborne Museum. The envelope will cost 5 guilders. Available by post it costs 6 guilders. Please transfer the amount to Giro account of the Society of the Friends of the Airborne Museum, under the heading “Commemorative Envelope”. Distribution of those ordered by post wi about the 15th May.

Many volunteers for painting.
During the recent A.G.M., on behalf of the Curator of.the Museum, Mr. De Reus, our Chairman asked for volunteers to help with the painting of the tank ou si e the Museum. Nine members quickly responded, and it is hoped to complete the. as by the end of May. Mr. E.J. Koopman, from Oirschot, has provided all the paint and brushes free. An offer that is greatly appreciated.

Unusual flag donated.
During the advance into Arnhem on 17th September 1944, Mr. M.R.F. Chandler, a soldier with the Royal Engineers, found a Quisling flag. He took the flag with him, and has kept it as a souvenir of Arnhem for nearly 40 years. In August 1984 Mr. Chandler donated the flag to the Museum.

New Photobook about Arnhem in 1945
On April 15th, a new book with photographs of Arnhem shortly after its liberation in May 1945, was published. All the photos were taken by a Mr. N. Kramer, a contemporary photographer from Arnhem. Mr. Kramer had a special permit obtained from the English, to enable him to enter the empty and derelict capital city of Gelderland. He scoured the whole city and took about 800 photos. Later on, these photos could be ordered by other interested people. The collection was forgotten, until it was found by Mr. Kramer’s grandson 3 years ago in his parents’ cellar. He took some of the prints and hung them in his own photographers-shop in Looier- straat, Arnhem. There were many reactions from the public and Mr. Verhoeff decided to produce a book. Out of about 800 photos he chose 235- Short captions have been written by Mr. P. Vroemen from Kamerik, who was in Arnhem during the war.
In the back of the book is a street-register. The Foreword and a summary of the captions are written in English.
The book is called “Arnhem Voorjaar 1945, wandelen door een verlaten stad”. (Walking through an abandonned City) Photos by N. Kramer, compiled by W. Verhoeff and P. Vroemen. It comprises of 165 pages and costs 39-50 guilders. It is available froni bookshops and the Photographers-shop in de Looierstraat in Arnhem.

Booklet: ‘It was like this/Zo was het’. 14th Edition.
Once again a new edition of the book ‘It was like this/Zo was het’ has been published. Written by Lt. Col. C.B. Mackenzie, D.S.O., O.B.E.
The last edition was published in 1981. This 14th edition is enlarged with photos of the 4oth Commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem.
‘It was like this/Zo was het’ is available in. the Museum and costs 10 guilders.

Book “Luchtbrug Market-Garden”.
In this book, published in September 1984, a survey of the air-operations that were carried out during the Airborne landings in Holland in September 1944, is given. At the same time attention is drawn to ’the betrayal’ of Arnhem.
“Luchtbrug Market-Garden” by Bart van der Klauw and Bart Rijnhout is published by Telebook BV in Amsterdam and costs 24.90 guilders.(only Dutch edition available).

Special Association day for our members next September.
Early in S eptember a Special day is to be organised at which members can meet each other and learn of their research concerning Operation Market Garden Further information will be given in our next Newsletter. No. 19

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