VVAM Newsletter 33 – 1989

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM OOSTERBEEK
Utrechtseweg 232, 6862 AZ OOSTERBEEK, The Netherlands
Representative in Great Britain: Mr. F.M.Young, 6,
Kildown Gardens, Cliftonville.Kent CT 9 3EG
Editor: Drs. R.P.G.A.Voskuil Translation:Mrs.A.Meeuwsen

IN MEMORIAM General R.E.Urquhart C.B..D.S.O. We were saddened by the news of the death of General R.E.Urquhart.C.B..D.S.O. on December 13th,1988.He died at the age of 87, in Port of Menteith.Scotland. In accordance with his last will he was buried privately on Saturday.December 17th. At the same time a short remembrance service was held in the Airborne Cemetery at Oosterbeek.On behalf of our Society a wreath was laid by the.chair- man.Mr.J.Smits,together with Mr.C.van Roekel. General Urquhart last visited Arnhem and Oosterbeek in September 1987.During that stay he visited the house at Zwarteweg 14,Arnhem, the place where he had to hide from the enemy for several hours. (Photo R.de Reus)

9th General Annual Meeting.

You are invited to attend the 9th General Annual Meeting of the Society,on SATURDAY.MARCH llth,1989,in the Concerthall.Benedendorpsweg at Oosterbeek (oppo site the Old Church), telephone 085-332046). TIME : 14.00 hrs.
The AGENDA of the meeting is as follows.:

Mr.R.Fennema (treasurer) is due to retire from the committee.He is elegible for re-election.According to article 8 of the regulations,members can propose other candidates. Proposals should be sent in writing to the secretary of the Society, ten days before the day of the meeting.They must be signed by at least ten members and be accompanied by a written agreement of the proposed members,who must be of age and members of the Society.
Thirty minutes before the start of the meeting, the financial papers and the report of the Auditing Committee will be available for inspection by the members. The Financial Report 1988 and the budget 1989 will be sent to our members with the next Newsletter.
After the Annual Meeting two short video-films will be shown.The first is an impression of the walking-excursion which took place on June 18th of last year and was made by our member,Mr.Feenstra of Hilversum. The second film was made in September 1984 for the TV programr.ie “Van Gewest tot Gewest” on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem.
Special-subject afternoon very well attended!
No less than 225 members of our Society attended the special-subject afternoon on Saturday.November 26th,1988,in the ELEKTRUM at Arnhem. They listened attenti- vely to Mr. Duinhoven’s lecture about “Operation Berlin” and after the interval watched the scientific documentary about the Battle of Arnhem.
Duririg the interval a surprise event took place:the presentation of a book “Oosterbeek-September 1944”.written by Mr. J.Lammerts and published by our Society. The books had arrived from the printer somewhat sooner than expected.so this was a nice opportunity for Mr.Lammerts to present his book in person at the Saturday afternoon. A large number of the members present took the opportunity to buy a copy and to have it signed by the author. About half of the edition of 50 books were sold that afternoon and some weeks af ter the books were sold out.
The second edition has now arrived,most books of this edition will be put apart for those members who have not yet been able to obtain it.A short description of the book can be found on page 3.
Flame-thrower obtained for the Museum.
For many years people have been trying to find an original flame-thrower as used by the British Airborne troops in September 1944. Thanks to efforts of Mr.C.van Roekel, the Museum now possesses a flame-thrower which is still in perfect con- dition. It will be shown in one of the diorama’s in the basement of the Museum and is a welcome addition to the Museum’s collection.
Request from the treasurer:Members who have not yet paid their subscription for 1989,are kindly requested to do so as soon as possible!

Mr. Lammercs signs the first copies of his book “Oosterbeek September 1944”.
(Photo:B.de Reus)

“Oosterbeek-September 1944.”
In this book,which was presented during the special-subject afternoon in Novem¬ber, Mr.Lammerts describes the events he experienced in September 1944,when he was 23. He wrote it during the first months of 1945,when his memory was still fresh, in a couple of exercise-books. Now,forty~four years later, it has been printed and published by the Society. In order not to detract from the authen- ticity of the story,the original text has for the larger part been left un- changed.
The book describes the events in and around Mr.Lammerts’s home on the Paasberg in Oosterbeek, in the British Tafelberg Hotel hospital and in the Paasberg school which was used as a dressing-station.
The book gives a very detailed and penetrating description of the atmosphere of those dramatic days.In order to make things even clearer.a number of maps have been added.
The book contains 116 pages and also some photographs. It costs ƒ 15,- .
If you want to receive it by post,the costs are ƒ 20,-.It can be ordered from the Society,giro no. 4403641, mention “book Oosterbeek”.
Annual Report 1988.
In spite of the fact that 24 members had to be expelled from the Society because of non-payment of their subscription,the number of members of the Society did increase to 937.compared to 866 at the end of 1987.
Sadly.five members died in 1988:our Honorary Member General R.E.Urquhart and our members J.H.Cobussen.E.J.A.Geurs,J.Fox and J.Holcombe.

Four Newsletters were published in 1988. The special-subject days were very well attended. The sale of articles and souvenirs went very well.both in the Museum shop and during outside occasions.A considerable sum could be handed over to BLESMA.
The English translation appeared of “The Tommies are Coming , and Mr.Lammerts s book “Oosterbeek-September 1944” was published in December.
The “Chair-project” was rounded off very succesfully in 1988.
Furthermore,our Society organized the renovation of the SHERMAN—tank and assisted in obtaining a complete set of the “PEGASUS JOURNAL”.
The Society also offered assistance regarding the visit of ten handicapped veterans, by courtesy of the “Zilveren Kruis ” Health Insurance Company.

Donations to the Museum consisted,among other things,of a modern typewriter and a projector for the audiovisual presentation. (M. de Langen)
Donation of set of RAF medals.
In September 1944,Flying Officer Douglas H.Over was an RAF pilot with No.74 Squadron. During the Battle of Arnhem he was engaged in several missions over the battlefield. After the Battle he continued to fly “fighter sweeps” in the area.
On December llth,1944,his Spitfire was shot down West of the Apeldoornseweg. Douglas Over did not survive the crash.
On December llth,1988,exactly 44 years later,his sister and brother visited Oosterbeek and the Museum in order to donate their brother’s set of medals to the Museum. The set contains the 39-45 Star,the France and Germany Star,the Defence Medal and the War Medal 39-45.Flying Officer Douglas Over was also “Mentioned in Despatches.” His is the first set of medals belonging to an RAF pilot which the Museum has received.
Exhibition about the Resistance Movement.
The Board of the Museum is planning to organize an exhibition about the role played by the Netherlands Resistance Movement during the Battle of Arnhem.Plans are for this exhibition to take place in May of this year.
As the Museum does not possess much Information about this subject,it asks the assistance of those who possess material about the role of the Resistance Move¬ment in September 1944. So,if you still have articles,photographs,maps,etc. relating to this subject,please contact the Museum. General information about this period is also very welcome.
Memorial booklet 40th Anniversary Museum.
This year sees the 40th anniversary of both the Airborne Museum and the Society for Geography and History of Renkum Municipality. Till 1978, the Airborne Museum was part of the latter Society,but when the Museum moved to Hartenstein House, it got its own Board of Trustees.
There are plans to celebrate these anniversaries by publishing a joint booklet. Still needed are old photographs and press-cuttings,especially about the first Airborne Museum which was situated in a small wooden hut in the inner court-yard of Doorwerth Castle.
When you do possess this kind of material and are willing to lend it for a short time to the compilers of the booklet,please contact Mr.G.H.Maassen.archivist of Renkum Municipality,tel. 085-348111 (daytime) or 085-337515 (evening).You can also contact the Museum.
New texts for the photo’s in the Museum.
During the winter months a large part of the captions with the photo’s in the Museum will be renewed. All additions and corrections which have been received over the last years,will be incorporated.

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