VVAM Newsletter 45 – 1992

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM
Utrechtseweg 232,6862 AZ Oosterbeek,the Netherlands
Representative in Great Britain:Mr.E.E.Shaw,298 Totnes Road,Paignton, Devon TQ4 7HD Tel:0803 553616.
NEWSLETTER NO.45
Editor:Drs.R.P.G.A.Voskuil
FEBRUARY 1992

Translation:Mrs.A.Meeuwsen

Donation of filmcamera to Museum.
During the Battle of Arnhem,two types of filmcamera were used,the BELL & HOWELL and the 35mm DE VRY camera.
When in 1986 the Airborne Museum organized the exhibition “Photography during the Battle of Arnhem”, only the BELL & HOWELL camera could be shown as the Museum did not then possess a DE VRY camera. It took a long time and much searching,but in the end a DE VRY camera could be obtained,thanks to funds donated by the Society. During a special meeting on December 10th,our chairman,Mr.J.Smits,handed over the camera to the Trustees of the Museum.
A figure representing Sergeant cameraman Mike Lewis,carrying the DE VRY camera,has now been placed in one of the diorama’s,joining that of the ARPU cameraman “Jock”Walker.

The chairman of our Society,Mr.J.Smits,presents the DE VRY filmcamera to the vice-chairman of the Trustees of the Airborne Museum,Mr.A.Groeneweg.
(Photo:B.de Reus.)

12th General Annual Meeting.
You are invited to attend the 12th General Annual Meeting of the Society^ SATURDAY,MARCH 21st,1992,in the Concerthall.Benedendorpsweg, at Oosterbeek (opposite the Old Church).Telephone 085-332046.TIME: 14.00 hrs.

The AGENDA is as follows:
1.Opening address by the chairman.
2. Reading of the minutes of the 11th General Annual Meeting on ,
3. Annual Review 1991.
4. Financial Report 1991 and budget 1992.
5 Report Auditing Committee.
6. Election of Committee Members.
7. Appointment of reserve member auditing committee.
8. Questions before closure of meeting.
9. Closure.
10.
Ad pt.6:Messrs.J.Smits and R.P.G.A.Voskuil are due to retire from the committee, both are eligible for re-election.According to article 8 of the regulation,members can propose other candidates.Proposals should be sent in writing to the Secretary of the Society,ten days before the date of the meeting.They must be signed by at least ten members,and be accompanied by a written statement of the proposed candidates,who must be of age and members of the Society.
The financial papers will be sent to you shortly.
The report of the Auditing Committee will be available for inspection by the members half an hour before the start of the meeting.
After the official part of the meeting,a film will be shown :”0peration Varsity”, see the announcement on page 3.

“Operation Varsity”.
The film documentary which will be shown after the General Annual Meeting is called “Operation Varsity”. It shows the attack across the river Rhine on March24th,1945, and the role played by the 6th British Airborne Division during this operation .
The film also shows pictures of the training and of the equipment used during the attack.This official English documentary was made in 1945 and lasts about 20 minutes.

“Who was Who”.
In our last Newsletter we announced the appearance of the “Order of Battle” called “Who was Who”. We now hope to be able to present this book during our General Annual Meeting,when it can also be bought.
As we expect that the interest of our members for this book will be very large,we offer you the opportunity to reserve a copy in advance. You can do this by paying f20,- by giro to no. 4403641 of the “Vereniging Vrienden van het Airborne Museum”, state “Order of Battle”.
If you want to receive it by post,please add f 3,- to the sum mentioned above.
The Order of Battle is written both in Dutch and in English and gives a survey of the complete structure of the First British Airborne Division and of the First Independent Polish Para Brigade,complete with the names and functions of the officers.
The book has more than 100 pages and contains about 70 photographs.Parts of these photographs are pictures taken during actions and parts of them are portraits of officers which have been rarely published in books.although they are well-known. All m all this book is a vade-mecum for everybody who is interested in the history of the Battle of Arnhem.About 400 copies will be printed and that’s why we advise you not to wait too long and reserve your copy now! (C.van Roekel)

Annual Review 1991.
In spite of the fact that 37 members had to be expelled because of non-payment of their subscription, or for other reasons,the number of the members of the Society did increase to 1007,compared to 1003 in 1991.
Sadly,the following members died in 1991:Mr.H.S.Brown,Mr.E.J.Gerritsen.Mr.W.D.H.C. Groenbos.Mr.A.H.Oakes.Mr.F.van Ommen.Mr.M.Schmid,Mr.A.J.Thomas, and Mr.F.H. Whittingham.
Four Newsletters were sent out,both in Dutch and in English.
There was an excursion in August regarding the Northern sector of the battle-area, as well as a special subject afternoon in November concerning the work of the medical units during the Battle of Arnhem.Both were very well attended,the excursion had even to be repeated in the autumn,
The Health Insurance Company “Het Zilveren Kruis” again invited and assisted ten handicapped veterans to attend the commemorations in September 1991.
The school project remains a success.The 10.000th pupil was welcomed in the Museum in June 1991.
Members of the Committee were present at the opening of the exhibition “Calling Sunray” in the Museum;at the putting into use of the illumination of the Airborne Monument;and during the presentation of the Polish decorations.
Members of the Committee are also members of the Co-ordinating Committee which organizes the annual commemorations.Messrs R.Fennema and J.Smits again organized the tour of the battlefields for the British and Polish veterans.
Again in 1991 two joint meetings were held with the Trustees of the Museum.
The Society received donations from the Thanet Branch (£25 for the school project), from the Fund for Military War-victims (f 1750,- to buy Pegasus badges for the schoolchildren who lay flowers on the graves during the September commemorations) and £ 100 from the Arnhem Veterans Club.
Mr.Ted Shaw became our new representative in Great Britain,succeeding Mr.Frank Young,who for five years was a very active representative for our Society.We said goodbye to Mr.Young in September,with an-appropiate good-bye present,—
We also had to say good-bye to Mr.J.Eijkelhoff and welcome to Mr.A.A.Hofman as a new committee-member.
The Society donated the following items to the Museum:a show-case,a DE VRY camera, a Vickers K Gun (including the costs for its transport from abroad), a D.A.T.Walkman for recording interviews with veterans and the figure representing AFPU cameraman
(M.de Langen)

Exhibition about the medical assistance during the Battle of Arnhem.
From March 4th till April 12th,the Museum will organize an exhibition called “Wounded liberators,civilians and occupiers.”
This exposition will give a survey of the organisation of the medical assistance during and shortly after the Battle of Arnhem.Although most attention will be paid to the work of the medical units belonging to the First British Airborne Division and the First Independent Polish Para Brigade.it will also pay attention to what happened to wounded civilians and German soldiers.
It will also show pictures of the reception of wounded people in various (emergency) hospitals in Apeldoorn.
Apart from pictures,there will also be a diorama showing the various types of medical equipment used in September 1944. Part of the material for this exhibition has been lent to the Museum from private collections.
This exhibition forms an interesting sequel to the talk about this subject given by Mr.H.van Breemen last November.lt will also be a good preparation for an excursion about this subject which members of the Society are now working on.
Book fair in the Airborne Museum.
A book fair will be held in the Airborne Museum on Tuesday,May 5th,1992.It will sell mostly second-hand books about the second world war,and will be organized by the Trustees of the Airborne Museum.

“Dutch Courage and Pegasus”.
The Airborne Museum has obtained a small number of the booklet “Dutch Courage a™} Pegasus”,written by Major Digby Tatham Warter D.S.O. who was commander of the A Company of the Second Parachutist Battalion,the first unit to reach the bridge at Arnhem on September 17th,1944.He is the man who made history leading an attack on the Southern part of the bridge under “cover” of an umbrella.
This is the story of his experiences after his escape from the Municipal Hospital which played an important role in operation PEGASUS.
The booklet,which was published under the author’s own control,consists of 40 pages and has been illustrated with photographsThe price is f 17,50 when bought at the Museum.lt can also be ordered by post by paying fl9,90 on giro 4184300 of the Airborne Museum,state “Dutch Courage”.
(Orders from abroad accompanied in cash,please,or by Eurocheque.Price £ 4.50.)
(A.Groeneweg.)

Questionnaire.
During the autumn holiday,visitors of the Museum were asked to fill in a questionnaire stating their impressions of the Museum.The organizor,Mr.W.Boersma,plans to repeat this regularly.The comments and suggestions of visitors will,if relevant,be used when plans will be made for the future development of the Museum.
Radio set obtained by Museum.
The Museum now possesses all types of radio transmitter-receiver which were used by the British during the Battle of Arnhem. The only missing set,a so-called “No. 68”, was obtained the other day by means of exchanging it for another set.

“Hitler Youth” dagger.
An original “Hitler Youth” dagger,which was found long ago at Ede,at the corner of the Schoolstraat and the Bennekomseweg.has now been donated to the Airborne Museum.

50th Anniversary of Netherlands Commandos.
On the occasion of their 50th anniversity,thirty ex-Commandos will hold a special march through a part of the Market Garden area on Sunday,March 15th,1992.
The march will start in the early morning at the Ginkelse Heide and will go from there to the Airborne Cemetery at Oosterbeek,where a wreath will be laid.
From there the men will march through Oosterbeek to the Old Church and the river Rhine,which they will cross in storm-boats.The march then continues from Driel and will end at Groesbeek.
At the same day there will be a special reception at the Airborne Museum for ex – Commandos who,during the second world war,were part of No.2 Dutch Troop No.10 (Inter Allied) Commando.
Information about the march and the reception can be obtained from Mr.W.Boersma at the Museum.
Request from the Treasurer.
Members who have not yet paid their subscriptions,are requested to do so as soon as possible. Subscriptions are f 20,- for a single membership,f 30,- for a family membership. J

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