VVAM Newsletter 48 – 1992

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM

Utrechtseweg 232,6962 AZ OOSTERBEEK, the Netherlands
Representative in Great Britain: Mr.E.E.Shaw, 298,Totnes Road, PAIGNTON,
Devon TQ4 7HD Tel. 0803 – 553616
NEWSLETTER No.48 Editor:Drs.R.P.G.A.Voskuil
OCTOBER 1992 Translation:Mrs.A.Meeuwsen

Burgomaster Scholten.Major Bush,Burgomaster Verlinden and Father Wissing having coffee and a chat on one of the benches donated by the Dinner Club of the 3rd Parachute Battalion (1941- 1945)(photo.B.de Reus.)

Special Subject Afternoon.
Our next Special Subject Afternoon will be held on Saturday.December 12th,1992.
This time we will meet in the Concerthall.Benedendorpsweg (opposite the Old Church) at Oosterbeek.Tel. 085-332046.

The programme is as follows:
13.30-14.00 hrs : arrival of members.
14.00-14.45 hrs : short lecture by Mr.G.H.Maassen,called “Some aspects of the
German use of French RENAULT tanks during the Battle of Arnhem

In 1945,six of these tanks were found on the West side of the perimeter,they had been put out of action by the British in September 1944.
Mr.Maassen has been studying the history of these tanks for some time,he will report on his findings up till now.
14.45-15.15 hrs : tea break.
15.15-16.45 hrs : showing of the video-film Arnhem,the story of an escape . This film,which was made in 1976,has been based on the book by Graeme Warrack,called “Travel by Dark .In Holland,this book is called “Tocht door het duister.

Commemorative envelope.
This year’s commemorative envelope issued by the Airborne Museum,had been dedi cated to No.2 (Dutch) Troop of No.10 (Interallied) Commando.Ten members of this Commando-unit fought in the Battle of Arnhem.One of them,Mr.A.F.M.Bakhuys Rooze- boom.was killed.
The envelope shows the coloured sleeve—emblem of the Commando’s.All envelopes have been numbered,from 001 till 750, and have been stamped on September 17th, 1992.They cost f 5,— when bought at the Museum.The envelope can also be ordered by paying f 6,— by giro,no. 4184300 of the Airborne Museum “Hartenstein’ at Oosterbeek,mention “envelope 1992″.

Book :”We will remember them”.
During the month of September,an exhibition was held in the Municipal building at Oosterbeek,showing the photographs made by the Arnhem photographer Herman Truin of the commemorative meetings of the first 25 years after the Battle of Arnhem.
At the same time a book was published which contains all photographs of the exhibition.The book is called “We will remember them” and was presented to the burgomasters of Arnhem,Renkum and Heteren on August 26th.
The book contains 128 pages and 165 photo’s.The texts with the photo’s are both in Dutch and in English. The Truin working group which is responsible for the appearance of the book,did not want to give a complete history of those first 25 years of remembrance. The photo’s are meant to tell the story and recall the atmosphere of those early years.The texts with the photo’s have therefore been kept short and concise.
Mr.J.Vogel of the advertising agency 3A-Design at Oosterbeek is responsible for the beautiful design.
The book costs f 27,50 and can be bought at the Museum and in bookshops in the regio.lt can be ordered by giro from the Museum,the price is then f 35,— , In England the book can be obtained from the Airborne Forces Museum at Aldershot.

Diary “Oosterbeek 1944”.
As we wrote in our last newsletter.Hendrika van der Vlist’s book “Die dag in September”,has now been translated into English,to the author’s great satis¬faction. For years there has been much demand for an English translation of this diary which describes the events in the emergency hospital in the Schoonoord Hotel at Oosterbeek.
The Society has undertaken the publication of this English edition.On August 28th, the first copy of the book was presented to the author by the Society’s chair¬man, drs .J .Smits during a meeting at the Museum.
This booklet,of which 750 copies have been printed,has been illustrated with many photographs,many of which have not been published before.The introduction has been written by Dr.T.F.Redman,Captain with the 133rd Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC in 1944.

Mrs.Hendrika van der Vlist signs Che first copies of her book “Ooscerbeek 1944”. Looking on—are Mrs.Eleonore van der VIist,Mr.R.Fennema,treasurer of the Society, and Mr.R.Voskuil.editor of the Newsletter.
(Photo B.de Reus.)

Special Polish stamps for sale.
The Society has managed to obtain a number of Polish stamps showing the generals SOSABOWSKI, ANDERS and MACZEK.A set consists of four stamps of each general(=!2 stamps) and costs f8,-,posCage included.
There is also a very small number of sheets containing 50 stamps of general SOSABOWSKI,at the price of f30,-
For method of payment we refer to diary “Ooscerbeek 1944.”
Lions Club donation.
The Oosterbeek Lions Club has donated a floodlight installation for the Airborne Museum.The new installation was put into use by the chairman of the Museum,drs.J.W.A.M.Verlinden,and the Lions Club president,Mr.Bernard Enklaar, on Thursday,September 17th,at 20.30 hrs. In 1991,the Lions Club also donated the floodlight installation for the Airborne Monument.
The money for this year’s donation was raised during a very successful Music Night on September 4th.Thanks to this spontaneous initiative,the Museum’s striking front is now illuminated at night.
Reprint of “Oosterbeek destroyed.”
The photo-booklet “Oosterbeek verwoest/Oosterbeek destroyed,1944-1945” by G.H.Maassen,was published in 1980. As this edition,as well as the second edition of 1981,had been sold out for years.it was decided to publish a reprint. This third,amended,edition can now be bought at the Museum and in bookshops in the region.lt costs f 20, .

Message from your U.K.Rep.
Thank you for your support of the Friends and your generosity- A Kindly reminder that subscriptions are due January 1st 1993. Donations are always welcome!
Ted Shaw,U.K.Rep.
Donation of benches.
The Dinner Club of the 3rd Parachute Battalion (1941-1945) has donated two beautiful wooden benches to the municipalities of Arnhem and Oosterbeek.They were presented to the burgomasters of Arnhem and Renkum by Major A.Bush MC on the terrace of the Museum,on Friday,September 18th.They were then blessed by Father A.Wissing of the Oosterbeek parish of St.Bernulphus.The benches will be provided with a plaquette and placed in the Market-Garden park at Arnhem and along the cycle-path of the Ginkelseweg towards Renkum Heath.
New figures in Diorama.
The other day,two new figures were placed in the Museum’s diorama’s.
In the so-called German show-case,a figure has been added wearing the uniform of a German tank unit. This uniform was given to the Museum some time ago.
In the diorama of the “Street scene at Oosterbeek”,the figure of a Commando has been added.This on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Royal Netherlands Commando’s.The uniform belongs to Mr.Beekmeijer who fought with the 7th Battalion, The Kings Own Scottish Borderers during the Battle of Arnhem.He was taken prisoner of war and on his return in England he was given a new uniform.lt is this uniform which is now shown.

Attention! Who can help?
The Airborne Museum needs some voluntary helpers for work to be done during the winter period.
1) A team of volunteers has been busy for a year now with the Museum’s photo – archive.These 1500 photo’s must be ordened and put into the computer.At the same time,the Museum has also an archive with copies of every photo.These must also be re-organized and the Museum is looking for somebody willing to help with this job,it will take one morning or afternoon a week.
2) Every article and photograph in the Museum has been provided with a text. The Museum is planning to put all these texts into the computer.The texts are both in English and in Dutch,there are plans to translate them also into German.Some¬body is needed to type these texts into the computer.The work must be done in the Museum.
3) The material in and around the Museum needs constant maintenance and care. There is a need for somebody who will assist the curator doing not too difficult repair- and maintenance jobs,one morning or afternoon a week.
If you are interested,please contact the Museum or Mr.W.Boersma.Binnenhof 38, 6715 DP.EDe. Tel. 08380-39633.
Correction.
Lieutenant Len Wright belonged to C Company of the 3rd Para Battalion,which,un¬der the command of Major Lewis,managed to reach the bridge at Arnhem.
He has informed me that in the book “”The Harvest of Ten Years”, the sequence of some photo’s is not correct.The text with the photo’s showing 3 platoons of C Company should read: top : No 8 Platoon, second: No.7 Platoon.
Mr.Wright has promised to send me in due course the names of the men in the photographs,as far as he will be able to remember them. In the mean time, possessors of the book can now correct the relevant text.
(A.Groeneweg)

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