Page 83 - MERCIAN Eagle 2017

focused on questions given and discussed levels of command, current doctrine, nature of conflict and future character of conflict. We all now had a feel for the operation from the different levels of command on
the ground as we relived the first drop of Operation Market Garden.
plan for attack conform to the principles of offensive operations and did the OC lose momentum by holding his company in the museum, were but a few of the topics of debate.
The full scale of this part of the operation the advance, and then the Withdrawal in Contact was now taking root the accounts of the Officers, SNCO’s, NCO’s and private soldiers their leadership and tenaciousness was inspirational.
Day four comprised of a visit to the Oosterbeek Perimeter which ended in the withdrawal (Operation Berlin). The remnants
extensive and diverse collection on display consisting of original weaponry, genuine uniforms and equipment used in the battle.
The final day of our battlefield tour was a most fitting end, a visit to the Arnhem Oosterbeek war cemetery. Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of most of those killed during the September landings, and many of those killed in later fighting in the area.
There are now 1,691 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 245 of the burials are unidentified and two casualties are commemorated by special memorials. There are also 79 Polish,
three Dutch and four non-war graves
in the cemetery. As many soldiers from
the antecedent regiments of the Mercian Regiment died in Arnhem, each member of the tour was tasked to go to their allocated soldier and give a brief on his life and actions at Arnhem. This culminated with
an Act of remembrance conducted by the Padre and a time for all to reflect.
In reflection of the few days the group spent within the Arnhem area, all have expressed how a rewarding and enriching experience it had been. The accounts
of valour, bravery and sacrifice are an example to all members serving within the Regiment today and future generations to come. By undertaking such visits and acts of remembrance allows us to ensure their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Day three continued from Wolfheze to Oosterbeck and into Arnhem. We began the advance phase of the operation where the South Stafford’s were called forward
to Oosterbeck from Wolfheze, two areas
of complex urban terrain, as reserve to 1 Parachute Brigade. The
movement forward was
completed under time
constraints and the
entrance to Oosterbeck
was opposed by
German forces. Once
more under the watchful
eyes of the XO and
Quartermaster Major
Frankie O’Connor, each
group was briefed on
the current situation as it was on September 1944. Focused questions were set.
The Break into Arnhem from The South Stafford’s and both the remnants of 1 Parachute Brigade and the advance party of 4 Parachute Brigade attempted to break into Arnhem to relieve 2 PARA who were holding the bridge. The defensive positions occupied when the break in failed and
the resulting action which meant failure at Arnhem.
We moved to our observation position and prepared to back brief. Questions such as conduct a ground brief, does the outline
of the beaten forward and rear battalions conducted a fighting withdrawal to where the Royal Engineers and Royal Canadian Engineers assisted them to cross the river to where XXX Corps position now was,
meaning Arnhem had indeed been ‘A bridge too far’. Once more we broke off into our groups and retraced the key positions within the Oosterbeek perimeter, the position that LSgt Baskeyfield VC held out until the end with his AT gun. Once more there were accounts of the utmost valour and bravery showed by many individual members of the 1st Airborne and the Dutch people.
Our final visit of the day was to Hartestein museum “Kate’s House” it served as the headquarters of the British 1st Airborne Division. In the museum there is an
‘The movement forward was completed under time constraints and the entrance to Oosterbeck was opposed by German forces’
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