On Saturday, 700 paratroopers representing eight NATO nations will parachute from 12 aircraft in the Netherlands. Among those jumping will be members of the British Red Devils parachute display team. The commemorative event marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, a World War Two Allied offensive designed to speed up the invasion of Nazi Germany. The operation combined a ground offensive, “Garden,” with a large-scale airborne assault, named “Market,” that saw 1,900 allied airborne soldiers from Britain’s 4th Parachute Brigade parachute into the Netherlands.
In addition to the paratrooper jump, several other events have been organised to mark the anniversary of Operation Market Garden. However, the commemoration has included more somber events, with two British soldiers killed during the operation laid to rest earlier this week with full military honours in the Oosterbeek war graves cemetery.
The battle, which took place in part on the streets around Arnhem, saw the paratroopers dropping like “stars falling from the sky.” Despite being one of the largest airborne assaults in history, the operation’s failure to secure a final bridge at Arnhem resulted from stronger-than-anticipated German resistance, logistical setbacks, and tactical decisions by Allied commanders. The region has long maintained its tradition as a heartland of Allied remembrance.
With living memory passing with the remaining veterans, the Dutch feel a responsibility to share these stories and ensure their legacy is maintained. Earlier this month, the BBC explored why the Dutch still put such great emphasis on remembering the failed Allied effort by speaking to participants in the world’s largest one-day commemorative march, Wandeltocht, which passes key historical landmarks of Operation Market Garden. While many participants noted the importance of keeping history alive, some remarked that today’s world situation gives additional weight to the operation’s failures and attempts to bring it to a successful conclusion
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