Battle of Arnhem

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Arnhem
partof=Operation Market Garden


caption=The Arnhem road bridge on 19 September, showing signs of the 2nd Battalions defence on the northern ramp.
date= September 17, 1944 – September 25, 1944
place= The Netherlands
result=German Victory
combatant1=flag|United Kingdom
flag|Poland
combatant2=flag|Nazi Germany|name=Germany
commander1=flagicon|UK Frederick Browning
flagicon|UK Roy Urquhart
commander2=flagicon|Nazi Germany Walter Model
flagicon|Nazi Germany Wilhelm Bittrich
strength1=1 reinforced airborne division
strength2=1 armoured division
casualties1=¹Allied:
Approx 1500 killed
6500 captured
casualties2=German:
Approx 1300+ killed
2000+ wounded
notes=¹More detailed information is available in the 'losses' section

The Battle of Arnhem is the name generally given to the fighting in and around the city of Arnhem and the villages of Oosterbeek, Wolfheze and Driel from the 17-25 September 1944. Part of Operation Market Garden, the battle pitched the men of the British 1st Airborne Division, the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade against German forces north of the Rhine – including the 9th SS and 10th SS Panzer divisions. Although other elements of Market Garden were successful, after 9 days of fighting Allied ground forces failed to relieve the Airborne forces who suffered heavily and were subsequently withdrawn.

Background

(See also Operation Market Garden)

By September 1944 Allied forces had successfully broken out of their Normandy bridgehead and pursued shattered German forces across northern France and Belgium. Although allied commanders generally favoured a broad front policy to continue the advance into Germany and the Netherlands, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery proposed a bold plan to head north through the Dutch Gelderland, bypassing the German Siegfried line defences and opening a route into the German industrial heartland of the Ruhr. Initially proposed as a British and Polish operation codenamed Comet, the plan was soon expanded to involve most of the First Allied Airborne Army and a set piece ground advance into the Netherlands, codenamed Market Garden.

Montgomery's plan involved dropping the US 101st Airborne Division to capture key bridges around Eindhoven, the 82nd Airborne Division to secure key crossings around Nijmegen, and the British 1st Airborne Division, with the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade attached, to capture 3 bridges across the Rhine at Arnhem. The British 2nd Army, led by XXX Corps would advance up the ‘Airborne corridor’, securing the Airborne Divisions positions and crossing the Rhine within 2 days. If successful the plan would open the door to Germany and hopefully force an end to the war in Europe by the end of the year.

The British plan

With the 6th Airborne Division still refitting after Operation Tonga, the task of securing the Rhine Bridgehead fell to the 1st Airborne Division under Major General Roy Urquhart. The Division was required to secure the road, rail and pontoon bridges over the Rhine at Arnhem, and hold them for 2 days until relieved by XXX Corps. From the beginning however, Urquhart was severely restricted in how he could prepare and deploy his troops for the upcoming battle. Intelligence for the area was poor, and the Allied Airborne Army was not privy to ULTRA intercepts detailing German forces in the area. IX Troop Carrier Command were limited in their availability - with two more major drops taking place at the same time, there were insufficient carrier aircraft available to fly the entire division to the Netherlands in one lift. Additionally Major General Williams, commander of IX Troop Carrier Command decided that it would only be possible for one air lift per day, meaning it would take 3 days to deliver the entire Division and Polish Brigade to the area. A limited amount of areas suitable for glider landings and a reluctance from troop command to fly too near to Arnhem, exposing them to flak from Deelen airfield after the drop, meant that Urquhart was forced to pick drop zones and landing zones up to 8 miles from Arnhem itself, on the north side of the river. With the need to secure the bridges, towns and drop zones for subsequent supply drops, the 1st Airborne would need to defend a perimeter of some 16 miles whilst waiting for XXX Corps.

Urquhart decided to land his 1st Parachute Brigade and 1st Airlanding Brigade on the first day of operations. The Airlanding Brigade would secure the Dropzones, whilst the 3 battalions of the parachute brigade would follow 3 separate routes into Arnhem to secure the bridges, led by a troop of Reconnaissance jeeps under Major Frederick Gough that would attempt a coup de main on the road bridge. On the second day the 4th Parachute Brigade would arrive, accompanied by extra artillery units and would then reinforce the perimeters near Arnhem. On the 3rd day, the Polish Parachute Brigade would be dropped south of the river. Using the road bridge they would reinforce the perimeter north of the Rhine, linking uo with their own artillery who would be flown in by glider to the northern landning zones. Once XXX Corps had arrived and advanced beyond the bridgehead, the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division would be flown into Deelen airfield to support the ground forces north of the Rhine.

Intelligence for the area was poor, and the British were told to expect only limited resistance from German reserve forces. A serious challenge to their operation was not expected. The optimistic nature of the operation even led to intelligence provided by Brian Urquhart (no relation to Roy Urquhart), suggesting the presence of tanks, being ignored by planners.

The German Forces

Although the German forces had been in retreat, the Allied pause at the Dutch border had given them time to regroup and re-organize. Feldmarschall Walter Model, commander of Army Group B had moved his headquarters to Arnhem and was re-establishing defences in the area and co-ordinating the reorganisation of the scattered units. Additionally Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Bittrich's II SS Panzer Corps, comprising the remains of the 9th SS and 10th SS Panzer divisions, had moved into the area to refit. Although badly mauled and with a total strength of less than one armoured division, the Corps was made up of seasoned veterans and made available significantly more forces to the Germans than the allies had been led to expect.

The Battle

Day 1 - Sunday 17 September

The first lift suffered only light losses as the aircraft and gliders flew from UK bases to the target area. The landings were largely unopposed and the Battalions formed up in good order ready to carry out their tasks. Whilst the Airlanding brigade moved into defensive positions around the landing zones, the 1st Parachute Brigade under Brigadier Gerald Lathbury prepared to head west toward the bridges. The 1st Battalion advanced along the main roads north of Wolfheze and Oosterbeek to take up perimeter positions north of Arnhem (code-named the "Leopard" route). 3rd Battalion advanced in the middle, along the main road through Oosterbeek towards Arnhem ("Tiger" route). The 2nd Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Frost, followed the "Lion" route along the smaller river road. Leading the advance was the recce squadron of jeeps on the Leopard route.

The Germans were totally unprepared for the landings and thrown into confusion. Model, erroneously assuming that the paratroopers had come to capture him, fled his headquarters at the Hartenstein hotel in Oosterbeek and went to Bittrichs headquarters north east of Arnhem. Only one organised unit was in place to oppose the allied advance toward the bridges – the 16 SS Training Battalion camped in Wolfheze. Their commander, SS Sturmbannführer Sepp Krafft acted quickly to establish a blocking screen between the landing zones and the bridges.

The allied advance quickly ran into trouble. The recce squadron was ambushed and forced to halt on the "Leopard" route. The 1st and 3rd battalions were likewise stalled by the German defences. Only the 2nd battalion was largely unopposed, bypassing the defences that did not as yet reach down as far as the river. However they were slowed by cheering Dutch civilians and did not reach the bridges until late in the day. The railway bridge was blown by German engineers as the Allies approached it, and the pontoon bridge was missing its central section. Thus most of the battalion and various other supporting units, numbering no more than 700 men, moved into Arnhem centre as night fell to secure the northern end of the road bridge. Attempts were made to take the southern end but these were repulsed.

The allied advance was severely hampered by poor communications in these crucial initial phases. The paratroopers radio sets range was instantly limited by the wooded terrain and as the battalions advanced they lost contact with Divisional HQ at the landing zones. Over the coming 9 days, radio communication within the division, with Brownings HQ at Nijmegen, with XXX Corps and with the UK would be intermittent and unreliable, severely hampering the British units. Carrier pigeons were even used to make contact with England. A consequence of this limitation was Urquharts decision to follow the 1st Parachute Brigade and make contact with Lathbury. Unfortunately he would not be able to return to Divisional HQ for 2 days.

Day 2 - Monday 18 September

As the second day dawned the 9th SS Panzer Division began to reinforce the German blocking line. The British 1st and 3rd Divisions headed South trying to find a way past the line and reinforce Frost at the bridge, but the Germans had closed the gap near the river and established better defences in the outskirts of Arnhem. The British advances once again stalled, within sight of the Arnhem road bridge, but a kilometre short of the small perimeter established there by the 2nd Battalion. Urquhart attempted to return to his HQ but became cut off and was forced to take shelter in a Dutch families loft. Lathbury was injured and likewise forced into hiding.

At the landing zones, German forces began to probe the 1st Airlanding Brigade defences. The brigade's commander, Brigadier 'Pip' Hicks, was further frustrated when he was informed that in Urquhart's and Lathbury's absence, he was acting Divisional commander. He was also told to send one of his units - the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (which was not complete and was awaiting its full complement of men in the second lift), to Arnhem to help with the advance to the bridge. Dutch SS and other mixed units threatened to hamper the arrival of the second lift as fighting around the drop zones increased. Unfortunately the communications breakdown meant that it was impossible to warn the aircraft.

In England, ground fog delayed the take off of the 2nd lift. Thus The arrival of the 4th Parachute Brigade under Brigadier Hackett and several more troops of artillery at the drop zones was several hours overdue. Once again, the communications breakdown meant that it was impossible to notify the division. When the gliders and parachutists did arrive they dropped under fire. Several were killed as planes, parachutist and gliders were shot down, and the heath-land they were landing on caught fire. Despite the setbacks the units quickly assembled with only slight casualties, but the changing circumstances at Arnhem meant that their roles were quickly changed. The 11th Battalion was immediately despatched to Arnhem, as were the rest of the South Staffords.

At the road bridge, German forces quickly surrounded Frosts battalion, cutting them off from the rest of the division. At around 9am, the 9th SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion (sent south the day before to investigate Nijmegen where it concluded it was not needed) returned to Arnhem. Though aware of the British troops at the bridge, it attempted to cross by force. In the resultant two hour battle it was beaten back with heavy losses, including its commanding officer, SS Hauptsturmführer Viktor Gräbner. German attacks carried on around the British perimeter for the rest of the day, but the British continued to hold.

Day 3 - Tuesday 19 September

As the South Stafford's and 11th Battalion arrived through the night a plan was formed to advance toward the road bridge before first light. Unfortunately an erroneous report suggesting that the bridge had fallen led to the attack being cancelled. By the time the report was corrected first light was not long away. With the reinforcement of the force at the bridge the priority however, the attack had to proceed. The advance began on a narrow front with the 1st Battalion leading, supported by remnants of the 3rd Battalion, with the 2nd South Staffordshires on the 1st Battalion's left flank and the 11th Battalion following behind. As soon as it became light the 1st Battalion was spotted, and halted by fire from the main German defensive line. Trapped in open ground and under heavy fire from three sides, the 1st Battalion disintegrated and what remained of the 3rd Battalion fell back. The 2nd South Staffordshires were similarly cut off and, save for about 150 men, overcome by midday. The 11th Battalion, which had stayed out of much of the fighting, was now overwhelmed in exposed positions while attempting to capture high ground to the north. The South Stafford's similarly attempted to secure high ground but were driven off. With no hope of breaking through, the 500 remaining men of these four battalions retreated westwards in the direction of the main force, 5 km (3 miles) away in Oosterbeek. The battle gave Urquhart the opportunity to escape his position and he was able to return to division HQ, where for the first time he was able to learn the extent of the German forces facing them.

In attempting to create a more defensive stance, Urquhart ordered the 10th and 156th Battalions, north of the railway line to fall back to Wolfheze and Oosterbeek. Making a fighting withdrawal with the Germans closely pursuing them, the units fell back across the landing zones being used for the Glider borne elements of the Polish Parachute Brigade, being defended by the 7th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers. Heavy fighting ensued as the gliders arrived in the middle of the retreat and Polish losses were heavy. Ground fog at some English air bases meant that the parachute element of the Polish forces were unable to take off at all.

At the bridge, Frost's forces continued to hold out, but without supply or reinforcement their position was becoming weaker. The Germans, realising that infantry attacks were unlikely to remove the stubborn defenders, began to systematically destroy the houses the British were in using tanks, artillery and mortars. The British perimeter continued to hold however, and German tanks were unable to cross the bridge to support their forces at Nijmegen.

Day 4 - Wednesday 20 September

Realising that his division was too weakened to support Frost at the bridge, Urquhart made the difficult decision to form a defensive perimeter around Oosterbeek, essentially abandoning the 2nd Battalion. By securing the Driel Ferry Crossing, Urquhart hoped to hold out until XXX Corp could reach them and establish a new bridgehead over the Rhine using the ferry crossing platforms. As units fell back to the new defensive area they were re-organised to establish a thumb shaped perimeter using the Rhine as its southern base.

Day 5 - Thursday 21 September

Day 6 - Friday 22 September

Day 7 - Saturday 23 September

Day 8 - Sunday 24 September

Day 9 - Monday 25 September

see|Operation Berlin (Arnhem rescue)

The Aftermath

Allied Losses

Dutch records suggest that at least 453 civilians died during the battle, either as a result of allied bombing on the first day or during the subsequent fighting. [Middlebrook M. "Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle". 1994. ISBN=0-670-83546-3]

Axis Losses

Effect on the war

Honours and memorials

Five of the British participants in the battle were awarded the Victoria Cross - four members of the Airborne forces and one member of the RAF. They were:

*Lance-Sergeant John Daniel Baskeyfield, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment.
*Major Robert Henry Cain, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment.
*Lieutenant John Hollington Grayburn, 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.
*Flight Lieutenant David Samuel Anthony Lord 271 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
*Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel, 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment.

The Arnhem road bridge did not survive the war - it was bombed by the USAAF at the end of the year to prevent German forces using it to counter attack south of the Rhine. The bridge was eventually replaced with another of similar appearance and was renamed John Frostbrug (literally John Frost Bridge) in 1978.

On May 31, 2006, the Polish 1st Independent Airborne Brigade was awarded the Dutch Military William Order by HM Queen Beatrix for gallantry during the battle (the American 82nd Airborne Division was also awarded the same order for gallantry during the operation).

The Hotel Hartenstein, used by both Model and Urquhart as their HQ, is now the base of the Airborne Museum which serves to commemorate the battle. Several other memorials were built in Arnhem and Oosterbeek, and an annual parade is held in the area. A memorial near the museum reads: "To the People of Gelderland; 50 years ago British and Polish Airborne soldiers fought here against overwhelming odds to open the way into Germany and bring the war to an early end. Instead we brought death and destruction for which you have never blamed us. This stone marks our admiration for your great courage remembering especially the women who tended our wounded. In the long winter that followed your families risked death by hiding Allied soldiers and Airmen while members of the resistance led many to safety."

In Media

The battle has been the subject of two movies; "Theirs Is the Glory" and "A Bridge Too Far". The battle was also the basis of several levels of the computer game "".

See also

*Operation Berlin, the evacuation of the 1st Airborne Division.
*Operation Market Garden, the combined air and land assault to capture the bridges across the Rhine.
*Operation Pegasus, the escape of several Arnhem survivors a month after the battle.
*Second Battle of Arnhem, the April 1945 liberation of the city.
*Airborne Museum, the museum of the battle at the Hotel Hartenstein.
*Airborne March, the annual commemorative march through the area.

References

Bibliography

*cite book|first=Cornelius|last=Ryan|title=A Bridge Too Far|authorlink = Cornelius Ryan |publisher=Wordsworth Editions Ltd|date=1999|origdate=1974|isbn=1-84022-213-1
*cite book|first=Martin|last=Middlebrook|title=Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle|publisher=Viking|date=1994|isbn=0-670-83546-3
*cite book|first=John|last=Waddy|title=A Tour of the Arnhem Battlefields|publisher=Pen & Sword Books Limited|date=1999|isbn=0-85052-571-3
*cite book|first=Tim|last=Saunders|title=The Island: Nijmegen to Arnhem|publisher=Leo Cooper|date=2002|isbn=0-85052-861-5