A Bridge Too Far

84 Pages·2009·62.688 MB·English

by  Michael Haught

THE BATTTES FOR, OOSTERBEEK AND ARNHEM
OPERATION MAR.KET GARDEN
THE NETHIR.IANDS" SEPMMBEN. T944
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THE WORLD AT WAR
\\/rrr lrl \\rr r ll brtdes.
WHY COLLECT A FORCE FROM HOW TO BUILD A FORCE
A BRIDGE TOO FAR? Jn I'kltts Ol'\lhr:,l rrcs vorr w ill commeucl a corufrlrri r,ith
A lLrirQt Tia /ia brings flaru Of lYirl pl.rvcls into Lhc sclcr ll pllroons- l-.rch conrp:rnt inclutlcs:
epic storl. o1- Opclation \lurkc't Llarden- Tlc nerr' i\lliccl l'' Comparry Headquarters - lhc conrpitny helc{qu.rlters
i\ir bornc Arnry l'oulLl junrp bchind enerrl, Iines iLrrd s.curr i1 pLrtoorr is rcquirccl xithoLrtir voLLh,rve noconrnrarrdlVlr.:rr
series ofbriclgcs fiorr Linclhoven ro;\rrhcnr. while the llritislr rorL choosr lour lilce thc lirst thirrg lrLL shoLrlcl pulchasc
L\-\ (10'r') (iorps. u,oulcl breali throLrgh thc (ielmen clclirrccs u irlr vorrr points is vorrl compenv hcadqlurtcrs.
on the llelgiirn hor-clel arcl ch;rrqc ro Arnhem Linking rrp rvith Conrbat l)latoons - At le,rsr ru o conrbut pllrtoons ;rlc rrsLL:rlll
the i\lliccl pirr,rrroopcrs alorrs thc'r,'lrr rcqLrilecl. llese platooos rnekc ,'p rhe core ofvour fc,tcc.
Allied gencrlls cittt t;rlte comnrarrcl o{ l}rir:rin.s airbornc lirrccs Weapons Platoons - \\trrpons phtoons comc fronr vour orvn
including thc' 1'' Indepenclent T'olislr P;rr:rchurc llr iqeclc. t hese bert:rlion or rcgilrrent. Aldrouqh ther'.rre oprional tho'oilcr
elite perrtroopcrs u'ill quicklr sccLrre thcir obicctivc lncl thtrr \ ()ul comf:1nT c\.cllcnt slrl)pol t, sLrch .ls lr.av\ nl;tchinr' gulls,
tenaciouslv dclencl it clon r to thcil last btrilct. rrlorrrrs,rncl,rnti-renli weapons.
(lcrm,rn qeri:rals *ill tJie connrrrnrl of one of thc \\illen SS Support Plaroons - Support plrr(oons xre scrrr lo r,,otrr
ancl Hecr l(rnrplqluppcrr dclcncling rhc r\rrrlrcrrr rree. Fight rls c()lnpeDr bv rhc division or corps. lLr(sa Plaloons givc vou
SSJ(lnrp{gLup;.c Spintllcr or Kempgl uppc von litrru encl crLrsh cxrril !r.lIl)orr in mrny lirrnrs. litngi g llonl trnlis t():trtillcr\'.
thc Rr itish .rirbolne pcrinrclcr. ()r. tal<e conrnr.rntl oi rhe rlering
PLATOONS
SS-Krmplrruppc Cracbncr,rnd chelge ecross Arnhem llritlgc'l
l uch pl.rt,ron dilgrrm inrlicarcs rhc retltLire,:l terms that votr
HOW THIS BATTTE BOOK WORKS luced ro rrrel(( thirl rrnil i combxl lvolthv forcc. Thc Lroops
'lhc lnrclligcncc Blielings in thir hrok gire rou rhe choiccs ol rlr:rr :rre LrLrcL in cach diaqrenr nrLrsr bc inclrLderl. lhose troops
in qrcv .rr! oplionrl rroops rh:rt ackl aciclitior,rl nren. special
thrcc British :rncl rhrce (icrnr;rrr conrp:rnics blscrl orr histolical
cranrples drat fouglrL dLLring ()pcretion N'lrrrkct ( l:rrclen irr \\'e:lpoirs llfd cquipnr(rrr ro r he P|lroon.
Srptcnrbcr 1!44.
SPECIAT RULES
Ilach Arrnv is merlc rrp ol pletoons, crlch Plrtoon hrs rn \n Fhtu: OJ'\Yar, rhcrc rre mrnl'spccirl r-ulcs thtr give phl ers
lrssociilted po;fts (o\( blseLl upon its sizc:rnrl rhe ecl,:litiorlll rlre {l.rvour oiplayin!: cach in<li"idu,rl nation. lhcspr:cirrl rulcs
options rhat lorr selecr fbr thcnr. \brL lnd vour opl,onent reNcct rhc sort oi treinint ancl cgrripnrcnt rhe solcliers ofclch
shoulcl sclccr r.oLrr tbrccs to rn.rgreecl points r',rlrre. n:rriorr uscd. rs ucll ;rs thc lirlhtine spir it ofthc men.
THE BATTLES FOR OOSTERBEEK AND ARNHEM .}*
OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
THE NETHERLANDS, SEPTEMBER 1944
lV'ritten b1,: Michae/ Hdught
Ed,itors: Peter Slttutto tich, Jo hn-Paul Bris igo tti
Assistant \M:titers & Conttibutors: Ken ()rme/, Phi/Y'1trs,
Marba (iarden 65
Proof Readers: Marlt Dalingo, Anders Johansson,
Gary Martln, Nedl Smith
Grtphie Design: Vr,[ Ou, 'i. I r',1 b,u ic
Minianres Design: Euan Allen
Couer and Internal Art: Vincnt Udt. Bu Vootten
Miniatares Painting Jana Brcat Jereml Ptitter,
Tbnain Modelhng: Ilatthliont Stu.lil
Web Support: Wlne'lurno, Blale Ct'sxr
Playte* Grcapt AuchluLd City Guard (Chris l'ou,nh.y),
Einherjar (Gisli Jt;hull Gishson), 7he [kgiment (Simon
McBetlt), $dnty FOV Syndlcdu (Richard Chamber:).
Pbotog'apbs: National Libury oJ Nru Zealand, Imperial
lY/ar Museun, Ilouington Tbnk Mweun, Austrd/ian\Var
Memoria/, Roger Ke1 Pritatt Co//rction, NAM, National
Archiues Of Canala, Ceris Normandie.tom, US Arnl
Sirna / Corp s, Bu nrlrsarcbir.
This is a supplement for Flames Of W'a6
tbe lV'orld W'ar II mini4tares gaue.
A copy ofthe rulebook fot Flatnes Of War is
necessary to fully use the contents ofthis book.
All rights re:enel. No part afthis publicarion na1 br
reproluted, :torerl in a retriet'dl yst,:m, ar trantmitterl, in ant'
ft'nn tt b! aq, medw without th? pli.)/ )titten pernistion of
the publlsLer, rar be utharwise clrculatcrl lx anl lbnn of binding
or cor( athcr thdn thdt it tuhitlt it is publlshc,l atd withaut a
snnllar coadition being ittpostl on tLt nhqnt t !ur.hayt
@ Copyright Battlefront Miniatures Ltd., 2009.
ISBN: 978-O-98645 14-2-3
Fieid Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commander of the (Lieutcnant Colonel) Ludwig Spindler, conmander of che
Allied 21'' Army Croup, had a daring plan to end the war division's artillery regiment, rook command of rhe defence,
before Chlistmas, 1944. He arguecl for a massive airborne forming SS -KampJgtapp e Sp indler (Battlcgroup Spindler).
and ground operation to secure a narrow corridor lrom Spindlcl's stlengthened line preventecl rhe rest of the
the Belgian bordel to the city of Amherr, positioned on
British from reaching Arnhcn bridgc, halting them mcrcly
the Rhine. Capturing Arnhem rvould cut off the Cermans
a mile (1.6km) &om Frost. Spindler immediately tumed
holding out in the Durch deep sea port cities and allorv the ro rhe o$ence and pushed rhe British paras back toward
Allies to strike into Germany itselF.
C)osrerbeek.
The rew Allied 1" Airborne Army would jump behind enemy In tlre west, KanpJgruppe 1)o Tettltlt, under the
lines and secure a series ofbridges flom Eindhovcn to Arnhem, command of Gentrallautntnt (.Lieutenant General) Hans
whlle the British 30"' Corps would break through the Cerman
von Tectau, slammed into the British, capturing their
defences on the Belsian border and charge to Alnhem linking
viLal landing and drop zones. Von Tettau and Spindler
up rvith the Allied paratroopers along the rvay. squeczc<l the l"Ailbolne Division into a small perimeter.
The plan was subdivided into nvo operations called Operarion Urquhart was forced to dig-in and a$-ait reinforcements
Market (the airbornc elemcnt) and Opcration Garden from 30'r'Corps.
(the ground element), but as a whole it was lefelred to as In Arnhem a heroic battle *,as being rvaged benveen Flost's
Operation Market Garden. -Ihe
battalion ancl the Gelman,ll SS-Panz.erkorys. tenacious
Operation Market involved the largest collection ofairborne pararroopers sarv olF sc"eral major assaults and steadfastly
forces to date. Thlec full paratrooper divjsions would risk refused to surrender. Hou-ever. as casualties mounted
a daring daylighr drop into Cennan-occupied Holland. and reinforccmcnts were not forthcoming, Frost's men
The American 101'' 'Screaming Eagles' and rhe 82'd vvere forced to sunencler on 21 September, but not befc,re
'All American'Airborne Divisions rvould bc dropped benveen expending er-ery lasr bullet and anti tanL round.
Eindhoven ancl Nijmegen and the British l" Airborne 'lhe
1'' Polish lndependent Parachute Brigede rvas finally
Division and 1" Polish lndependent Parachure Brigade
delivered on Thursday afternoon, 21 September. They
u'ould clrop near Arnhem.
were clelayed due to poor weadrer and arrived too lare ro
9- Unbekno*'nst to the paratroopers, just north ofArnhem dre help Frost ar Arnhem Briclge. Insteacl they rvere clivertecl
9'h and 1 0'r S S-Panzer D ivisions, of /l SS Panzerborps (2"" SS to LJriel to reinlorce Urquharr in (Josrerbeek. Hou'ever,
Tank Corps) rvere stationed to rest and reorganise. thcv quickly fo,.rn<l that they cou1c1 not cross the liver in
On rhe rnorning of l7 September, a nassive iir armada of lorcc and had to wxir lor rh€ 30'h Corps, rvhich arrivecl the
follorving clay.
orer 4.1.00 Allied bombers. fighters, transports and gliders
6lled rhe skr'. Of these, 1,880 transports ancl tugs hauled The 43'd (\(lessex) l)ivision and rhe Polish arternpted to make
35,000 airbolne troops into Holland. On tbe ground,20,000 one last att€mpr to get across the Rhine and reach the British
vehicles iired up their engines and prepared for the ordet to l " Airborne. A German countera!!ack at Koevering, horvever,
advance-C)peration Market Clarden rvas in full swing. had destroyed most ofthe assault boats, leaving only a fcw to
send across an enrire bartalion.
The C-47 transporr planes easily fbund their drop zones and
deployed the paratroopers onto rhe predeternined drop and Kmpfgruppe ran Tettau noticed the vulnerable boats in the
landing zones. The landings wcre largely unchallenged by the water and opened fire. The crossing failed wirh rerrible losses.
Germans who u'ere caught flat-fbotecl ancl initially Lrnable ro \fith the last attelnpt ro cross rhe Riine in ruin, the Allied
respond in force. prioriry was now to r€scue rhe British l" Airborne Division
rrapped on rhe orher side.
As Americao paratroopers rushed to secure the road thar
rvould soc,n be called 'FIell's Highway', Cleneral Roy Urquhart ordcrcd his division to rvithdrarv ar 2200 hours on
Urquhalt's l" Airborne Division gathered itself and headed 25 September. By 0500 houls the lollowing moming, 1.74I
toward Arnhem. paratroopers, 422 glider piJots, and 160 Polish paratroopers rvere
evacuared adoss the Rhine. During Operation Marker Gardeo,
Meanwhile, the Germans rallied and prepar-ed to crush thc
rhe division had suffered 1,485 killed and 6,525 crpmrecl.
paras before chey could secure their objcctives. Elements of
9. 'HohenstduJen' SS-Panzeditkion sec up blocking lines Opcration Markct Gardcn rvas over and rhe Aliies * ere fbrced
benveen the paras' drop zones and Arnhem. Only Lieutenant ro reconsider their grand strategl-.
Colonel John Frost's 2"d Parachute Battalion managed
Sone of ml oLl so/diers ard I had had n.t,t.) it,trrott':hau: attd
to slip thlough the German defence and reach Alnhem ar
been so nearll ouerultelned, but eacl, ritite. i'i;t a, r/,e God oJ'
2000 hours on the 6rst dav. Batt/es had inten,ene/ in t,u, f,r o"t btrto::'l,i::iiitt aitdterill
The Germans reinforcecl their blocking lines with more troops 1ot ,,'. A,"1,. '1 /',td L' '! .t,/'or . - .
from tlre 9. SS-Panzerdiuisiox. SS-Obersturmbannfi)hrer f :e:,:i,: ;':: Ct'.1'.':: loiry |nst
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In 1940, Winston Churchill instructecl the Brirish War Oflice 'lhe l'' Airborne L)ivision continued to expand with rhe new
to fbrm an airtrorne corps alter learning about rhe (lerman 2"'L P:rrechute Bligadc and the addition of No. 38 Croup of
successes r{ith prrarroopers in the Low Clounrries. The the Royal Air Force, rvhich was creared to provide rranspor.t
Cencral l,anding School r-as ser up at Ringway, Manchesrer, and io worh closelv \\,i$ the clivision.
by Army and RAF staf. Men of No. 2 Corrmanclo rvele
selected for ttaining, and thc firct jrrmps carried our on The maroon berct ofthe l!itish 'peras' rvas first seen by (lermen
troops in North Atlica end u,ithin months they had christcncd
13.luly 1940.
rhc ferocious paras as Rote Titli/, or l\eLI Devils.'lhis discinctive
For rhe British airborne forces 1941 was a yeal ofdevelopment hcadgeer u':rs olliciallv introcluced in I942 and thc Pegasus
and expansion. lhe l" Parachrice Brigade rvas forrned in svmbol chosen ls the cnblem ofBrirish Airborne Forces.
September, and shorrly aftcrw,arcls *re 1" Aillanding Brigade
was addcd rvith four glider-borne airlanding batalions. NORTH AFRICA &
In Novernber 1941, Gcncral I3r'orvning rvas appointcd SOUTHERN EUROPE
-lroops
Cornmarder Paratloops and Airborne ancl rhe In Seprenrbel 1942, rhe l ' Parachute fi igede rvas dispatchecl
l"Aitbotnc Dir.ision u-as olllcialiv lbrmccl. ln Dccember., dre to Tunisirl lbr irs first opelarional cornbat junps. -fhe
Glider Pilot llegimenr r,r'as establishecl as parr ofrhe Arniy Air division junrped into'lunisia and Sicily u.ith nixed resLLlts.
Corps to 111'rhe Horsa arcl Hanilcar gliders. Opelarion Husky, rhe Allicd invasior ofSicily, cncountereci
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I mrnv djlficrLltics resultirq in the division Lrcirrg scatterecl. jLrmped into lrtnce clLrrirrg Oper':rtion Ovcllorcl on
Thc l,ar,rrroop.ets secLrr,:r1 their objcctivc s ltnd helcl onro thcrrr. 6 JLrne 19.14. lhc nrcr oi dre l' Airbolne l)ivision cegclll
but thcir ieinloricrrrcnts rlirl not arrirc in iinrc so thev h.Lcl to \\'ilrchcd rhe lrrogress oi ihc Norntrnch .:urrPaign rncl grc\!'
pLrll brcli ro.rvoicl lrcing cur o]i rt,rcl dcsrlolecl. incrc.rsinglr inrpericnt ui sc\eral xirlrorna oPcrxtiol)s \\:ere
Afirr Sicilr thc l' ,\irbomc Ilivi,icrn lurrl,'d br se.r ,rt rhc hu rrictlll pl:rnnccl ercl crncellecl.
h:rliln port oi-lerento. ()nce tlrr: porL tt,rs securcd. tbc brrlli I in;Lllr', on l2 Scptcnrh.'r l9'iri, rhc t{ilision \\':1s giverr
of rhc c{ir.isjon u.rs wit lrdr.rl n ro Lnr.llnd ro prc'pele lirl drc orclers to prepltc for rr joinr Lerrcl-rir rsseLrlr on occLLPicci
inr.usiorr ol-l'-Lrrope. OnJl thc.i' Prrachute Brisutli' rcnrrinecl I Iollancl rellr:cl Opeletion \Jrrrkcr ller.len. Jle clilision rvas
in lt:rll conrlrrg Lrn.ler cotrrt,,e',d oi Lhe \eu' 1-elllttrl trsl<ctl tirh clpturinq rh. roetl bridgc lt Alnhcrrr--(r4 miLes
l)ivision ls ir {ilughr its n..Ll rror t hrr rlcl bcfirr e bcinq returnecl (1021<n) bthincl rhc hont lirc ,rn.L hoLdine it LLnrii lelievccl
.,t,..r.r i,,. r...,, 1,,r ..,.. bl rh. g',,,,n,1 tlnits oft]rc llrltish.l0" Corps.'lhc opcrltion
*rrs to bc Leur.h.'cl on 17 Septcnbcr 194'i.
NORTH-WEST EUROPE
Bv 19.14 rh. l ' ,\irlrorne l)iLision inclLrLlcd thc I rn,-l OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
/L' PerrilrLLrc Brigedes. l' .1irlrrrrrling Brig.rcle, enrl arrailrirl Operation \{:ulict (,rrclcn pose.l sevclel clr;rllcnges fLrr thc
1lrlillcr\, lnti renl<. cnqinc.r, rc.onnilis!.rrrc(, rrrrrl loqistitel l Airborrrc f)ivision. Firsr. tltc drop zones tc'c,r\er 6 milcs
sLrppor r rroops. l1rc rljr ision. rbout I i1,000 rrcrr conllrn.lc.l {l0llr) h-om rhcArrrircnr Bridge. this las beclrlrsc drc Ror;ll
bl i\1rjor (icncrll Urquh.rrr. *us 1,tr,prrc,1 Lo hn.1 by Air For'.:e t es conccr-ncd :lboLrt thr.lrrroLrn t oicxpcctcd cnetrl
prlrchure arcl gliclcr. rnri-:rir(rell ilre or,er .'\rnhcrl. l-:rnclin-li:Lrrcl drol Toncs wcrc
'Ihc ,\llircl Srrpreme C.orrrr;rnd elecrerl to ltt tlrc l ,\irbortre sclccrc,.l ro hel;' kccp rhc pilots lnd.tilcrelt \rli'so rhri drc]'
l)ivision ri'sr ard rcllr trtile tlr! n.w 6 Airborne Llivision , orrlrl dclir,eL rhc diyi\ion wirh mininrunr cxsuxlrics.
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Seconclly,, <lue to a severe shortagc of transport aircraft, norrh*esr oi \\r.l::::.: . : ::: :::.-r. rushed lonvard to
it woulcl take threc days to get all of the clivision ancl thc add extra uright ro n: l- :r,r .:::,- ;qainsr rhe German
attachecl l'' Polish Inclepcnclcnt I'arachute f3rigade to delenders.
Arnhem. Itrc logistical nightmare of cLclivering thlee ailic<l 'Ihe nain push iorrrrcd .:,,,r: T:i.: Rourc neal the
airbornc tlilisions inro occLrpied Flollrnd t'brccd thc British St. F-lisabcth Hospital in u estern \r::r:l:l. General Urquhart
planoers to stagger rhe division.s lrrival into Lhree separate and Brisadier Lathburl, commander oi rhe 1 Parachure
lilrs on three separate devs. It u:Ls hoped rhar the Ger-m:rn
Brigac{e, were cur off from thc di.ision .,hcn a Gernan
reacrior *'oLrlcl be slou,and disorganisecl giving rhe division counteratlack rook chem by surprisc. Tho lcrc fbrccd into
tinrc ro orgarlisc lrsclfancl sccurc Arnhern.
hiding until they nranaged ro escape ro rejoin thcir men. For
Tht pLan alsc, rclicd,,r rhc rrcathcr to remair lalourrble fbr lourteen cricical hours. rhe division s,as Ieft leaderless.
rhosc rhr.t dars so rhat rhe rcirrfbrcing lilts and rcsLrpplv
The BriLish attcmpt to reach Arnhem rvas haltecl c,n1y one
i:crt....'. ror dcialed. \\'irh a lirtle luck the l'' Ailborne lrusrratinq nile (1.!krn) lrorn Arnhem Bridge. (ierman l*-:-
:[),ri:. : :.:r,r .rnr] rre Poles u ould occufl thc cin-ofArnhem in a countctattacks wele becoming much more coordinated ancl lr:
L.riq.rd: perimrrer holding out fbr nvo to firur da1's until thc lirst cnemv armour hxcl arrived, cnding any hopes of
.; ilcci b, -ll) (.olps. i,:
quicldy rcaching Frost.
nri ir ii;1 lendings rooli place on a sunnr- Sundav afiernootr. To rhe rvest. the m:lssive KampJgruppe uon 'fcttrtu w:Ls
Thcr *:rc neerll perfictll execured with minimai casualties.
threalenin€l thc drop zones. tsritish supply clrop zones fell
nre J \irlanding liig:rde lanclecl lirst to secure the cltop into Clermln control. Rc1uctantl1,, Urquharr withdrerv to F;
zones. lhc l' I)arachutc Iirigadc cltoppecl sc,on afier*,arcls a*
and l ithin an hour ser oll:torvards Arnhenr on thrcc scparare OostcrbeeL ro fblm a delensive perimeter The division slow4v
rctrcaled to thc nerv perimeter'. On 20 Seprenrber, Urquharr
road roures one lbr e:rch I'arachute bartalion.
esLablished his clivisional hcaclquar-tels ar rhe Hartenstein
Fi
Hotel, placed his battalions aloLrnd the perimeter-, and rvaited
LEOPARD ROUTE
'Ihe 1" Par-:rchure Battalion leli DZ-X and headecl to 1or rvord from 30'h (iorps.
Arnhcm on the Leoparcl Route, the northernmost rpproach. ARNHEM 1-
LJnfbrtunatell fbr the paratloopers, a cc,mpanl fiom thc
In Arnhem, Frosr esrablished his orvn perimctcr on the first
German Blrtalion Kr,lfft rvls on trlining manocrLr'rcs in rhe night, cxpanciing it the fbllorving morning. The 6rst (lerrnan lt
\\,oods bctwccn thc drop zoncs and Arnhem. The Gcrmens
aLLacks came fiom the east and sorrth, ancl both assaults were lJ*
forrncd hasty blocking posirions across rwo oflhc rhree roures
easil,v repulscd. The Gelmans made a feu. more assaults against F-
. tsore Aacrnll hh.gnh1t,in i!nt ll*ic ritihncgl raa *saclr ictosn 'oafracln rAbrunshhccms .a Tnhrle c pnagraagtirnogo pincr sa Frosis prerimetcr but rvere again clefeatecl. Realising that the .a
stutrborn paratroopers were not going to make rhings easv, rhe
recoverecl arcl imnrcdiatcll counterattacked, folcing Kraili to Germans dccidcd to keep back and use artillew to pulverise the 34--
fill back to Oosrcrbcck. Horvo'cr l ' Para Battalion suffcred builclings wirhin dre perinrcter and set them alieht. gr
rr:rriblc losses end tere lorced ro halt their advance elong
Lcopercl RoLrre. Several nrorc limitecl:rssaults *.ele launchecl to keep pressure rt -
on the l3ritish paras. Frost end his men held thc northcrn cnd p:
IION ROUTE of the Alnhem Bridge for alnrosc four da1s, only surrendering
Borh l"'rand 3'r P:rrachute llanalic,ns lcft DZ-X and headed once they had fired rheir last buller on 21 Seprember.
straighr ro Heelsum. Lieurenant Colonel Frost's 2"r Irarachutc
THE OOSTERBEEK PERIMETER
Bartalion u,,rs the llrst to leave Heelsun at 1530 hours on
l7 Septenrbel ancl made a hasq-march to Arnheil on the I-ion 'lhe 1" Air-bolne L)ivision dug in arouncl dre perimetel and ;
roure, rhe soudlernmost of thc thrcc. Frost passed through fought off sevctal Gernan attempts to rcducc thc pcrimclcr. F
Heveadorp anci thc southcn edge ol'Oosrerbeek u-ith litde The only gains madc by thc Gcrmans wcre on the northern edge
or no resisrance as thc Gcrmans were held up by the other ,,,,,here SS-KunpJgrrEpe .\pindler ForcedUrqrLharr to relorm the
Brirish edvance further nortl-r. Frost pushcd his battalion line ro shortcn his supply routc and consolidatc the defbndcrs.
h'
inro Arnhem, lighting o1l a lerv small German anacks belore The other q,as in the south-west sector wherc Kampjlntppe lon
reaching rhe Arrhem Briclgc :rt 2000 horrrs. 7}tlr;a rn:rdc an assaLrlt agiairst the 'Weste rbotrrving Heights and I
pushed the l' Border Battalion cest, losing ncarly halfofbase
TIGER ROUTE of thc perineter. 'lhis Ioss u'otld prove f)tai to the l" Polish r-
Fron Heelsum, thc 3"1 Bartalion sct olF along Tigcr Roure, Inclcpenclcnt Palachute Brigade a ferv days larer.
'lle rs
the miclclle path r.ia Oostcrbcck. Thev quicklv oLltflanked Oosterlreek Perimctcr rvas formcd on thc cvcning of
Kralli's blocking line :rnd made a fast push toruard Ooster beck 20 Seprembcr and consistcd of a thunb-shapcd dcfcnsive a-
reaching the wesrern suburbs ofArnhem by the end of rhc perinereranchored at the bank ofthc l,ou,er Rhinc. Thc castcrn ts:
clay. However, rhcy roo ran inro still lesist:rnce bv tbe lead side ofdre perimeter rvas based on the suburbs ol:Oosterbeek J
elements of ,!5 ,(zzlgr up p e Sp ind/er. n hilc the rvesteln side *,as heavilyr-ooded palldand.'Ihe area
t.
near dre river Lrank .r'as opcn poldcr meadows that neither sidc
WESTERN ARNHEM 'lle
occupied bur corLld be easilv controlled by rveapons 6re. l
Thc folJowing day, the l" and 3"r Battalions loLtsht in r':rin V'esterbousin.q Heiqhrs, high grollnd near the river on the f,i:{.
!
to L,rcak through rhe increasinglv tough Gernan blockine rvestern side of rhe perimeter, were of particular significance
lines. Mcanrvhile the 4'r'Parachure Brigacle:rrrivecl at DZ-Y since rhel ollired a commanding view of che crossing sires.
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