A day-to-day account of Operation Market Garden, as it happened in 1944. Written by Joris Nieuwint for Hells Highway tours.
Arnhem
In a final attempt to reinforce the Perimeter and secure a crossing site the 4th Dorsets cross the Rhine at night. Their main objective is to secure the Westerbouwing Heights so that future reinforcements can be brought in without being under constant German fire. Unfortunately there are too few boats to make a crossing in force and because of the fast flowing Rhine the Dorsets land widely dispersed and are destroyed by the Germans. Only a very small number of Dorsets reach the perimeter, the rest are all taken prisoner.
Eindhoven
Destroyed trucks at Koevering after the corridor has been reopened.
In the evening the corridor is again blocked by the Germans from Kampfgruppe Junwirth, this time south of Veghel at Koevering. Their attempts to take Eerde are thwarted by the 501st PIR who drive the Germans out of the Sand Dunes in Eerde. This only gives the Germans a small foothold on the corridor but it proves very hard to dislodge them. Tanks from the Coldstream Guards are once again forced to drive south to Veghel to help unblock the corridor.
This is seen as the death stroke of the operation and that day order is given to evacuate the forces north of the Rhine.
Nijmegen
The 82nd Airborne starts reorganizing the front, all regiments move to new locations to the east of Nijmegen, the platoons from the 508th PIR at Devils Hill are finally relieved.
By chance a emergency airstrip is discovered at Keent and is quickly transformed into a fully functional airfield.
By Joris Nieuwint / Hells Highway tours.