Operation Market Garden:
The Battle of Arnhem

Operation Market Garden was the largest airborne assault in history and one of the most ambitious Allied operations of the Second World War. 80 years later we tell the story of the men who fought and died for ‘a bridge too far’.

‘Out of ammunition. God Save the King.'

Final message from 2nd Bn the Parachute Regiment at Arnhem Bridge, 20 September 1944.

Arnhem 80th anniversary 2024

By 1944, the tide of the war was moving firmly with the Allies. Following on from success in Italy and Normandy, they knew that momentum was with them in western Europe. However, Germany was far from defeated and unlike the other World War Two 80th anniversaries we commemorate, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem was a defeat for the Allies.

Arnhem 80th anniversary dates

This year we will mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem between 17 September and 26 September 2024 – although many of the main anniversary events will happen on Saturday 21 September and Sunday 22 September.

Lighting their Legacy torch events

Between 10 and 20 September, the CWGC Torch of Commemoration will be following the Freedom Trail along the Market Garden Liberation Route, beginning with a special appearance at the Last Post Ceremony under the Menin Gate, Ieper on 8 September.

On the 20 September Torch Ceremony at Oosterbeek, Arnhem veteran Geoff Roberts will hand over the torch to Caroline Frost for the final leg up to Arnhem bridge named in commemoration of her father John Frost.

CWGC TORCH OF COMMEMORATION LOCATIONS
8 September			Menin Gate, Ieper - Last Post Ceremony
10 September			Leopoldsburg to Lommel to Bergeijk
11 September			Bergeijk to Valkenswaard to Eindhoven
12 September			Eindhoven to Son to Best including Ysselsteyn, Milheeze, Helmond
13 September			Best to Helmond to Schijndel
14 September			Schijndel to Mariaheide to Zeeland
15 September			Zeeland to Grave to Heumen
16 September			Heumen to Groesbeek to Beek
17 September			Beek to Nijmegen to Elst
18 September			Elst to Heteren to Ede
19 September			Ede to Oosterbeek
20 September			Oosterbeek to Arnhem (15:00 local time) Veteran Geoff Roberts hands torch to Caroline Frost for final leg to Arnhem bridge.

What happened in Arnhem in WWII?

A small city close to the Dutch-German border, Arnhem became the centre of the Allied thrust towards Germany in September 1944. Capturing Arnhem’s now infamous bridges was seen as a vital step in the Allied advance into Germany.

Allied High Command was divided – some favoured a broad attack into German territory, others a focussed strike that would avoid strategic German-held positions.

A plan was conceived, mixing a daring airborne assault by the newly formed First Allied Airborne Army with an armoured attack through the Netherlands – codenamed: Operation Market Garden.

Operation Market Garden

Operation Market Garden is the combined name of two separate operations: Operation Market, the airborne assault, and Operation Garden, the ground attack.

Operation Market was designed to catch the German forces by surprise, capturing Arnhem and its important bridges over the Rhine before they could be destroyed by the defenders.

Operation Garden would then link up with the newly captured bridgehead, bringing supplies and reinforcements to guard against a German counterattack.

The Battle of Arnhem 1944

The Battle of Arnhem was fought during Operation Market Garden. The airborne assault – made by the British 1st Airborne Division – had landed at Arnhem but met far fiercer resistance than first anticipated. A small number of British troops managed to capture the Arnhem road-bridge, while the rest were cut off on the outskirts of the city.

Surrounded and low on supplies, the beleaguered British forces fought a determined defence, pinning their hopes on rescue by the land attack and additional airborne divisions.

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