A Battle of Arnhem Connection dating over 40 years

Kevin Barnes, CWGC Regional Operations Coordinator South East, has a strong connection with Arnhem and Operation Market Garden. Read his story here.

Kevin Barnes & Arnhem

My first visit to Arnhem

Image: Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery

I first visited Arnhem/Ooseterbeek for 40th Anniversary in 1984 when someone dropped out of group of friends planned trip, so I went along to make up the numbers.

I had read the book “Arnhem  Spearhead” by James Sims before I went to try and gain an idea of what had taken place during September 1944. 

Sims was a veteran of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment and was one of the few members of the 1st Airborne Division to make it to the actual bridge at Arnhem. 

My only other point of reference at this time was that my father had taken me to see “A Bridge Too Far” when it opened in 1977.

Image: Kevin on John Frost Bridge, 1977 (Photo: Kevin Barnes)

I was soon to learn that the fighting around the bridge area was only a small part of the battle with the main fighting taking place around the town of Oosterbeek some three miles back towards the Landing Zone/Drop Zones. 

I was also surprised to find out that most of the Division hadn’t parachuted in but had come by gilder. 

I didn’t know or appreciate at the time how lucky I was to be present with so many veterans, there was literally thousands of them, walking around Oosterbeek there were small groups gathered outside ordinary Dutch houses telling how they had defended these building against overwhelming odds. 

Oosterbeek being only a small town, most of the veterans gathered at the Schoonoord Pub at the main crossroads in the evenings to sing, drink and remember. 

The Schoonoord Pub was built on the site of the Schoonoord Hotel which was used as the main dressing station during the battle so many of those present would have been treated on the site for their wounds here in September 44.

Returning to Arnhem

I have been back many times since that first time across, I was privileged enough to lay a wreath on the 70th anniversary on behalf of the London Ambulance Service as the station I was based out of fell within the London borough of Croydon which was twinned with Arnhem at the time. 

One of the many Dutch friends I had made accompanied me, Joop, on the walk to the Cross of Sacrifice. 

Joop was quite emotional after the laying of the wreath and it dawned on me that he was only thinking of Arnhem, he had just returned from Afghanistan where he had lost colleagues of his own while serving with the Dutch commandos.

Keeping Arnhem Veterans' stories alive

Unfortunately, due to the sands of time, I have seen the thousands of veterans on my first visit drop to hundreds and now with the approach of the 80th anniversary, it’s down to single figures.  

As the veteran’s numbers have dwindle a group was set up called the Arnhem Fellowship whose aim is to keep the stories alive with both Dutch and English members it meets every year in Oosterbeek in May and again in September.

My small part in the legacy of Operation Market Garden

I left the London Ambulance Service after 25 years to Join the CWGC as a Skilled Maintenance Craftsperson working in the South East Region.  

Since 2016 I have taken on the role of Regional Operations Coordinator South East.  

I was invited to join the CWGC team travelling to Arnhem for 2023’s 79th Anniversary where we filmed some short videos to be released in time for this year's 80th. 

To be able to combine my work with my hobby was really something special. After spending many years visiting the Arnhem/Oosterbeek Cemetery it's hard to express the feeling of pride I had to be standing among my friends and say that this is who I work for.