CWGC marks 79th Anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem

On Sunday 17th September, a special ceremony took place at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery to mark the 79th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem.

The event was attended by various guests, dignitaries, and local townspeople of Arnhem to mark this special occasion.

Several Veterans of the Battle of Arnhem, codenamed Operation Market Garden, were also in attendance.

A wreath was laid on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission by Geert Bekaert, CWGC Area Director for Central and Southern Europe
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Schoolchildren from schools across Arnhem laid flower tributes on the graves of those who fell fighting during Operation Market. 

The Battle of Arnhem, code-named “Operation Market Garden” was launched on 17 September 1944. It was the largest airborne assault in history, and one of the most controversial and daring actions of the Second World War with 15,000 Allied casualties.

The 1,700 or so war graves within Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery stand testament to the desperate and bloody fighting that characterised Operation Market Garden.

Join us as we commemorate key 80th anniversaries of the Second World War.

Or learn more about visiting one of our WW2 sites in Arnhem.