Remember September 1944:
During the liberation weekend of 16-17-18 September, a variaty of commemorations
and activities were planned, to remember operation Market Garden. A time when American
and British soldiers tried to liberate the Southern part of the Netherlands.
On September 16th there was a presentation at museum ‘Wings of Liberation’ in Best.
A new project was unvealed, the ‘Liberation Route’. An existing concept in the province
of Gelderland, but new to the province Noord-Brabant. The ‘Liberation Route’ is a
route that people can follow, which leads them to specific points of interest of
operation Market Garden. To recognise the points of interest, big rocks with an information
plaque attached to it, are placed. The first rock was placed on friday the 16th,
at the ‘Paulushoeve’ in Son. This farm lies in the middle of dropzone B, C and Landingzone
W, which were used by the 101st Airborne Division. This event was supported by paratroopers
from a Dutch jumpteam.
After this event Frenk, Jurgen and I picked up up the group from the Airborne Demonstration
team for a battlefield tour. We took them to important spots of the 101st Airborne
Division in Best, Son and the Island.
On September 17 a special event took place in Eerde, a small town just south-west
of Veghel. The windmill which was heavily damaged during the battles in and around
Eerde, was going to be re-opened today. For the occasion, the Airborne Demonstration
Team and members from Dutch jumpteams, jumped from a C-47 airplane over the original
dropzone in Eerde. This dropzone was used on September 17 1944 by elements of the
501 Parachute Infantry Regiment. To highlight two jumpers, for Erwin Janssen and
Robert Hunter, the day was even more special. Robert’s father, Bobby Hunter, was
a member of Company D of the 501 PIR and landed on the dropzone 67 years ago. Erwin
lives in Eerde and is, together with so many others of course, a thriving force behind
the commemorative activities organised every September.
In the evening, the commemorative service was held at the Geronimo monument. The
windmill was officially opened by Bobby Hunter (D-501 PIR) and John Primerano (HQ-501
PIR), who are veterans of the 101st Airborne Division and have a special bond with
the village and the windmill.
On September 18 I visited the commemoration in Sint-Oedenrode. The town was liberated
on September 17 1944 by elements of the 502 PIR. Every year a service is held at
the Airborne monument, which was given to the village by veterans of the 101st, to
honor all citizens who helped the soldiers during operation Market Garden. Special
guests this year are Ray Nagell, member of the 321 Glider Field Artillery Battalion
and Colonel Stimson, the Military Attache of the United States of America in the
Netherlands.
In the evening the opening of the ‘Light route’ took place in Eindhoven. The history
behind the ‘Light route’:
To commemorate our liberation and to express this in a “Eindhoven-way”, the citizens
placed in 1945 candles and light bulbs, just after the second World War. Since 1984
this tradition is repeated every year in a modern way to make a 22 km route through
Eindhoven, that is illuminated by lights. By using hundreds of thousands of light
bulbs, LED’s and gas-discharge lamps, volunteers spend their free time to entertain
200.000 people every year that drive, walk or cycle this light route. For this event,
several dozen of volunteers, kilometers of cable, lots of lamps and lots of time
and sponsors, are put in this magnificent event. With the design of stylized subjects
all visitors are amazed by the beauty of light.
The freedom flame was lit, veterans and guests made their way to town hall and talked
about the events that took place in September 1944. The evening ended a weekend of
festivities all across the Netherlands in towns like Arnhem, Best, Eerde, Eindhoven,
Mook, Nijmegen, Sint-Oedenrode and so many others. Please keep remembering the men
and women who made our liberation possible, lest we forget!
