Paratroopers enter Eindhoven:
On 17 September 1944, one of the largest airborne operations in history began. The American 101st and 82nd
Airborne Divisions along with the British 1st Airborne were dropped into the Netherlands to capture vital road
bridges from Neerpelt in Belgium to Arnhem in the Netherlands. Supported by British ground forces consisting
of IIX, XII and XXX-corps spearheaded by the Irish Guards the plan was to clear a route into Germany and the
industrial heartland of the Ruhr. On the second day of operation Market Garden the 101st made its way into Eindhoven where the citizens
welcomed them with open arms. Piet van Heeswick was seventeen years old at the time and lived with his family on Hamsterstraat on the
outskirts of Eindhoven. On the 18th September 1944 Piet happened to be visiting his girlfriend Rieky Janssen on Frankrijkstraat and was
chatting in the front room when they heard the sound of heavy gunfire three hundred yards away to the north. Instantly everyone in the
house scrambled for the air raid shelter in the back garden. Not long afterwards everything became quiet and Piet went out into the street
to see what was happening. Opening the front door he was amazed to see American paratroopers in the street. The teenager had witnessed
the massed parachute drop over at Son but had not expected to see the soldiers walking through his neighbourhood. Luckily he had brought
a camera and started to enthusiastically photograph the historic moment as the soldiers from The Third Battalion of the 506th Parachute
Infantry Regiment (3/506 PIR), 101st Airborne Division (nicknamed the Screaming Eagles) passed by en-route to liberate the city. The earlier
artillery fire had come from two 88mm guns that had been attempting to block the American advance in Kloosterdreef and Woenselsestraat.
The crew destroyed one gun by sabotaging the breach with a hand grenade. The other was attacked from the north by 3/506 before being
outflanked by F Company (from the second battalion) from the east.
On 17 September 1944, one of the largest airborne operations in history began. The American 101st and 82nd
Airborne Divisions along with the British 1st Airborne were dropped into the Netherlands to capture vital road
bridges from Neerpelt in Belgium to Arnhem in the Netherlands. Supported by British ground forces consisting
of IIX, XII and XXX-
welcomed them with open arms. Piet van Heeswick was seventeen years old at the time and lived with his family on Hamsterstraat on the
outskirts of Eindhoven. On the 18th September 1944 Piet happened to be visiting his girlfriend Rieky Janssen on Frankrijkstraat and was
chatting in the front room when they heard the sound of heavy gunfire three hundred yards away to the north. Instantly everyone in the
house scrambled for the air raid shelter in the back garden. Not long afterwards everything became quiet and Piet went out into the street
to see what was happening. Opening the front door he was amazed to see American paratroopers in the street. The teenager had witnessed
the massed parachute drop over at Son but had not expected to see the soldiers walking through his neighbourhood. Luckily he had brought
a camera and started to enthusiastically photograph the historic moment as the soldiers from The Third Battalion of the 506th Parachute
Infantry Regiment (3/506 PIR), 101st Airborne Division (nicknamed the Screaming Eagles) passed by en-
The crew destroyed one gun by sabotaging the breach with a hand grenade. The other was attacked from the north by 3/506 before being
outflanked by F Company (from the second battalion) from the east.
Map: 506 PIR attack on the 88mm guns.
The Kloosterdreef 88mm gun was finally destroyed with a coordinated attack by 2nd platoon F-506 PIR and I-506 PIR.
Mr. van Heeswijk remembered the position of the airborne soldiers:
‘The gun was aimed towards the east, looking down the Kloosterdreef. Troops coming up the Kloosterdreef were stopped by the gun, firing a
round through the Butchershop of the Wilberts family. 2nd platoon F-506 set up a machine gun on the corner of the Runstraat and the
Frankrijkstraat to fire towards the 88mm gun. Because the gun was aimed towards the east, the American machine gun crew was able to hit
the gun from the side, killing some of the crew members and making others run for cover. Finally some rifle grenades were fired towards the
gun, putting the gun out of action.
Mr. van Heeswijk remembered that some of the German troops located near the gun, fled to the east into the fields, coming from the backyards
of the houses in the Woenselsestraat. He said that most of them were killed by Americans clearing the Woenselsestraat. The rest of the
Germans finally surrendered, their war was over.
Mr. van Heeswijk made some pictures with his camera, showing 3-506 PIR moving through the Frankrijkstraat just after the fight.
‘The gun was aimed towards the east, looking down the Kloosterdreef. Troops coming up the Kloosterdreef were stopped by the gun, firing a
round through the Butchershop of the Wilberts family. 2nd platoon F-
the gun from the side, killing some of the crew members and making others run for cover. Finally some rifle grenades were fired towards the
gun, putting the gun out of action.
Mr. van Heeswijk remembered that some of the German troops located near the gun, fled to the east into the fields, coming from the backyards
of the houses in the Woenselsestraat. He said that most of them were killed by Americans clearing the Woenselsestraat. The rest of the
Germans finally surrendered, their war was over.
Mr. van Heeswijk made some pictures with his camera, showing 3-
Photo: left and middle, the first paratroopers entering the Frankrijkstraat. Right, Rieky Jansen, then
mr. van Heeswijk’s girlfriend, later his wife, offers a peach to her liberator. (van Heeswijk)
mr. van Heeswijk’s girlfriend, later his wife, offers a peach to her liberator. (van Heeswijk)
Photo: Left to right, Paratroopers in front of Rieky’s house. Farmers from Son helping the paratroopers
with transportation of supplies. Van Heeswijk’s mother leaving the air raid shelter. The Woenselse
straat 88mm gun, was later towed towards the Hamsterstraat. (van Heeswijk)
with transportation of supplies. Van Heeswijk’s mother leaving the air raid shelter. The Woenselse
straat 88mm gun, was later towed towards the Hamsterstraat. (van Heeswijk)
Photo: Left to right, First link up with XXX-corps reconnaissance, paratroopers using alternative transportation,
British Challenger tank rumbling through the Frankrijkstraat, Tea time for this British Sexton crew with Rieky Janssen
observing the men. (van Heeswijk)
observing the men. (van Heeswijk)
