Operation Market Garden

  • British troopers land at Arnham.

    British troopers land at Arnham.
    The bridge at Arnhem is captured by British forces but the group is quickly cut off from help by the Germans.
  • General Dwight Eisenhower approves General Montgomery's Operation Market Garden.

    General Dwight Eisenhower approves General Montgomery's Operation Market Garden.
    They launched Operation Market Garden, an airborne-ground combined attack to penetrate into northern Germany through the Netherlands, capturing Sint-Oedenrode and Veghel. US 56th Fighter Group lost sixteen out of thirty-nine P-47D Thunderbolt aircraft in support of the operation.
  • In the Netherlands, German troops launched a heavy counter attack near Arnhem while Allied troops captured Eindhoven.

    In the Netherlands, German troops launched a heavy counter attack near Arnhem while Allied troops captured Eindhoven.
    The British XXX Corps fights its way through a dedicated German resistance up the main artery road leading to Eindhoven. They finally unite with the 101st Airborne forces having landed at Eindhoven and Veghel.
  • British Paratroopers reach Arnhem to save their isolated men only to suffer severe losses and retreat back

    British Paratroopers reach Arnhem to save their isolated men only to suffer severe losses and retreat back
    227 people are killed and hundreds wounded from the bombing at Eindhoven
  • The US 82nd Airborne, backed by the British XXX Corps, take the bridge over the Waal River at Nijmegen.

     The US 82nd Airborne, backed by the British XXX Corps, take the bridge over the Waal River at Nijmegen.
    The bridges in Nijmegen are captured, Supply from the air is more successful on this day.
  • British Paratroopers give up control of their bridge

    British Paratroopers give up control of their bridge
    They gave up control of their bridge against a stronger German foe and instead concentrate on surviving by utilizing the town of Arnhem itself as a defense.
  • British XXX Corps is slowed down

    British XXX Corps is slowed down
    German anti-tank forces and artillery emplacements north of Nijmegen and along the route to Arnhem.
  • Polish arrival

    Polish arrival
    Men of Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade landed between Arnhem and Nijmegen in the Netherlands as British airborne troops in Arnhem were becoming overwhelmed. Nearby, Schijndel was captured by the Allies.
  • Brits leave Arnhem

    Brits leave Arnhem
    Remaining elements of the British 1st Airborne Division out of Arnhem make their way across the Neder Rijn River in retreat. They intend on meeting up with XXX Corps still making their way to the area. At Arnhem, some 6,000 Allied soldiers are taken prison by the Germans. A further 1,000 lay dead from the fighting.
  • End of the operation

    End of the operation
    South of Arnhem, Allied forces continue to hold their gains. Over the next few months, some 3,500 casualties will be counted. At this time, the weather begins to improve. The remaining 2,163 British airborne troops were evacuated from Arnhem, the Netherlands; the original strength was about 10,000.