Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery - Oosterbeek, Netherlands
N 51° 59.610 E 005° 50.900
31U E 695548 N 5764146
The cemetery contains 1,680 graves of Commonwealth soldiers from the Second World War who died during Operation Market Garden, the Allies failed attempt to cross the Rhine River in September 1944.
Waymark Code: WMPM40
Location: Gelderland, Netherlands
Date Posted: 09/17/2015
Views: 9
The cemetery contains 1,680 bodies of those from the Second World War who died during Operation Market Garden, the Allies failed attempt to cross the Rhine River in September 1944.
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Following the Normandy landings of June 1944, the Allied advance through northern Europe was extraordinarily rapid and on 11 September 1944, the Second Army entered the Netherlands just south of Eindhoven, the first Allied troops to set foot in the country since its fall in May 1940.
Their next aim was to cross the Rhine before the Germans had time to reorganise after their recent setbacks, securing crossings over the rivers and canals that stood in their path at Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem. 'Operation Market Garden' would involve the United States 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, the Commonwealth 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Parachute Brigade.
On 17 September 1944, the 1st Airborne Division began landing west of Arnhem, but German resistance, bad weather and problems with supplies and reinforcements led to heavy losses, and their objectives were not taken. They were forced to form a perimeter at Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until 25 September, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine.
Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery contains the graves of most of those killed during the September landings, and many of those killed in later fighting in the area.
There are now 1,680 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 244 of the burials are unidentified and two casualties are commemorated by special memorials. There are also 73 Polish, three Dutch and three non-war (former Commission employees) graves in the cemetery.
Date cemetery was established: 1946
Visiting hours:
dawn until dusk
Website pertaining to the cemetery: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Please submit a photo(s) taken by you of your visit to the location (non-copyrighted photos only). GPS photos are also accepted with the location in the background, and old vacation photos are accepted. If you are not able to provide a photo, then please describe your visit or give a story about the visit.
We would also like to hear about any of your deceased family members who may be laid to rest in the cemetery.