'Remember Operation Market Garden'

  
Dutch Aviation Support contributes in several European magazines 
This tribute to the Oldest Living Veterans of WW-II was published by the
independent Hungarian Aviation Magazine 'Aranysas'

We greatfully honour all those who participated in this enormous WW-II operation

"Never in the history of mankind have so many owed so much to so few"

Sir Winston Churchill.

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Market Garden, Dutch memorial of a tough time
 
Dutch dropping 16 september 2006. Veterans that jumped:
Ray Sheriff  ( he is blind! )
Bernard Murphy                    Harry Herbert      Tom Smithson             Arthur Winstanley
 Les Frater                             Tom Hicks   Ron Pearce                     Les Lockett
 
Early in the morning. All paratroopers that also jump prepare
 
From different countries, all men help eachother to secure a safe jump
 
All veterans are instructed also by young para-instructors as well for the tandem-jump
 
Special attention for Ray Sheriff who jumped while being blind !
 
Too old to walk, you ride to the plane, others walked the last part
 
'"You can still stop now...' but nothing stops these guys who are young for one day again !
 
Some rollators reveal the opposite....., but as said: Today age doesn't count !
 
The legendary Dakota C-47A troop transporter on the Soesterberg platform...
 
...as well as the Fokker 60 from Eindhoven and the Hercules C-3 from Lyneham UK
 
The commander of the Hercules checks routes   View in the interior of the C-3
 
Troops embark the Dakota....   ... which starts it's engines
 
The dakota moves to the runway. We made an 'authentic card' of this fine plane
Meanwhile the old guys prepare to embark the Dornier DO-28-G92
 
All kinds of uniforms gather to embark the Hercules
 
Lined up they all wait for their turn
  When embarking the Dornier, the old man (right) asked to the female Major: "Could you help me please ?" The Major pushed the old man friendly while he was sitting on the floor of the plane. "Could you help me again please ?" he asked... The Major helpfully pushed the old man again. "Could you help me once more please ?" The Major pushed the old man again and asked: "Is there a problem Sir ?" The old man replied: "No, no problem at all, but I really like it when a woman touches my ass at my age !!"  
Young and old, just a 'few' years in between...     
 
The Dornier and Hercules start the take-off to join the Dakota and the Fokker-60
 
How many planes must have flown like these by that time ?
It must have been like this, the old dome-parachutes not as manoeuvrable as the modern ones...
 
Archive images from internet, this is how it looked
 
In the evening Oosterbeek was already waiting for the veterans to arrive...
 
... all kinds of officials celebrated and offered respect. Momuments were visited.
 
Finally the invited paratroopers from the UK jumped, to land in the middle of Oosterbeek square !
   
A fine sight for the spectators, to see these men land 'on the spot'  
 History was remembered and honoured by young and old 
 
The special forces were given thanks for their contribution at the end of this remarquable day !
Lees svp ons artikel in het Nederlands, klik hier:
Please do read our article in English, click here:
STATEMENT:
Whilst not exactly being an aviation article, it is very narrow related to aviation. That is the reason why we show you this article on our site as well. It concerns the preparations of the annual jumping of veterans who still live, from the Dutch Airbase 'Soesterberg' , participated by many foreign countries such as USA, Germany, Canada and the UK. The dropping is organised over the 'Ginkelse Heide' in The Netherlands, near Arnhem. For those who like to see more of it we can recommend the movie-DVD 'A Bridge too far', or click here below
 
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 Tribute to all those who died so that others may live in freedom. 
 Mind to defend your rights and democracy in future, where-ever it may be needed !
"We now live in the middle of future escalations" Those who ignore this are also guilty by the time the escalations occur.
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