OPERATION MARKET GARDEN - THE BATTLE FOR ARNHEM

[Gil Boyd]

Operation Market Garden saw a total of 35,000 men used during the Operation.
A total of 20,000 were dropped by parachute
A total of 15,000 were airlifted by glider
A total of 1300 United States/Canadian aircraft were used
A total of 480 RAF/RAAF aircraft were used.

A total of 11,920 men took part in the Battle for Arnhem 75 years ago between the 17th September and the 26th September against overwhelming odds.
Many will know I am a Trustee of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Museum at the Imperial War Museum at RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire, UK.

With the help of other key volunteers we have now compiled the final list of all those men who fought during Operation Market Garden, from their Regimental numbers to their final fate and where they fell and are buried, and where they were taken as prisoners or interned in Stalags in Germany. Some detail is however lost in history!

1,485 men were killed
6,525 were captured or escaped
3,910 were safely evacuated across the river

In short if you have any relatives who you would like me to check on please ask.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Roy W]

Is the list going to be released a a matter of public record at any time?

[Gil Boyd]

Roy,

I don't think so as it contains many personal details including death and as an ex serviceman, service numbers have always held a certain taboo on being released, as they have been in the past used by those with scrupulous reasons!!!

[Flying10uk]

When the order came to pull out of Arnhem, mother's cousin had to swim the river while the Germans were shooting at him. In order to survive he swam part way underwater. He was treated as a hero when he returned home. He wouldn't go near an aeroplane for a long time after the war until he had to because of his work.

[IanS]

My dad was on board a glider waiting to take off to go in to Arnhem behind the Polish Brigade. He was lucky, they never got to Arnhem as their part in the operation was cancelled and they duly disembarked.

[Flying10uk]

Mother's cousin took much of what went on at Arnhem to the grave. What we can be sure of, it wasn't at all good.

[Roy W]

Roy,

I don't think so as it contains many personal details including death and as an ex serviceman, service numbers have always held a certain taboo on being released, as they have been in the past used by those with scrupulous reasons!!!

Fair enough, it's your research and yours to covet.

However in another few years all the records will probably be released to Ancestry and digitised along with the WW1 and Pension records already on there. Even now you can obtain a service personnel record for anyone (not just a relative) who you can show died 25 yrs ago or would be over 100, upon payment of £25 under the Freedom of Information Act.

There are numerous medal rolls and casualty lists in the public domain so this would have made a valuable research tool and resource. Death certificates can be purchased through the General Records Office along with Birth certificates and marriage certificates, without having to show any relationship or connection as they are classed as public records.

Anyone with scrupulous reasons can always find the information out, and normally will. Other than trying to attribute an un-named set of medals to an Arnhem vet, I'm not sure what else they are going to do with them?

[Peter Laidler]

I seem to recall that there are still 77 UK paratroopers who have no known grave or who's whereabouts remain unknown/no trace. Probably still buried in unknown graves or trenches

[Gil Boyd]

Roy W,
The record is not just held by me, it is also helld and shared in our archive and RHQ as is my GRAVEWATCH list of ALL known graves of fallen Paratroopers which I started many years ago around the world.

Peter,
Absolutely right, I have the known locations of where they fought last or seen last, and backed up by testimony, sadly there are a number still missing. One was found in 2012 on Ginkel Heath the DZ of the 17/9/44.

British paratrooper's body found in Holland 68 years after battle of Arnhem - Telegraph

[Flying10uk]

I do hate the term "A Bridge too Far" because without an attempt to capture the bridge at Arnhem there would have been little point to the whole operation, Market Garden.