101st AB Division Memorial, Son, Holland

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101st AB Division Memorial, Son, Holland

Operation Market Garden depended upon the capture by airborne forces of a sequence of bridges over rivers and canals in Holland. An armoured land force was planned to cross these bridges at speed to ultimately reach Arnhem and the German border. The Memorial here is in the form of a US airborne soldier who has just landed and is dragging his parachute behind him. It was designed by Jan Lessen and Jan van Gemert. The US 506th PIR, commanded by Colonel Bob Sink, landed about 2kms away from here, and advanced towards the Son bridge over the Wilhemina Canal less than a km from here. Unfortunately, the Germans blew up the bridge just as the Americans approached, showering them with debris. The US 326th AB Engineers were called in to repair it but, when the British armoured car recce units arrived at around 1700 hours the following day, it was not completed and Sappers of 14 Field Squadron joined in to help. Date: 2001

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Media ID 23271224

© Holts Battlefield Collection / Mary Evans

101st 2001 Airborne Armoured Bridges Canals Capture Division Forces Holland Operation Planned Rivers Sequence

EDITORS COMMENTS
This poignant memorial, located in the small Dutch town of Son, commemorates the brave actions of the US 101st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden in 1944. The operation, which depended upon the capture of a series of bridges over rivers and canals in Holland, saw US paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines to secure key crossing points. In this image, a US airborne soldier is depicted in mid-stride, dragging his parachute behind him as he prepares to advance towards the Son bridge over the Wilhemina Canal. Designed by Jan Lessen and Jan van Gemert, the memorial stands as a testament to the courage and determination of the soldiers who took part in this daring mission. The US 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Bob Sink, landed approximately 2km away from this site and advanced towards the Son bridge, which was less than a km from its location. Tragically, the Germans blew up the bridge just as the Americans approached, leaving the engineers of the 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion to repair it. The memorial was unveiled in 2001, and serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the US and British forces during Operation Market Garden. The operation ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, but the bravery and determination of the soldiers involved will never be forgotten.

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