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21st Independent Para Coy Memorial, Oosterbeek
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21st Independent Para Coy Memorial, Oosterbeek
The 21st was commanded by Major B. A. B. Boy Wilson who, at the age of 45, was one of the oldest paras in the 1st AB Division. The task of the 21st - Wilson and four officers and 185 men - on 17 September 1944, the first day of Operation Market Garden, was to drop 30 minutes ahead of the main force to mark the three zones DZ X, LZ Z and LZs with navigational aids (Eureka beacons and smoke signals) so that they could be readily located. It was done impeccably. There is a Memorial to the 21st at the Quatre Bras junction in Oosterbeek and then this one, also in Oosterbeek at No 21 Psberg. It is in the form of a vase (which always contains fresh flowers) in the garden of the house called Monty. A platoon of the 21st defended this area in the last four days of the battle. The owner, Han Kardol, was 10 years old and sheltered in the cellar of the house during the fighting. Date: 2000
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Media ID 23271318
© Holts Battlefield Collection / Mary Evans
2000 21st Commanded Division Independent Major Oldest Oosterbeek Para Paras Task Wilson
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This poignant photograph captures the 21st Independent Para Coy Memorial, located in the garden of the house called Monty in Oosterbeek, Netherlands. The 21st Independent Para Company, commanded by Major B.A.B. Boy Wilson, played a crucial role in the opening day of Operation Market Garden on September 17, 1944. At the age of 45, Major Wilson and his men - four officers and 185 others - were among the oldest paratroopers in the 1st Airborne Division. Their mission was to drop 30 minutes ahead of the main force and mark the three zones DZ X, LZ Z, and LZs with navigational aids, including Eureka beacons and smoke signals, to ensure the main force could locate them easily. The mission was executed flawlessly. The 21st Independent Para Company's bravery and determination during the battle of Arnhem are commemorated in this memorial, which takes the form of a vase filled with fresh flowers. A platoon of the 21st defended the area around Monty's house in the last four days of the battle. The house's owner, Han Kardol, was just ten years old during the fighting and took refuge in the cellar. This photograph, taken in the year 2000, serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the 21st Independent Para Company during the Battle of Arnhem.
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