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September 25

Operation Berlin: Urquhart decides to withdraw the Airborne Division on September 25

in Oosterbeek/September 25
The heavily damaged Hartenstein hotel after the Battle of Arnhem.

Early in the morning of Monday, September 25, a liaison officer arrived at General Urquhart’s headquarters who had crossed the Rhine during the night to the British perimeter in Oosterbeek. Urquhart received a letter from General Thomas, the commander of the 43rd Division, which was located on the south side of the Rhine. In the…

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The “Hexenkessel” in Oosterbeek is struggling to survive

in Oosterbeek/September 25
Destroyed German Tiger tank in the Weverstraat in Oosterbeek.

The pressure from Hitler’s headquarters to destroy the British in the ‘ Hexenkessel ‘, the witches’ cauldron, in Oosterbeek became increasingly greater. On Monday, September 25, the Germans around Oosterbeek did everything they could to deliver the final blow to the British. As on the days before, the Germans bombarded the British positions with everything…

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The preparations for the British retreat across the Rhine

in Oosterbeek/September 25
British jeeps shot to pieces in the vicinity of the Hartenstein hotel.

After the decision was made in the early morning of Monday, September 25, to withdraw the remnants of the British Airborne Division, General Urquhart was faced with the question of how to organize the retreat from Oosterbeek. Urquhart feared that the Germans would soon discover that the British were retreating, and that this would lead…

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Operation Berlin: a successful retreat with many casualties

in Oosterbeek/September 25
The heavily damaged Oude Kerk in Oosterbeek on the Benedendorpseweg was the assembly point for the evacuation across the Rhine.

The night of September 25 to 26 seemed to have been made to leave the British perimeter without the Germans realizing this. It rained all night, so sounds could not be heard. Due to the clouds there was no moon, making it very dark that night. General Urquahart had chosen to leave a light screen…

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PHOTOS: the battle in Oosterbeek on Monday September 25

in Oosterbeek/Photos/September 25

Because the battle against the British Airborne Division resulted in a victory for the German army, the Germans had sent many Kriegsberichter to Oosterbeek to portray the Battle of Arnhem. The photos they took were to convince the inhabitants of the German Reich that Germany was far from defeated. Of all the German photographers who…

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