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September 20

This is how the British perimeter in Oosterbeek was created

in Arnhem/Oosterbeek/September 20
The British perimeter in Oosterbeek on Wednesday, September 20 1944.

On Tuesday, September 19, the British had tried to reach the Rhine Bridge in Arnhem from Oosterbeek and from the Bovenover-Onderlangs intersection in Arnhem. The British suffered major losses in both attacks. In addition to many deaths and injuries, hundreds of British paratroopers had been forced to surrender to the Germans. After the failure of…

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Lonsdale Force in Oosterbeek holds out against German tank attacks

in Oosterbeek/September 20
Two German Sturmgeschütze in the Weverstraat in Oosterbeek.

The remnants of the four battalions that had tried to break through to the Rhine Bridge via the Utrechtseweg and the Onderlangs on Tuesday, September 19, had withdrawn in a chaotic retreat to Oosterbeek. Under the leadership of Major Dickie Lonsdale, they formed a defensive position a few hundred meters east of the Oude Kerk…

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September 20: Germans smoke out the British at the Rhine Bridge

in Arnhem/September 20
British paratroopers captured at the bridge on Wednesday, September 20, are taken away via Steenstraat. (Photo: Federal Archives.)

If Operation Market Garden had gone according to plan, the ground troops of XXX Corps would have reached the south side of the Rhine on Tuesday, September 19, in the afternoon. But on Wednesday morning, September 20, the tanks and troops of XXX Corps were still in Nijmegen, where the Waal Bridge had yet to…

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Wednesday, September 20: the Eusebius Church catches fire

in Arnhem/September 20
The Eusebius Church after the Allied bombing of the Rhine Bridge on October 7, 1944. The Eusebius Tower is still standing, but the spire has burned down.

The Eusebius Church was virtually destroyed during the bombing of the Rhine Bridge on October 7, 1944. But the church already suffered extensive damage during the Battle of Arnhem. As a result of German shelling on the church, the Eusebius caught fire on Wednesday, September 20. The spire and roof of the church burned down…

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Rhine Bridge: 130 British soldiers try to break out

in Arnhem/September 20
This aerial photo from 1939 shows the battle scene. At the bottom left of the photo is the Walburgis Church with the Walburgisplein. The H-shaped building directly on the west side of the Rhine Bridge is the brigade headquarters from which the 130 soldiers attempted their breakout. (Photo: Gelders Archives.)

On Wednesday evening, September 20, the British soldiers had to give up their position at the Rhine Bridge in Arnhem. About 130 British tried to break out via the Walburgis Church. Despite their relatively light armament, the British paratroopers defending the north side of the Rhine Bridge proved to be able to withstand the attacks…

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The heroic crossing of the Waal river

in Nijmegen/September 20
American paratroopers climb over the dike to cross the Waal with their boats.

The Americans call it ‘The Crossing’ for short. On Wednesday, September 20, the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of the 504th Infantry Regiment crossed the Waal in 26 canvas boats to attack the Waal Bridge near Nijmegen from the north side. General Jim Gavin of the 82nd Airborne Division had concluded the day before that…

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The Americans manage to capture the Waal Bridge on Wednesday evening, September 20

in Nijmegen/September 20
Nijmegen and Grave 17 - 20 September 1944: The bridge at Nijmegen after it had been captured by the 82nd (US) Airborne Division. A dead German SS officer lies where he fell during the attack. EA 38567 Part of AMERICAN (US) EMBASSY SECOND WORLD WAR PHOTOGRAPH LIBRARY: CLASSIFIED PRINT COLLECTION

In 26 canvas boats, 260 soldiers of the 504th Parachute Regiment crossed the Waal on Wednesday afternoon, September 20. Despite a smoke screen and covering fire from tanks and machine guns, there were many casualties. A total of 48 people were killed and many dozens were injured during the crossing. Major Julian Cook had fewer…

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