Brig John Hackett
Just back from a very enjoyable 5 day tour of Holland, to Arnhem and back. Arnhem was of course the “Bridge Too Far”. In September 1944 the 1st Airborne Division landed just west of Arnhem with the mission objectives to capture an important Bridge over the Rhine that would aid the advancing allies. Unfortunately the advancing land forces did not get there in time and as the paratroopers ran out of ammo and equipment they had to withdraw back south over the river. Only 2000 from about 10,000 successfully withdrew, the rest were either killed, wounded and captured by the Germans, or went into hiding.
Although I can’t remember the film I do have a copy of “I Was a Stranger” by General Sir John Hackett. Hackett at the time was a brigadier commanding the 4th Parachute Brigade. I took the book with me to re-read on the ferry over. His book tells the story of how after being wounded the day before the withdrawal he escaped from a lightly guarded hospital and was hidden in a Dutch family home in Ede. In February 1945 he rode a ramshackle old bike to Sliedrecht where he was ferried across the Waal by canoe to the allied held side. I had forgotten that he “rode” to freedom, otherwise I would have planned our routes the other way round to match more closely his ride.
A tally of Germans shot written on wallpaper in a house in Oosterbeek.
In the basement of the Airborne museum was the “Arnhem Experience”.
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