Report by Jack Sherlock of the 60th Commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem.

We left Wellington on the September 13th at 6am arriving in Sydney at 7.30am. A few hours later we were joined by two of the veterans (both ex-members of the RNZAF attached to the RAF) Bill Sparks and Charles Swan and his daughter who arrived from Auckland. Alex Gibbs from New Plymouth had his flight delayed—but he managed to catch the same British Airways Flight as the rest of our group leaving Sydney at 2.50pm for London. Here we were joined by another veteran—Doug Thorley with his wife and took the flight from Heathrow to Schipol. We were met by the “Lest we forget’ Foundation members who escorted us to the coaches to take us to Lebretweg Auditorium Oosterbeek. It was here that we met by our Hosts—these wonderful people who gave up a week of their lives to enable us to take part in the celebrations.

The following day the 15th September there was a ceremony for the re-opening of the John Frost Bridge which had been renovated and painted in the Airborne colours—maroon and light blue. The public were invited and the film “A Bridge too Far” was shown.

The Arnhem Veterans Club Annual General Meeting took place in the evening, at The Lebretweg Auditorium. As the Lest We Forget N.Z. Representative I attended this AGM and was presented with a Ceramic Plaque and a Certificate of thanks for my 10 years of service to the Committee.

The official opening of the 60th. Commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem took place in the Eusebius Church on the 16th.September. We met up with Pam Henry-Lamm and her daughter at the church. All Veterans received a watercolour painting of the Bridge and also a book “Airborne 60 years of Commemoration”. These were in a small bag with a picture of the new flag—Bridge to the future.

After the service the March-past across the John Frost Bridge took place. Two of the party marched across, the others—including Tiny Deys travelled in style in a military vehicle. A “Thank You Veterans” Concert was put on in the multifunctional stadium Gelredome for veterans, relatives and invited guests by more than 10,000 children.

On Friday 17th.September wreath laying ceremonies took place at the monument opposite the Hartenstein Museum, King William III Barracks, Apeldoorn and the Airborne Circle in Arnhem. It was estimated that fifteen thousand people attended the Airborne Cemetery at Oosterbeek on Sunday 19th. for the Official Commemorative Service and the laying of the flowers by schoolchildren. Queen Beatrice and Prince Charles were in attendance as was the N.Z. Ambassador to the Netherlands— David Payton. As seating for such a huge crowd was not possible all young people (anyone under the age of 65 years) was asked to stand to enable the Arnhem Veterans to sit during the Ceremony.

Our thanks go to the Lest We Forget Foundation Members and the hosts for this memorable week. The programme was very full (It wasn’t until the last morning that we were able to meet Alec McKimm and his wife), and it wasn’t physically possible to attend all the events, but we managed as many as we could to re-live the situations and to exchange memories. Our comrades were always in our minds - those that we lost in battle, those who have died since that time, and also the men in New Zealand who would have liked to attend the Commemorations, but were unable to do so due to health problems.

Thirty thousand people made their way to Ginkel Heath on the Saturday to see the Parachute Drop by Arnhem Veterans (about 6 managed to complete it this year) and The 4th.Volunteer Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Transport regulations did not allow private cars to park at the Heath and it was necessary to catch special coaches well outside the area and then be dropped off at the site. The delays caused by the numbers meant many of the General Public did not reach the Heath until after the official closing time, so the Parachute Drops went on into the afternoon to the delight of many.