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Operation MARKET GARDEN

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Operation MARKET GARDEN 2024

4 Commemorative jumps on 4 historic drop zones

Parachute Group Holland has been organizing remembrance/commemoration jumps at both American and British WW2 drop zones for fifteen years. During those days, parachute jumps are made from a C-47 (Dakota). A historic aircraft that was actually involved in operation MARKET GARDEN in September 1944.

As a host organization, PGH participates in the major military commemoration that is organized every year at drop zone Y (Ginkelse Heide) by the Dutch Ministry of Defense.

Program Market Garden 2024

Date	Dropzone	Location	Time over Target
September 17	Equipment Check & Team Briefing	PGH	18:00 hrs
September 18	LZ S Wolfheze - Pathfinders, 21st Independent Parachute Company	Spectators	09:00 uur
19 september	DZ N Groesbeek - 505th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division	Spectators	09:00 hrs
September 20	DZ A1 Heeswijk Castle - 501st PIR, 101st Airborne Division	Spectators	09:00 hrs
September 21	DZ Y Ginkel Heith - 1st Britisch Airborne Division	Spectators	09:00 & 12:00 hrs

Videos Market Garden 1944

Market Garden in 1 minuut

This 'infographic' video provides a clear explanation of the objectives and implementation of Operation Market Garden.

Battlefield - Arnhem prt 1

A well-researched documentary about the Battle of Arnhem. Filled with a lot of historical material. Duration: 51 minutes

The Glider Stories

In addition to 20,000 paratroopers, about 15,000 soldiers were deployed per glider during Market Garden. Plus, a lot of heavier equipment was brought in via gliders.

Operation Bail Out 21-23 juni 2024

Following Operation Englandspiel, which focused on the deployment of Secret Agents over the Netherlands by parachute, in 2024 PGH will pay tribute to 'Downed Aircrew' in the Netherlands during WW2. A large number of them bailed out by parachute to reach safety.

During the Second World War, almost 6,000 aircraft crashed on Dutch soil, killing a total of around 20,000 crew members. When an aircraft flying over the Netherlands was seriously damaged, the aircrew had to bail out. Not an easy procedure, the parachutes were bulky and not entirely reliable, escape hatches were small and usually had to be opened in the dark. And often the plane was on fire and out of control. Men were also injured or killed by parts of the plane after jumping. Only 25% of the crews safely left Halifaxes and Stirlings, only 15% the Lancasters. 30% of the crew from B17s managed to make a good bail out.

Less than 10% of the surviving crew members managed to stay out of the hands of the Germans and escape to a safe area via the so-called Escape Lines. The rest were captured and imprisoned in POW camps.

Operation Englandspiel 2023

THEY JUMPED TO DEATH FOR OUR FREEDOM
ENGLANDSPIEL
1942 - 1944

During this operation, PGH paratroopers jump on 3 drop zones that were used during the Second World War to land Dutch secret agents in the Netherlands. During that war, more than 200 agents were parachuted into the Netherlands to set up a radio and intelligence network, organize the resistance and establish escape routes for downed pilots. Of these agents, consisting of overseas Dutch and England sailors, 76 became involved in the betrayal of the Englandspiel. A game by the Germans that kept the radio network under their control alive.

Almost all agents fell into the hands of the Germans soon after parachuting (and some via sea). Ultimately, 59 of them were executed by the Nazis.

The 'Englanspiel'
In May 1940, the Netherlands became involved in the Second World War and the government fled to England. Once there and installed, it was quickly decided to establish a 'Dutch Legion' in England, which would help fight against Nazi Germany. In July they will contact the Central Intelligence Service (CID) for this purpose. A number of soldiers and early England sailors were willing to go to the Netherlands as secret agents to gather much-needed intelligence and set up a communications network.

After, in August, at the insistence of the English, conscription was introduced for Dutch people aged 19 to 36 (later changed to 18 to 42 years) who were outside the Netherlands, the government in exile was able to focus on the plan to to deploy this growing 'Dutch Legion'. They had to rely on help from the English to train this Legion. This also applies to intelligence and liaison work.

In the beginning, the CID works together with MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service of the English. After a few months, the English set up a new agency that specifically focused on sabotage and 'irregular warfare' in occupied areas. In May 1941, SOE starts recruiting soldiers. This also applies to the conscripts from the 'Dutch Legion'. From the end of 1941, SOE agents were parachuted into the Netherlands to organize sabotage and resistance. It ends in a fiasco: more than 50 secret agents are arrested by the Germans. Their transmitting equipment and sabotage equipment falls into German hands. For over a year and a half, SOE has apparently unsuspectingly communicated with the German Abwehr, instead of their own agents. This became known as the 'Englandspiel'. Only twelve secret agents deployed in the Englandspiel period survived the war.

The dissertation 'Nordpol Dossier, The Englandspiel under the microscope', published in 2003, explains that the English probably deliberately played a part in the Englandspiel to give the impression that the invasion would take place in the Netherlands. We will have to wait until 2040 to say this with certainty. Only then will the SOE archives become public. If the theory is correct, then the officers were deliberately sacrificed to keep the front in the West as extensive as possible.

The dropzones of Operation Englandspiel 2023

9 juni 2023 Drop area Haarle - Hellendoorn

Dropped 28/29 maart 1942 OPERATIE TURNIP I & II - Leo Andringa en Jan Molenaar (Engelandvaarder), dropped west of Hellendoorn in Overijssel. Marconist Molenaar is injured and commits suicide (pill), Andringa is arrested on April 28, 1942.

10 juni 2023 Drop area Voorthuizen

Dropping 18 februari 1943 BROADBEAN \HOCKEY - Gerrit van Os en Jan Kist, dropped at Voorthuizen in Gelderland and immediately arrested

11 juni 2023 Drop area Holten

Dropping 28/29 maart 1942 Operatie LETTUCE \ TRUMPET - Gosse Ras and Han Jordaan, dropped near Holten. Ras was arrested on May 1, 1942, Jordaan two days later.
Dropping 22 juni 1942 Operatie PARSNIP I & II- Jan van Rietschoten and Jo Buizer, dropped at Holten and immediately arrested.
Dropping 23 juli 1942 Operatie LEEK A HECK- Gerard Jan van Hemert, dropped at Holten and immediately arrested.
Dropping 23 oktober 1942 Operatie TOMATO B & C- Jan Hofstede and Christiaan Pouwels, dropped at Holten and immediately arrested.
Dropping 28 oktober 1942 Operatie CUCUMBER - Johannes Dane and Jacob Bakker, dropped at Holten and immediately arrested.

Demonstation Jumps

In addition to organizing jumping training courses Ronde Bol and Market Garden, we are regularly invited to perform a demonstration jump during various WWII events. The members of PGH regularly jump at events and commemorations in replicas of the original uniforms that were worn during these jumps in the Second World War. This is done in memory and respect to the soldiers who actually carried out this during that period. Our secretariat will be happy to discuss the possibilities with you.

School projects
For as long as Parachute Group Holland has existed, we have been explaining Operation Market Garden to school classes and what that operation has meant for the Netherlands. This is usually in the field and we make it lively with a real American or English paratrooper to whom questions can be asked. We also explain how the parachute works and show the children how much force the wind exerts on it.

We also intend to develop teaching materials for the classroom. Send us an email if you are interested.

Television Projects
We are regularly approached for television projects. For example, in 2012 we worked for BNN on the parachuting part of 'The Battle of Arnhem' and in 2013 'The Longest Day'. A number of young people underwent grueling training and, like their peers during those historic days in 1944, performed a parachute jump.

In 2017, History Channel used our training for the program 'War Junk' to ultimately make a jump on historical ground, a jump on the Ginkels Heide.

Watch all episodes of BNN's 'The Longest Day' here