Ian showed us around Oosterbeek as he’s very knowledgeable about the whole battle. We found the tree with the ‘1st Airborne 1944’ carved in it, Kate Ter Horsts house, the little church where they rested whilst Major Lonsdale gave that rousing speech and on to the bridge –the bridge has been rebuilt, named the ‘John Frost Bridge’ & dedicated to the men who fought for freedom.
The ‘John Frost Bridge’ - Imagine a Tiger coming towards you firing
whilst you wait patiently with your PIAT
Neither Ian nor myself has crossed that bridge just as they never did.
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We headed off to Oosterbeek cemetery and walked in with hundreds of other people. The main ceremony went on with representatives from Holland, Poland & Britain, readings of the Airborne prayer and the singing of the Airborne hymn. Quietly at first then louder we heard the sound of the children walking down the gravel path towards the entrance, they each carried a bunch of flowers and walked in single file down each row of stones, this continued for ages and was made up of young children with their teacher right up to the older scouts.
A plaque for the flower children and Oosterbeek cemetery before the service
 
The children stood proudly by the grave stone they had been allocated and on cue turned to face it, without a command and in unison they placed the flowers down upon the grave. As I looked around at the faces of hardened soldiers, veterans and people just paying their respect to the soldiers there was hardly a dry eye around. Applause broke out for the children laying the flowers and helped us to recompose ourselves. Overhead two Hercules flew over followed by the ‘Lady’ on her way to drop the Groesbeek jumpers.
It was time to go home, until next time.
Everyone always says I couldn’t have done this without…….its true!. I really couldn’t have done it without my wife’s support, upon my return she only had 4 weeks to go before our son is due & my daughters Natasha and Issy.
 
The final word
