Netherlands - Het Loo Palace & A Bridge Too Far at Arnhem

Operation Market Garden was the code-name for one of the largest airborne operations of WWII. The Battle of Arnhem was immortalized in the 1977 movie “A Bridge Too Far”. Our visit to Arnhem was one of the more interesting stops on our recent river cruise of the Netherlands.

For information on viewing my video Het Loo Palace & A Bridge Too Far at Arnhem click on http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=50074784&postcount=375

Ron

Operation Market Garden was the code-name for one of the largest airborne operations of WWII. The Battle of Arnhem was immortalized in the 1977 movie “A Bridge Too Far”. Our visit to Arnhem was one of the more interesting stops on our recent river cruise of the Netherlands.

 

For information on viewing my video Het Loo Palace & A Bridge Too Far at Arnhem click on http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=50074784&postcount=375

 

Ron

Cornelius Ryan's book, published shortly before his death in 1974, was the basis for the movie. It followed publication of The Longest Day, he also co wrote that screenplay, and The Last Battle, no movie for that one. Those books are good read reads for Seine and Elbe cruisers having any interest in WWII history.

If you're interested in Operation Market Garden, also check out the Airborne museum in Arnhem. Very well done and interesting. Easy to get to from the train station using public transportation.

I was biking along the river the next day and came across The Old Church in Oosterbeek. This was the British stronghold while they were retreating across the river. It was neat because prior to visiting the Airborne museum it would have been just a random church, now I had some context to view it in. Complete with unpatched bullet scars.

Here's a link to more info on the battle in Arnhem:

https://wargamecenter.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/visiting-battlefields-the-bridge-of-arnhem-operation-market-garden/

I believe Vantage has a cruise that leaves from Arnhem itself.

If you're interested in Operation Market Garden, also check out the Airborne museum in Arnhem. Very well done and interesting. Easy to get to from the train station using public transportation.

 

I was biking along the river the next day and came across The Old Church in Oosterbeek. This was the British stronghold while they were retreating across the river. It was neat because prior to visiting the Airborne museum it would have been just a random church, now I had some context to view it in. Complete with unpatched bullet scars.

 

Here's a link to more info on the battle in Arnhem:

https://wargamecenter.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/visiting-battlefields-the-bridge-of-arnhem-operation-market-garden/

 

I believe Vantage has a cruise that leaves from Arnhem itself.

Thanks for sharing this website. Very well done! Lots of good information and pictures. I wish our Viking tour would have included more of the Arnhem WWII sites including the church. My wife's father is buried in the American cemetery at Luxemburg, where General Patten is buried. We have visited the cemetery many other WWII sites in Europe.

Ron

If you're interested in Operation Market Garden, also check out the Airborne museum in Arnhem. Very well done and interesting. Easy to get to from the train station using public transportation.

 

I was biking along the river the next day and came across The Old Church in Oosterbeek. This was the British stronghold while they were retreating across the river. It was neat because prior to visiting the Airborne museum it would have been just a random church, now I had some context to view it in. Complete with unpatched bullet scars.

 

Here's a link to more info on the battle in Arnhem:

https://wargamecenter.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/visiting-battlefields-the-bridge-of-arnhem-operation-market-garden/

 

I believe Vantage has a cruise that leaves from Arnhem itself.

I forgot to mention that our Viking cruise docked at a pier just under the bridge. The small museum is on the opposite side of the bridge from the pier and the Airborne memorial shown in my video is just in front of the museum. In January, we're going to Thailand and plan on visiting "The Bridge Over the River Kwai.