OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
The Airborne Cemetery Oosterbeek
The decision to construct the airborne cemetery at oosterbeek was taken on june 5th 1945
after a meeting with the Renkum municipality and lieutenant-colonel Stott from the 21th
army group. In february 1946 the construction of the Airborne Cemetery was completed.
Until 1952 the crosses on the graves were made from sinc and from that year on all
replaced by the grave stones.
The ground is owned by the dutch government(ministery of defense) and in loan by the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
There are not only english soldiers burried on the cemetery, but also polish,
canadian, australian and soldiers from New-Zealand.
When in the summer of 1945 soldiers of the 1st airborne division were back in
Oosterbeek for the making of the film 'Theirs the Glory' the idea was born for
a yearly commemoration and a memorial service on the airborne cemetery.
The 1st memorial service was held on september 25th 1945 and dutch schoolchildren
layed flowers on the graves of the heroes and since then they lay flowers every year.
It is the most emotional moment of the memorial service when the children enter the
cemetery and lay the flowers on the graves.
OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
