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emeg

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  1. That is a reason why this thread draw my attention Central Gelderland is a densely populated area. The city region Arnhem-Nijmegen is one of the seven metropolitan areas of the Netherlands. Being a conurbation of 20 communities with more than 730.000 inhabitants, living in a space of about 1000 square kilometres. So it is i.m.o. not really special to be Dutch and living there. But the occurings of September 1944 are not forgotten. There are many locations in Arnhem and its western suburbs where you can find memorial signs and monuments regarding the battle. Every year, on the first Saturday in September, there is in Oosterbeek the Airborne March, by the number of its participants the largest one-day march in the world. I am very interested how this project shall be continued. May-be I can give some what more help and information, if wished. By example using my own knowledge to give additional information, or taking information from in Dutch written (internet) sources, or to give help by some other way's. With regards, emeg.
  2. At first I hope my English is not too bad. I am Dutch and not a native English speaker. The whole situation during that incident was in fact crasy and thus remarkable. Before my reaction reagarding that incident I wish to tell you, as a new forum user, also something about myself. I was born 15 years after the battle took place at the Utrechtseweg in Arnhem West on a location about 100 meters west of the St. Elisabeth Hospital. That is in birds eye about 70 meters from the location in the Alexanderstraat where the Urquhart shooting incident took place. My secondary education period was in Oosterbeek, and up to today I have always lived in Arnhem or its vicinity. The parents home of my mother were she (and me too) was born is clearly visible at one of the photo's posted in this threat. It is picture 2.3 in posting #68 (with the German StuGs). Looking at that picture it is remarkable to grasp that at the moment that photo was made my family was just about 65-70 meters away, sheltering in the large basement below their home for the raging battle fought above their heads. On the right-below side of the photo is a bent in the sidewalk visible, being the T-junction Utrechtseweg-Zwarteweg direct west of the St. Elisabeth Hospital. Photo 2.3 (the one meant in posting #68) is made about 80 meters south of the adress Alexanderstraat 135 where General Urquhart killed the German soldier, just after Brigade General Lathbury was wounded by a German bullet and brought inside that house. Two very high ranked officers together and already in front of the British positions after they made the huge mistake running to the wrong direction towards German positions, was a remarkable (crasy) event during the fights in Arnhem West. You can use Google Street View for a 360 degrees view arround in the Alexanderstraat were this incident happend. (The latitude-longitude coordinates are "North = 51 59'05.56 East = 5 53'04.87) This part of Arnhem West (known as the Lombok district) looks today still the same as in 1944. Having the same houses as at that time, including the former St. Elisabeth Hospital what is today an appartment complex. The incident at the Alexanderstraat 135 is also mentioned in a larger context in the informative website "Freedom Trail Arnhem". I have placed a direct link to the relevant webpage "08 Zwarteweg 14" See: https://sites.google.com/site/freedomtrailarnhemengelstalig/08-zwarteweg-14 The web homepage is: https://sites.google.com/site/freedomtrailarnhemengelstalig/home The adress Zwarteweg 14 is located at the west side of the St. Elisabeth Hospital and was the place Gereral Urquhart moved to after the incident in the Alexanderstraat. In front of the house at the Zwarteweg 14 was already a German self propelled gun positioned. But the German crew had not the slightest presumption of the very nearby presence of the highest ranked British officer, being isolated from his own units and forced to hide himself at the attic of the small workers-class house for about 24 hours during one of the most crucial phases of the battle. with regards, emeg.
  3. Hi. An interesting project has been started here, drawing my attention. Looking at picture 6.5 in post # 159 I wish to mention that the church tower is placed incorrect relative to the nave of the church. The backside of the nave is in real facing 75 degrees to the east-northeast. The church tower is relative to the church nave at 255 degrees at the west-southwest. You can use the available Google Earth measuring equipment to confirm the information. There is more interesting information regarding this church, more than 1000 years old, is one of the oldest still existing church buildings in the Netherlands. Original the church was built in a Pre-Romanesque style. But due a rapid grow of the Oosterbeek population during the 19th century a larger church was needed. The original plan in the 1850's was to demolish the old church and replace it by a brand new one. But there were not enouch funds available for that project. Instead of building a new church the visitors capacity of the old church was increased by adding up a neo gothic north-south contruction to the church nave. Because of this the church architecture was in 1944 not the same as it looks today. Also its spire was in 1944 higher as it is now. After World War 2 another church was built near the Utrechtseweg for the northern part of the village. The old church was restored from its heavy war damage back into its historical plausible 1000 years old Pre-Romanesque style. If you compare in the Dutch Wikipedia article of the Oosterbeek church the photo that was made in 1905 with a photo made in 2012 you can see very clear the huge architectural differences also. See here: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oude_Kerk_(Oosterbeek) And: http://pkn-oosterbeek-wolfheze.nl/oudekerkoosterbeek/images/oudekerk1945.jpg With regards, emeg.
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