A Bridge Too Far

by Cornelius Ryan

  *The children would never see it. On September 27, in a brutal reprisal against the Dutch, the Germans ordered the entire Arnhem area evacuated. Arnhem and the surrounding villages were to remain uninhabited until the very last days of the war, when Canadian troops arrived on April 14, 1945.

  *Dr. John C. Warren, Arirborne Operations in World War II, European Theater, p.146

  bm

  “In my—prejudiced—view, if the operation had been properly backed from its inception, and given the aircraft, ground forces, and administrative resources necessary for the job—it would have succeeded in spite of my mistakes, or the adverse weather, or the presence of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps in the Arnhem area. I remain MARKET-GARDEN’S unrepentant advocate.”

  —FIELD MARSHAL SIR BERNARD MONTGOMERY, Memoirs: Montgomery of Alamein, p. 267

  “My country can never again afford the luxury of another Montgomery success.”

  —BERNHARD, THE PRINCE OF THE NETHERLANDS, to the author.

  A NOTE ON CASUALTIES

  Allied forces suffered more casualties in Market-Garden than in the mammoth invasion of Normandy. Most historians agree that in the twenty-four-hour period of D Day, June 6, 1944, total Allied losses reached an estimated 10,000-12,000. In the nine days of Market-Garden combined losses—airborne and ground forces—in killed, wounded and missing amounted to more than 17,000.

  British casualties were the highest: 13,226. Urquhart’s division was almost completely destroyed. In the 10,005 Arnhem force, which includes the Poles and glider pilots, casualties totaled 7,578. In addition to this figure RAF pilot and crew losses came to another 294, making a total in wounded, dead and missing of 7,872. Horrocks’ XXX Corps lost 1,480 and the British 8th and 12th Corps another 3,874.

  American losses, including glider pilots and IX Troop Carrier Command, are put at 3,974. General Gavins 82nd Airborne Division had 1,432; General Taylors 101st, 2,118; and air crew losses 424.

  Complete German figures remain unknown but in Arnhem and Oosterbeek admitted casualties came to 3,300 including 1,300 dead. However, in the entire Market-Garden battle area, Model’s losses were much higher. While no figure breakdown is available for the number of enemy killed, wounded and missing, from the breakout at Neerpelt, then along the corridor in battles at Nijmegen, Grave, Veghel, Best and Eindhoven, after interviewing German commanders I would conservatively estimate that Army Group B lost at least another 7,500-10,000 men, of which perhaps a quarter were killed.

  What were Dutch civilian casualties? No one can say. Deaths in Arnhem and Oosterbeek are said to have been low, less than 500, but no one knows with any certainty. I have heard casualty figures—that is, dead, wounded or missing—given as high as 10,000 in the entire Operation Market-Garden campaign and as a result of the forcible evacuation of the Arnhem sector together with deprivation and starvation in the terrible winter that followed the attack.

  THE SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS OF “A BRIDGE TOO FAR”

  What They Do Today

  Following is a list of all those who out of their firsthand recollections contributed information to “A Bridge Too Far.” First, the men of the Allied armies; then the Dutch who lived in the area during the battle; and finally the German military who fought there. Occupations may have changed since this book went to press, and where an asterisk follows a name it indicates that the contributor has died since these lists were compiled. All ranks given are as of September, 1944.

  AMERICAN

  Eisenhower, Dwight David,* Gen., Supreme Comdr. [SHAEF]. Gen. of the Army, Comdr. in Chief, President of the United States.

  Bradley, Omar Nelson, Gen. [12th Army Group]. Gen. of the Army; Company director, Beverly Hills, Calif.

  Abel, Leonard Edw., 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Attorney, Bay Harbor Islands, Fla.

  Addison, William A. B., Major [82nd Airborne]. V.-P. and trust officer, South Carolina National Bank, Columbia, S.C.

  Albritton, Earl M., Cpl. [101st Airborne]. Rural mail carrier, Winnsboro, La.

  Alexander, Mark J., Lt. Col. [82nd Airborne]. Real-estate broker, Campbell, Calif.

  Alhart, John Lamar, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Dentist, Rochester, N.Y.

  Allardyce, James R., P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Engineer, Frankenmuth, Mich.

  Allen, James Mann, Lt. [101st Airborne]. President, Allen Paint Supply Co., Denver, Colo.

  Allen, John Henry, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Upholsterer, Levittown, N.Y.

  Allen, Ray Carroll, Lt. Col. [101st Airborne] Black Angus cattle rancher, Marshall, Tex.

  Altomare, John G., Cpl. [101st Airborne]. X-ray worker for Westinghouse, Baltimore, Md.

  Anderson, Fred, Jr., Capt. [101st Airborne]. V.-P. (Sales), International Corporation, Charlotte, N.C.

  Ankenbrandt, Louis E., P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Ammunition plant mechanic, Bara-boo, Wis.

  Antonion, Anthony J., P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Shoe corrections, Long Island City, N.Y.

  Appleby, Sam, S/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Attorney, Ozark, Mo.

  Arnold, George Wm., Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. District manager, Detroit News, Birmingham, Mich.

  Asay, Charles Verne, Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Linotype operator, Sacramento, Calif.

  Atkins, Lynn Cecil, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Asst. principal, Roosevelt Elementary School, El Paso, Tex.

  Badeaux, Nelson John, T/5 [82nd Airborne]. Pipeline maintenance man, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., New Iberia, La.

  Bailey, Edward N., Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Claims counselor, veterans service, College Park, Ga.

  Bailey, Sam H., Jr., Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Executive, Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co., Miami, Fla.

  Baldinger, Irving M., T/5 [101st Airborne]. President, Legion-Olmer Bakery Co., New Haven, Conn.

  Baldino, Fred James, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Postman, Burbank, Calif.

  Ballard, Robert Aye, Lt. Col. [101st Airborne]. Grove owner and operator and Postmaster, Goulds, Fla.

  Barickman, John Hamilton, Sec. Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Steelworker, Streator, III.

  Baugh, James Emory, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Medical doctor, Milledgeville, Ga.

  Baxley, George C., Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Special representative, Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., Hewitt, Tex.

  Beach, Maurice M., Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Brig. Gen. (Retired), U.S. Air Force; consulting engineer, Garden Grove, Calif.

  Beaudin, Briand N., Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Pediatrician, West Warwick, R.I.

  Beaver, Neal W., Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Factory manager, Ottawa Rubber Company of Bradner, O., Wayne, O.

  Bedell, Edwin Allen, Major [82nd Airborne]. Col. (Retired), U.S. Army; superintendent, Scientists’ Cliffs Service Co., Inc., Port Republic, Md.

  Bennett, William A., Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Printer, Columbia, Pa.

  Bernardoni, August, P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Golf professional, Deerfield, III.

  Best, William Grew, Capt .[101st Airborne]. Pathologist, Glen Mills, Pa.

  Besterbreurtje, Arie D., Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Clergyman, Charlottesville, Va.

  Biekes, Tillman Edward, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Packinghouse worker, Indianapolis, Ind.

  Bills, Lloyd Elvin, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Maintenance man, Capital City Telephone Company, Holts Summit, Mo.

  Birtwistle, Owen G., Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Col. (Retired), U.S. Air Force; Commandant, Extension Course Institute, Air University, Gunter A.F.B., Ala.

  Blackmon, Sumpter, Lt. [101st Airborne]. Principal, Rigdon Road School, Columbus, Ga.

  Blanchard, Ernest Riley, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Machinist, Bristol, Conn.

  Blank, William Leonard, S/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Management analyst, Veterans Administration Hospital, Richmond, Va.

  Blatt, A. Ebner, Capt. [101st Airborne]. Physician, Indianapolis, Ind.

  Blau, Vincent Francis, Cpl. [101st Airborne]. Electric-meter mechanic, Northern States Power Co., Minneapolis, Minn.

  Blue, James R., Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Retired, Dunn, N.C.

  Boling, Earl W., Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Security policema
n, Security Dept., Veterans Administration Hospital, Akron, O.

  Bommer, Jack Louis, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Salesman, Columbus Sign Co., Columbus, O.

  Borrelli, Anthony N., 2nd Lt. [101st Airborne]. Customer service man, Peoples Natural Gas Co., Glassport, Pa.

  Bowman, Bernard George, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Coal miner, Van, W. Va.

  Boyce, Robert Ignatius, Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Postal clerk, Springfield, Mass.

  Brakken, Joyce Pershing, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Carpenter, Minneapolis, Minn.

  Brandt, John Rudolph, Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Warehouse foreman, Colma, Calif.

  Brennan, George F., 2nd Lt. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Director of Civilian Personnel, U.S. Dept. of Defense, Alexandria, Va.

  Brierre, Eugene Donnaud, Lt. [101st Airborne]. Attorney, New Orleans, La.

  Brilla, Michael A., Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Parts manager, Grabski Ford, Inc., Gar-field Hts., O.

  Brockley, Harold Raymond, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Postal clerk, Connersville, Ind.

  Brown, Earl J., P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. High-school principal, Wilburton, Okla.

  Brownlee, Richard Harold, 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Druggist, Yuma, Colo.

  Brunson, Ernest Merkle, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Screen-room-department operator, Union Camp Paper Corp., Savannah, Ga.

  Bryant, Nelson, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Outdoors writer, New York Times, Marthas Vineyard, Mass.

  Buck, Rex Douglas, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Sales and service man, Jamestown Container Corp., Jamestown, N.Y.

  Buffone, Harry Joseph, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Carpenter, Jacksonville, Fla.

  Burns, Robert G., Lt. [101st Airborne]. College football coach, University of So. Dakota, Sioux Falls, S.D.

  Burriss, Thomas Moffatt, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. General contractor, Columbia, S.C.

  Busson, Ralph Joseph, S/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Farmer, Doylestown, O.

  Cadden, James Joseph, Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Detective Lieutenant, Homicide, Baltimore City Police Dept., Cockeysville, Md.

  Campana, Victor Woodrow, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Schoolteacher, Lexington, Mass.

  Campbell, Richard Angel, Lt. [101st Airborne]. Real-estate broker, Palo Alto, Calif.

  Cannon, Harold Felton, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Schoolteacher, Lakeside Junior High School, Anderson, S.C.

  Cannon, Howard W., Lt. Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. U.S. Senator from Nevada, Washington, D.C.

  Carmichael, Virgil F., Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Circuit judge, Cleveland, Tenn.

  Carp, Samuel M., Lt. [101st Airborne]. Salesman, Rockford Standard Furniture Co., Rockford, III

  Carpenter, Frank J., Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Pharmaceutical representative, Upland, Calif.

  Carpenter, Lowell Keith, Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Sales manager, Bend, Ore.

  Carroll, Jack Paul, 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Appraiser, Riverside County Assessors Office, Riverside, Calif.

  Carter, Winston Owen, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Farmer, Helena, Ark.

  Cartwright, Marvin D., Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Rural mail carrier, Elk Mound, Wis.

  Cartwright, Robert Stanley, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Maintenance Dept., Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Detroit, Mich.

  Castiglione, Frank B., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Hobbyshop owner, Orange, Conn.

  Cavanagh, Eugene, Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Brakeman, Penn Central R.R., Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.

  Chappell, Julian M., Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Retired, Americus, Ga.

  Chase, Charles Henry, Lt. Col. [101st Airborne]. Maj. Gen., U.S. Army, Chief of Staff, Heidelberg, Germany.

  Cholmondeley, Jack A.,* M/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Secretary, Kenwood Savings & Loan Assn., Cincinnati, O.

  Cipolla, John J., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Finishing superintendent, Sargent & Greenleaf Inc. Rochester, N.Y.

  Clark, Harold L., Brig. Gen. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Brig. Gen. (Retired), U.S. Air Force; company director, Daedalian Foundation, San Antonio, Tex.

  Clarke, Richard Robert, Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Deputy Information Officer, Office of the Information Officer, Hq., U.S. Air Force Southern Command, Curundu Heights, C.Z.

  Clemons, George W., Sgt. [101st Airborne]. School principal, Fresno, Calif.

  Cockrell, James Knox, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Research engineer, Falls Church, Va.

  Colombi, Gerald, Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Real-estate broker and developer, Belmont, Calif.

  Connelly, John J., Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Construction electrician, East Islip, N.Y.

  Connelly, John W., Capt. [82nd Airborne]. County extension agent, Richmond, Ind.

  Cook, Edgar L., 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Copy editor, Northfield, Conn.

  Cook, Julian A., Maj. [82nd Airborne]. Col., U.S. Army, Columbia, S.C.

  Copas, Marshall, T/Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Sgt. Major, U.S. Army, A.P.O., San Francisco, Calif.

  Corcoran, James S., Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Sales representative and group consultant, Hospital Service Corp., Chicago, III.

  Cox, X. B., Jr., Lt. Col. [101st Airborne]. Rancher, San Angelo, Tex.

  Coyle, James J., Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Accountant, American Tobacco Co., Hicksville, N.Y.

  Crabtree, Bernard Gilbert, T/5 [82nd Airborne]. Teacher, Kissimmee, Fla.

  Craig, William H., Lt. [101st Airborne]. Sales representative, Sentry Insurance, Pasadena, Tex.

  Cready, Raymond D., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Masonry contractor, North Miami, Fla.

  Cronkite, Walter, News Correspondent. CBS commentator, New York, N.Y.

  Damianov, George John, T/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Plasterer, King of Prussia, Pa.

  Dahlin, John F., Capt. [101st Airborne]. Aircraft engineer, North Hollywood, Calif.

  Davidson, Lawrence H., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Owner, Davidson Meat Market, Franklin, Ky.

  Davis, Andrew James, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Heavy equipment operator, Sun Valley, Calif.

  Davis, Robert, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Assistant sales manager, Westport, Conn.

  Dawson, Buck, 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. International Swimming Hall of Fame, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

  De Paul, Leo J., Sgt. [101st Airborne]. Salesman, Cleveland, O.

  Defer, Raymond Pierre, T/5 [101st Airborne]. Owner, home appliance sales & service store, Warrenville, III.

  Demetras, A. D., Wire Chief [82nd Airborne]. Attorney at law, Reno, Nev.

  De Vasto, Francis Alphonse, P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Contracts Administration, U.S. Government, Burlington, Mass.

  Dickson, Robert S., III, Lt. [101st Airborne]. Col, U.S. Army, Defense Attache, Teheran, Iran.

  Dietrich, Frank Leslie, T/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Lt. Col, U.S. Army, Silver Springs, Md.

  Dispenza, Peter, Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Police officer, N.Y.C.P.D., Woodside, N.Y.

  Dix, Shirley H., Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Dentist, Miami, Fla.

  Dobberstein, Hugo Paul, P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Laboratory technician, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Appleton, Wis.

  Dodd, Edgar Frank, Cpl. [101st Airborne]. Minister, Crockett, Tex.

  Dohun, Charles J., S/Sgt [101st Airborne]. Manager of resort motel, Topsail Beach, N.C.

  Donalson, John M., Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. President, Tennessee Forging Steel Corp., Rockwood, Tenn.

  Donnewirth, George Adam, T/5 [101st Airborne]. Carpenter, Clyde, O.

  Doxzen, George D., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Installation supervisor, Western Electric Co., Baltimore, Md.

  Druback, William A., Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Elevator constructor, Otis Elevator Co., Bayonne, N.J.

  Druener, Hanz Karl, 2nd Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Lt. Col, U.S. Army, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

  Duke, James Edward, Col. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. V.-P., Electro-Medics Devices Co., Pacific Palisades, Calif.

  Duncan, John Richard, Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Schoolteacher, Quincy, III.

  Duva, August John, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Capt., Jersey City Fire Dept., Jersey City, N.J.

  Dwyer, Francis Patrick Thomas, Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Program director, Island Trees, N.Y.

  Dwyer, Robert Joseph, Lt. [82nd Airbo
rne]. Associate professor of sociology, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Missoula, Mont.

  Eason, Bert C., Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. House painter, Phenix City, Ala.

  Eatman, Harold Lee, Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Customer Services, Eastern Air Lines, Charlotte, N.C.

  Eisner, Julius, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Civil Service, U.S. Government, Miami, Fla.

  Elliott, Chester Harding, Pvt. [101st Airborne]. Timber worker, Thomasville, Mo.

  Eubanks, Henry Edward, P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Employee, Blue Bell Packing Co., DuQuoin, III.

  Felt, Robert H., T/4 [101st Airborne], Asst. train dispatcher, N.Y.C. Transit Authority, West Hempstead, N.Y.

  Fergie, Charles, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Retired, Kearney, N.J.

  Ferguson, Arthur William, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Senior public health engineer, Warner Robins, Ga.

  Fielder, Robert Abbott, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Lt. Col. (Retired), U.S. Army, San Pedro, Calif.

  Finkbeiner, Theodore, Jr., Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Capt., Fire Dept, Monroe, La.

  Fischer, Russell W., P.F.C. [82nd Airborne]. Senior instrumentation tech., Shell Development Corp., Lafayette, Calif.

  Fitzgerald, John E., P.F.C. [101st Airborne]. Data-processing supervisor, Staten Island Community College, Staten Island, N.Y.

  Foley, John Paul, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Owner, picture-frame studio, Durham, N.C.

  Fosburgh, James Whitney, 2nd Lt. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Painter, New York, N.Y.

  Fox, James D., 2nd Lt. [9th Troop Carrier Command]. Ass’t. to V.-P., Pan American World Airways, Darien, Conn.

  Franco, Robert, Capt. [82nd Airborne]. Surgeon, Richland, Wash.

  Franks, Darrell James, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Construction engineer, Asheville, N.C.

  Fransosi, Arthur Arnold, Cpl. [82nd Airborne]. Postal employee, Cranston, R.I.

  French, Donald J., Lt. Col. [82nd Airborne]. Col. (Retired), U.S. Air Force; trucking and storage manager, Allied Van Lines, Vacaville, Calif.

  Fuller, Clark H., S/Sgt. [82nd Airborne]. Cook, Jamaica, N.Y.

  Furey, Thomas Patrick, Lt. [82nd Airborne]. Col., U.S. Army, Ryukyu Islands, A.P.O., San Francisco, Calif.

  Galvin, Wayne William, Pvt. [82nd Airborne]. Journeyman painter, Fairview, Ore.