Medal - 80 jaar Market Garden ND
| Silver plated copper | 16 g | 30 mm |
| Location | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Type | Commemorative medals › Event medals |
| Composition | Silver plated copper |
| Weight | 16 g |
| Diameter | 30 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Updated | 2024-11-12 |
| Numista | N#440562 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Large 'V' for Peace and Freedom flanked by the Dutch Lion and four doves of peace.
Script: Latin
Lettering: Vrede & Vrijheid
Translation: Peace & Freedom
Edge
Reeded
Comment
Operation Market Garden, aimed at capturing the bridges over the Dutch Rhine, is one of the greatest Allied failures of World War II.
Operation Market Garden takes place between 17 and 25 September 1944 and is an ambitious military operation of the Allies during the Second World War. The plan, developed by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, aims to capture important bridges in the Netherlands, from Eindhoven to Arnhem. This should enable a rapid advance into Germany and end the war more quickly.
The operation consists of two parts: Market and Garden. Market is the airborne operation, in which American, British and Polish airborne troops must occupy strategic bridges and other vital points. Garden is the ground attack, in which Allied ground troops advance from Belgium to support the airborne troops and secure the captured bridges.
Initially, the Allies were successful and managed to capture the bridges at Eindhoven and Nijmegen. However, at Arnhem, the British 1st Airborne Division and the Polish Brigade encountered strong German resistance. The bridge at Arnhem, also known as 'a bridge too far', was not captured in time. The ground troops were unable to reach the airborne troops in time, causing the operation to stall.
The failure of Operation Market Garden resulted in heavy losses for the Allies and significantly delayed the liberation of the Netherlands. The operation resulted in approximately 17,000 Allied losses, including killed, wounded and prisoners. Despite this failure, Market Garden remains an important strategic moment in the history of war. It highlights both the courage of the soldiers involved and the complexity and risks of large-scale military planning and operations. The failure of the operation underscores the need for accurate intelligence and the importance of logistical support in military campaigns.
