30,000 to 40,000 people saw paratroopers land on the Ginkelse Heide in Ede this morning during the commemoration of Operation Market Garden, Omroep Gelderland reports. It was the 79th commemoration, and because of the nice weather it was busy at the paradroppings.
During the airborne landings in 1944, about two thousand paratroopers landed at the same spot in fifteen minutes. Paradroppings cannot always take place during the annual commemoration; they do not continue if it is raining heavily or foggy.
This morning some soldiers made a free fall from a height of 3 kilometers. The mass drop started around 10:30 am. Dozens of paratroopers from different countries jumped from planes, such as an old Dakota, to commemorate the Battle of Arnhem. The paratroopers included members of the 11 Air Mobile Brigade and Parachute Group Holland.
After the landings, speeches followed from, among others, the mayor of Ede, René Verhulst.
- American veteran (101) of Operation Market Garden has died
- Tens of thousands of walkers and six or seven veterans commemorate the Battle of Arnhem
