Lonsdale Church, Oosterbeek, near Arnhem
Oosterbeek Church first featured in the fighting at Arnhem on 19th September 1944, when Major Richard Lonsdale, second in command of 11th Bn Parachute Regiment, gathered the survivors of the fighting around St Elisabeth Hospital.
The defenders of this sector of the Oosterbeek Perimeter became known as 'Lonsdale Force' and the church was soon known as 'Lonsdale Church'. Close by was Kate Ter Horst's house, used as an aid post, guns of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment dug in around the church site, and at the close of the battle, there were many foxholes of the survivors of 1st Airborne.
South of the church, and visible from the back of it was the Lower Rhine, and it was close to here that Operation Berlin - the evacuation of 1st Airborne - took place from Driel on 25th/26th September.
Lonsdale Church, Oosterbeek, near Arnhem
Oosterbeek Church first featured in the fighting at Arnhem on 19th September 1944, when Major Richard Lonsdale, second in command of 11th Bn Parachute Regiment, gathered the survivors of the fighting around St Elisabeth Hospital.
The defenders of this sector of the Oosterbeek Perimeter became known as 'Lonsdale Force' and the church was soon known as 'Lonsdale Church'. Close by was Kate Ter Horst's house, used as an aid post, guns of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment dug in around the church site, and at the close of the battle, there were many foxholes of the survivors of 1st Airborne.
South of the church, and visible from the back of it was the Lower Rhine, and it was close to here that Operation Berlin - the evacuation of 1st Airborne - took place from Driel on 25th/26th September.