Operation Market Garden is the World War II campaign famously known as “a bridge too far.” This major Allied military campaign launched in The Netherlands in September 1944. It aimed to capture key bridges along rivers and canals to create a route into Germany. The hope of the Allies was to push the Germans east of these bridges and clear a path to head to Berlin and end the long and bloody war.
Tracing Operation Market Garden today
Recently I joined a tour run by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. My tour followed the path of the 101st Airborne, Easy Company through Europe, from D-Day to the Eagle’s Nest in Germany and the end of the war.
One of my favorite legs of the tour was a winding drive tracing the main events of Operation Market Garden. Some places along the way were where Easy Company fought in this campaign. Others were major places of the battle involving other troops. And the ending was in Arnhem, where the “bridge too far” still crosses the Lower Rhine. Today, that bridge is named in honor of British commander John Frost.
Read on for a look at salient places in the battle that covered a 65-mile course from south to north. You can use the map and information to plan your own visit. Or you can join a tour with the advantage of a historian walking you through the sites and explaining aspects of the conflict.
Tour information and a few suggestions are at the end of this post for your travel planning.
Why the name “Market Garden”?
As a joint endeavor of British, Americans, and Polish, Operation Market Garden featured two main parts.
“Market” – This was the airborne operation. Thousands of paratroopers would land behind enemy lines to seize strategic bridges and hold them until ground forces could relieve them.
“Garden” – This part of the plan referred to the ground assault by the British XXX Corps, advancing north to link up with the airborne troops, securing each bridge along the way. The planned route for XXX Corps was along a single main road, nicknamed “Hell’s Highway,” which would prove disastrous to the operation.
As you trace Operation Market Garden, you can keep in mind whether you are at sites assigned to the “market” airborne troops or to the “garden” ground troops, or both.
Here is a map of the campaign from the U.S. Army Center of Military History. You can also link directly to the map.
Start in Eindhoven
Eindhoven welcomed Easy Company troops dropped into the area on September 17, 1944. The old town is lovely, with canals and steepled old cathedrals.
People turned out en masse to greet the Americans. Streets filled with joyful Eindhoven residents who danced and cheered their hero liberators.
Easy Company secured some of the bridges around Eindhoven. A main objective was the bridge at Son (or Zon).
Visit the bridge at Son
This important bridge sits on the Wilhelmina Canal near Eindhoven. While Easy Company pushed the Germans back off the bridge on September 17, the Germans then blew up the bridge.
In response, Easy Company constructed a Bailey bridge across this crucial (though tiny) canal. Here’s a photo of a Bailey bridge. You can see that assembling this metal monster was no easy task.
Today a restaurant sits at the edge of the water near the reconstructed bridge at Son. You can relax and enjoy a coffee while you contemplate what happened here all those years ago.
Learn about the fighting in Best near Eindhoven
American paratroopers in the 101st Airborne (though not Easy Company but members of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment), fought a heroic battle in the small town of Best, near Eindhoven. On September 17, paratroopers were dropped near Best with orders to secure the bridge near here on the Wilhelmina Canal. They landed in a nest of Germans who were prepared for the attack.
SS and Luftwaffe units held off the Allies in intense house-to-house combat. The Allies were forced to flee the area and failed to secure the bridge.
One hero of this fight was Robert G. Cole. He and just seven or eight other paratroopers were cornered and faced German attacks. Cole jumped on a grenade and saved the other men. He died at Best, sacrificing himself for his brothers.
Robert Cole posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism, leadership, and bravery during the Battle of Carentan in Normandy in the summer of 1944. His death at Best marked a significant loss for the 101st Airborne Division. His legacy as a fearless leader remains honored in the division’s history.
You can visit Cole’s lovely memorial in Best and pay tribute to him.
At breakfast the day after my group’s time at Best, my tour buddy told me that his high school in San Antonio, Texas, is named Robert G. Cole High School. He never understood before going to the Netherlands who Cole was and what he did. One reason to go in person to World War II sites is that you can make so many connections with life today.
Take a short drive to Neunen from Eindhoven
The Battle of Nuenen, part of Operation Market Garden, took place on September 20, 1944. It was a significant clash between men from Easy Company along with British forces and German defenders in this village. Allied armored units and German Panzers faced off.
After suffering losses and failing to secure a stable position in Nuenen, British and American forces retreated. Even though this village was eventually just bypassed, the delay slowed down Operation Market Garden. The fighting at Neunen is an example of how the Allies underestimated the strength of the Germans already occupying the Netherlands.
Discover how the Allies captures the Njimegen Bridge over the Waal River
The Waal Bridge at Nijmegen was one of the most critical objectives in Operation Market Garden. This bridge spanned the wide Waal River and was a key crossing point for Allied forces advancing north toward Arnhem. The bridge would allow British armored units to push on and complete the operation.
Americans and British paratroopers, along with British ground forces, fought here to take the bridge from firmly entrenched German defenders.
Securing this bridge was essential for establishing the “airborne corridor” that would allow British armor to push deeper into German-occupied territory. The battle for the bridge took place from September 17–20, 1944 and involved fierce fighting between American and British paratroopers, along with British ground forces, against well-entrenched German defenders.
As the 82nd Airborne approached to attack the bridge, Germans hastily fortified it with anti-aircraft and machine-gun nests. Explosives were set to block Allies from crossing the water.
The Allies, realizing that the only way to attack the bridge was by crossing the river itself, planned an audacious assault. On September 20, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne conducted a risky daylight crossing of the Waal River in small boats. The men persevered while exposed to machine guns, artillery, and mortar fire. Suffering significant casualties, the group reached the opposite bank. There they launched an attack on the German defenses from both sides of the bridge.
American paratroopers, with support from British tanks of XXX Corps, attacked German positions on the bridge itself. By late afternoon on September 20, the combined forces managed to capture the bridge intact, a major achievement in Operation Market Garden.
Today you can stand on the banks of the Waal River in the shadow of the beautiful bridge. You can imagine the horror of the firepower faced by the men as they crossed this river under fire of German artillery.
The Allied capture of the bridge intact is a major achievement of Operation Market Garden.
Find points on the Liberation Route
The Liberation Route runs through many places in Europe, denoting the fight for freedom. Near Njimegen is a lovely hotel that displays a plaque because a member of the Resistance owned the hotel. He was arrested and never seen again. But his young daughter Julia remembered those events. You can stay at the Hotel Erica, in its lovely forest setting, and learn more about the Resistance. 
Here’s a photo of my tour group after we enjoyed lunch here and heard about the daring feats that took place during World War II.
Finally, see the Arnhem Bridge – the Bridge too far
The final objective of Operation Market Garden was the Arnhem Bridge over the Lower Rhine. It was held temporarily by British 1st Airborne forces.
British paratroopers landed on September 17 and held ground near the bridge until September 20. Finally, intense German resistance trapped the British paratroopers. They could not hold the bridge for the advancing British XXX Corps. They retreated, and the Germans retained control.
Despite successes of the Americans and British in taking several bridges to the south, the Allies ultimately failed to take the “bridge too far” at Arnhem.
Allies cited a combination of underestimating German forces, logistical challenges, communication issues, and the unexpectedly strong German counterattacks as reasons for failure of their operation.
Today, this beautiful bridge still stands. It is renamed the John Frost Bridge in honor of the British commander whose troops tried to hold on. A small museum sits at one end of the bridge and is worth a visit.
Reasons to visit the path of Operation Market Garden
If you can, venture to the Netherlands and follow the path of the Allies from Eindhoven 65 miles north to Arnhem. You can stand on the banks of gently flowing canals and view the bridges that saw such fierce fighting in 1944. Pay respects at various memorials. Imagine what the young men who fought here experienced. Learn about the role of the resistance, which was strong in Operation Market Garden.
The historian traveling with my tour group told a touching story about this operation. Although it ultimately failed, people in the Netherlands celebrate the anniversary. I happened to be there on the 80th anniversary. Memorials were decorated with wreaths and flowers. Planes flew overhead and paratroopers jumped out, reenacting the landing of the troops in 1944. Roads clogged with traffic of those who came to honor the heroes. Children decorated the graves of Allies buried in this land where they fell. Stories of bravery and courage and sacrifice filled the day.
So, why do people go all out to celebrate what didn’t go as planned? The Germans still held the Netherlands and the war went on for months. Those who lived here were once again under Nazi rule. Our historian told us a story that made it all make sense. He asked an elderly woman this exact question. Her answer: “The Allies gave us hope. They failed to liberate us. But they had come across the water. They fought for us. And we knew they would not give up. They would fight until we were free.”
Hope in the darkness, the knowledge that they were not forgotten. That’s what still lives on in the people of the Netherlands. Operation Market Garden didn’t go as planned, but by May of 1945, all those who lived there would finally be set free.
Learn more details about Operation Market Garden at the website of the Imperial War Museum.
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Join a tour that features Operation Market Garden
The National World War II Museum in New Orleans runs a spectacular tour tracing the path of the 101st Airborne’s Easy Company through World War II. This tour takes you to seven countries, including the Netherlands. A historian travels to all sights and explains the background and what happened in each place. I can highly recommend this tour as a bucket list trip. You will be processing all you’ve seen and learned long after you’re home.
Stephen Ambrose wrote the book Band of Brothers, which has been sparking interest in World War II and Easy Company for decades now. And Stephen Ambrose Tours conduct a program that also follows the path of Easy Company through Europe.
The tours are similar, with historians along on both. It may come down to dates and availability when it comes to choosing one or the other.
Historian Joel Stoppels runs Battlefield Tours that cover Operation Market Garden as well as other European World War II places. He will customize a tour if you wish to follow the steps of a loved one. Joel is a member of Battlefield Guides and garners stellar reviews.
Where to stay when tracing Operation Market Garden
Eindhoven makes an excellent base if you trace the path of this campaign. It’s a big enough city to offer choices in lodging and eating.
My group stayed at the Pullman Eindhoven. This modern hotel offers not only lovely rooms but also a restaurant and a bar. After a long day of touring, I enjoyed a delicious dinner of risotto at the hotel. And the breakfast buffet includes hot dishes, baked goods such as croissants, fresh yogurt, and fruit.
Book your stay at the Pullman Eindhoven for a comfortable and modern travel base.
I can also recommend Hotel Erica near Njimegen. I ate lunch in the restaurant, then relaxed on the forested grounds. I’m sure it’s a beautiful place to stay.
Book your stay at the Hotel Erica in Berg en Dal near Njimegen for a relaxing countryside stay.
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