Rent Operation Market Garden: Nijmegen (2012)
1h 40min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Following on from BHTV's earlier film in the 'Operation Market Garden' series, Hell's Highway, the series now reaches the battle to seize two Bridges over Europe's largest water ways; the Maas and Waal rivers at Nijmegen. Here the 82nd US airborne were denied coup de main attacks to seize the bridges by the air commanders. Whilst Grave Bridge was captured, confusion in US orders meant that the barely defended bridge at Nijmegen was only attacked when the Germans had taken an opportunity to reinforce the garrison. The resulting battle to regain control of the situation is an epic of Anglo-American military history. With the 10th SS Frundsberg Division marching south to block the Allied advance, the British Guards Armoured Division, delayed by a blown bridge on Hell's Highway, arrived and were pitched into a quick attack fighting alongside the American Paratroopers but this quick attack failed to grab the bridges. A better organised and supported attack was needed the following day. The key was to be a river crossing by 3rd 504th Parachute Infantry that British General Miles Dempsey described as he watched as 'unbelievable'. With the Guards and 82nd closing in on the bridges from both sides the German defence crumbled. Even though the bridges were in Allied hands the 82nd was being assailed by counter attacks from every compass point and the metaphorical life blood of the armoured division, its supplies coming up from Hell's Highway, was being choked off. Our team of expert historians explain this amazing story in impeccable detail whilst not avoiding the controversies of this battle, which are so often divided on national lines, and have concentrated on military logic to cut to the truth. The video also boasts the first on-screen interview with Lord Peter Carrington, who crossed the Nijmegen Bridge in the wake of the first four tanks. - Actors:
- Mike Peters, Jo Hook, John Greenacre, Richard Hone, Tom Dormer, Lord Peter Carrington
- Narrated By:
- Mike Peters, Jo Hook, John Greenacre, Richard Hone, Tom Dormer
- Studio:
- Pen and Sword
- Genres:
- Children & Family, Documentary, Special Interest
