Cover Story: In Memory of Operation Market Garden 80 Years
18 September 1944, south of Wilhelmina Canal at Son, US 506 PIR with 2nd and 3rd battalions marched southward to Eindhoven. The 3rd battalion went through Vlokhovenseweg in northern part of Eindhoven. German sniper hidden in the tower of OLV Lourdes church in Vlokhovenseweg killed Captain John Kiley (1), commander of HQ Company of the 3rd battalion, besides a burning German half-track (2). The battalion then put through to Woenselsestraat and Kloosterdreef. Two German 88mm flak and machine gun nests fired from the street and the 506 PIR had to fight house by house and flanking the Germans to put down 88s and took some prisoners (3). After that the 506 PIR were easier to take four bridges over Dommel River and linked up with British XXX Corps but unfortunately the bridge at Son had been destroyed. Engineers of British XXX Corps advanced forward to the bridge at Son and placed a Bailey bridge over the Wilhemina Canal (3).
It happened here:
OLV Lourdes church in Vlokhovenseweg/Eindhoven.
It happened here:
Woenselsestraat/Eindhoven.
It happened here: Kloosterdreef/Eindhoven.
It happened here: Bridge at Son.
18 September 1944 evening, railroad station at Venlo, the first elements of PB 107 arrived but there were no workers to unload the train. Major Berndt-Joachim Freiherr von Maltzahn, commander of PB 107, surprised there was no further instructions for him. He called HQ 1. Fallshirm Armee and they told him the PB 107 was assigned to LXXXVI Armeekorps. He droved to Roermond where the HQ LXXXVI Armeekorps was located and he learned the latest situation about the Operation Market Garden. He returned to Venlo with the assurance of PB 107 used as a whole unit in action from HQ LXXXVI. But back to Venlo he received telephone from HQ LXXXVI to order PB 107 moved immediately to take and hold the destroyed bridge at Son. The rest of PB 107 were still en-route by train to Venlo and would be arrived to Venlo on 19 September 1944. Major Freiherr von Maltzahn was furious about this order and telephoned back to HQ LXXXVI to canceling the order. The HQ LXXXVI insisted the order because the British was made contact with American in Eindhoven but after long debate the Major convinced them to hold the movement and continued unloading his brigade. But later that night Major Freiherr von Maltzahn received another telephone call. It was General der Fallshirmstruppen Kurt Student’s call. General Student ordered Major Freiherr von Maltzahn to attack in the following morning (4).
In memory of this action you can reenact
the 506 PIR with PC Game Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway published by
Ubi soft in 2008 and experience the heat and tense during the 506 PIR
fought for Eidhoven on that day.
It happened here: Kloosterdreef/Eindhoven.
It happened here: Woenselsestraat/Eindhoven.
Battle field tour: St. Petrus church/Eindhoven.
Battle field tour: Road junction of Woenselsestraat and Kloosterdreef
