Memorial tree marks 75th anniversary of WWII Operation Market Garden and remembers airmen and soldiers who took part
Airmen and soldiers who took part in one of the largest airborne attacks of the second world war — Operation Market Garden — are being remembered through a large memorial planted out of trees and daffodils.
The living memorial has been planted in the shape of 75 to mark the 75th anniversary of the date of the mission.
Men of the US 439th Troop Carrier Group and 82nd Airborne Division departed for Market Garden from RAF Balderton.
Saint-Gobain Formula, which operates its Bantycock Quarry on part of the site, provided a piece of land where 37 field maple saplings and 1,200 native daffodils, donated by the company, have been planted.
The figures are around 12 metres x 20 metres in size.
Members of the RAF Balderton Research Group helped Saint-Gobain representatives with the planting.
Adam Garbutt, the mine’s technical engineer, said: “We were delighted to be able to find a way to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden with a living memorial.
“As the trees and daffodils grow and become more established in the shape of 75 in the future, we hope to install a footpath nearby as part of our site restoration scheme.”
Debbie Topham, from the RAF Balderton group, said: “We would like to say what a great honour it was to be involved in such a momentous occasion to mark 75 years since the US 439th Troop Carrier Group along with members of the 82nd Airborne took part in Operation Market Garden.
“We are incredibly grateful to Saint-Gobain for their overwhelming support in creating a wonderful and lasting place of remembrance for future generations to enjoy.”
The objective of Operation Market Garden was to create a route into German territory with a foothold over the River Rhine.
This was to be achieved by seizing a series of nine bridges using Airborne forces, with land forces swiftly following moving over the bridges.
The operation succeeded in liberating the Dutch cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen allowing a 60-mile land advance.
The attack was the largest airborne operation up to that point in the second world war and became immortalised through the film A Bridge Too Far.
The airfield at RAF Balderton opened in June 1941 and transported some of the 10,000 British airborne troops behind enemy lines by parachute and glider.
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