This route goes through the area where the English scouts first arrived on Dutch territory. In the run-up to Operation Market Garden, this group of scouts was able to move almost as far as the River Dommel. In the Kempen, you'll find many stories of courage and of struggle. The early arrival of the English brought hope. Yet much had to be endured before the liberation finally happened. The locations of the crashed planes and the stories of the difficult passage of the English tanks bears witness to this.

The Netherlands

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Valkenswaard War Cemetery

Cycling the Liberation Route 

Liberation route Bergeijk

The cemetery contains the graves of 222 soldiers - 220 land soldiers and two airmen, all British. Some of them were killed in action during the liberation of Valkenswaard on 17 September 1944, during Operation Market Garden. Additionally, the cemetery contains the graves of soldiers who lost their lives during acts of war in the vicinity of the municipalities of Best, Eersel and Bergeijk.Since 15 June 1946, the cemetery has been administered by the British Imperial War Graves Commission. In addition, the local population plays an important role in the maintenance and decoration of the tombstones. Under the auspices of the 'Stichting 40-45 gemeenten Valkenswaard en Waalre' residents adopt one or more graves on the cemetery. By means of a financial contribution, but also by doing their own work, they keep the gravestones clean, take care of the plants and - for example with flowers - add an extra personal touch to the graves on special occasions. Every year on 4 May and on 17 September, a solemn celebration is held in the cemetery to commemorate the fallen. Valkenswaard then pauses to remember the ultimate sacrifice they made for freedom.

On September 11 1944, the Allies sent reconnaissance troops ahead to see if the bridge over the River Dommel at Valkenswaard was still intact. It was important to know whether it could bear the weight of tanks. The four scouts raced in two reconnaissance Daimler vehicles at full speed past the German troops, who were so amazed, they didn’t have time to react.The British stopped here, which was then called Rustoord café. Then a scout car ventured a little further along the road to view the bridge. In the vehicle, Corporal Brook saw a German tank that had just stopped on the bridge. The corporal therefore knew the bridge was strong enough and drove back to this café. After a brief stop in the café, the scouts returned to Belgium as quickly as they had arrived.For General Horrocks, commander of the XXX Corps, the information about the bridge was of great importance in preparing Operation Garden. Later, General Horrocks called this reconnaissance mission the most daring of World War II.

Liberation route Bergeijk

Zdjęcia

Miejsca i historie wzdłuż trasy

Valkenswaard War Cemetery

A beer for the liberation