70 years before what is now called the John Frost Bridge was the furthest and boldest part of a
massive airborne assault by allied paratroops which aimed to secure the fast road route all the way
to the German border. Thousands of British and Polish paratroops dropped from aircraft and landed
by glider and did their valiant best to hold the bridge until the main armoured thrust of XXX Corps
reached them. Sadly, the German forces which were in the area were significantly greater and better
trained than had been expected and so after several days of extra-ordinary bravery and very
significant casualties the deleted and battered remnants of the allied force withdrew back across the
river and to safety.
As we stood there, with the crowds beginning to gather in beautiful late summer sunshine it was
virtually impossible to picture just how different the scene must have been exactly 70 years earlier.
How do you begin to imagine the horror of burnt out vehicles, dead bodies from both sides lying all
around along with the debris and detritus of human conflict scattered across the bridge in front of
you?