Cycle Route Wings of Freedom: Crash Site Gliders, Waco GC-4A

In the course of Operation Market Garden in September 1944 and the later Operations Veritable (Battle of the Lower Rhine) and Varsity (airborne landing at Hamminkeln), a large number of gliders were used, mostly towed by C-47 / Dakota transport aircraft and disconnected in the target area. They transported troops and equipment. A total of 2160 of these gliders were used during Market Garden.
902 Wacos landed in the Nijmegen area, with 5,488 men on board, as well as 338 jeeps with 189 trailers and 89 guns.

The gliders were actually 'simplest' type of disposable devices. However, if they survived the landing intact, they were often reused as much as possible.
About 30 Waco’s landed in the Aaldonk area, which were actually intended for Groesbeek. Many of them were damaged or destroyed, some of them were hit by obstacles. As with this landing site, some passengers lost their lives. Three crew members died here.

The crash took place at the coordinates: 51.716420, 6.010385.

In collaboration with the municipalities of Bergen, Gennep, Mook-Middelaar and Weeze, the initiative was created for cycling routes 'Wings of Freedom' along crash locations.
In the four municipalities, 28 crash sites have been definitively confirmed. Near each crash site is a memorial sign with information about the cause of the crash. Using the network of cycling nodes, there are four routes of approximately 30 - 40 km. deployed along these places.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Werkgroep Wings of Freedom
• Photos: Werkgroep Wings of Freedom
• Vliegtuigcrashroute Wings of Freedom