Guards Path Elst

The Guards Path is the path between the Welsh Guards Bridge and the Coldstream Guards Bridge. The 5 Guards Armoured Brigade and 32" Guards Infantry Brigade were units of the famous British Guards Armoured Division. On 21 September 1944, the German blockade south of Elst stopped the Irish Guards.

Ground operation Garden had failed and so had bridgehead operation Market Garden. Its objective was to establish a bridgehead between Arnhem and the IJsselmeer with bridgeheads across the river IJssel.

The 5 Guards Armoured Brigade included 1 Armoured Bn Coldstream Guards; 1 Motorized Bn Grenadier Guards; 2 Armoured Bn Grenadier Guards and 2 Armoured Bn Irish Guards.

The 32 Guards Infantry Brigade included 5 Bn Coldstream Guards; 3 Bn Irish Guards; 1 Bn Welsh Guards with X-Coy 4 Bn The Scots Guards; and 1" Independent MG Coy Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

Many of these units were involved in the defence of the neighbourhood of Aam, east of Elst, to Vergert.

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

Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Koos Winkelman

< >