Liberation Route Marker 110

LIBERATION ROUTE MARKER 110 - SNIPERS AND GUNS

Lieutenant Michael Palmer left in the morning of September 18, with his No. 5 Troop, 2nd Household Cavalry, to find a road to the blockade at Aalst. He left in a westerly direction to find a bridge over the Dommel. He eventually found the bridge between Waalre and Meerveldhoven, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwenbrug. In Meerveldhoven he ran into a jeep with eight paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division.

With them he drove on to Veldhoven, and then on to Oerle. An American sergeant also rode with Palmer who was able to make direct contact with his colleagues. This also succeeded in Oerle at 11:15 am. In Wintelre the company once again found a jeep, this time with four paratroopers. Moments later, the British passed on a position between Wintelre and the canal, en route to Acht. They probably found a bridge over the Beatrix Canal at the Oirschotsedijk. Around 12:00 the British reported again, they are now at the railway crossing for Acht, the current Mispelhoefstraat. The first contact with the Americans is made here around half past twelve. The radio message that was sent to the XXX Corps was "the stable boys made contact with the sprung friends".

Around 12:45 the British managed to reach the CP of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Vlokhoven. Here the British were immediately deployed to support the 3rd battalion in Eindhoven. Captain Balding, who had been driving with Palmer in a Humber scout car, was able to pass on the precise requirements for the bridge to be built at Son to the column that was still south of Eindhoven at that time.

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Source

• Text: Jeroen Koppes
• Photos: Jeroen Koppes
• 506PIR, S-1 Journal.
• 506PIR, Unit journal.
• WO 171/380 War Diary CRA Guards Armoured Division.
• MARGRY, K., Operation Market-Garden, 2002.