Editing Battle of Arnhem (section)

==Background==
{{main|Operation Market Garden}}
By September 1944, Allied forces had [[Falaise pocket|broken out of their Normandy beachhead]] and pursued the remnants of the [[Wehrmacht|German armies]] across northern France and Belgium. Although Allied commanders generally favoured a broad front policy to continue the advance into Germany and the Netherlands, [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] Bernard Montgomery proposed a bold plan to head north through Dutch [[Gelderland]], bypassing the German [[Siegfried Line]] defences and opening a route into the German industrial heartland of the [[Ruhr]]. Initially proposed as a British and Polish operation codenamed Operation Comet, the plan was soon expanded to involve most of the [[First Allied Airborne Army]] and a set-piece ground advance into the Netherlands, codenamed Market Garden.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 9</ref>

Montgomery's plan involved dropping the US [[101st Airborne Division]] to capture bridges around [[Eindhoven]], the US [[82nd Airborne Division]] to capture crossings around [[Nijmegen]] and the British 1st Airborne Division, with the [[1st Independent Parachute Brigade (Poland)|Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade]], to capture three bridges across the [[Nederrijn]] at Arnhem. [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] [[Lewis H. Brereton|Lewis Brereton]] commanded the First Allied Airborne Army but his second-in-command [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Frederick Browning]] took command of the airborne operation. The British [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|Second Army]], led by [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]], would advance up the "Airborne corridor", securing the airborne divisions' positions and crossing the Rhine within two days. If successful, the plan would open the door to Germany and hopefully force an end to the war in Europe by the end of the year.<ref name="Frost, p198">Frost, p. 198</ref>

===British plan===
{{further|Operation Market Garden order of battle}}
[[File:Arnhem Map 1.jpg|thumb|400px|The planned British landings and defence at Arnhem]]
With the British [[6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|6th Airborne Division]] still refitting after [[Operation Tonga]] and the [[6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine|fighting in Normandy]], the task of securing the Rhine bridgehead fell to the 1st Airborne Division under the command of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Roy Urquhart]]. The division was made up of three brigades of infantry (two [[Paratrooper|parachute]], one [[Glider infantry|glider-borne]]), supporting artillery of the [[1st Airlanding Light Regiment]] and anti-tank batteries and [[Royal Engineers|Royal Engineer]] units, as well as supporting elements such as the [[Royal Army Service Corps]] and [[Royal Army Medical Corps]].<ref>Middlebrook, pp. 20–58</ref> Most of the division had seen action in [[British airborne operations in North Africa|North Africa]] and [[Allied invasion of Sicily#Campaign|Sicily]], particularly the [[1st Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Parachute Brigade]] and [[1st Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Airlanding Brigade]].<ref name=Middlebrook20>Middlebrook, p. 20</ref> This was the first time the division had fought as a complete formation.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 39</ref> Urquhart also had the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade under his command.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 42</ref> His force was also substantially reinforced by some 1,200 men of the [[Glider Pilot Regiment]], who would fly the glider-borne infantry and vehicles into Arnhem, providing the equivalent of two battalions of infantry for the operation.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 41</ref> Smaller additions included a Dutch commando unit and American communications teams.<ref name="Middlebrook68"/>

The division was required to secure the road, rail and [[pontoon bridge|pontoon]] bridges over the Nederrijn at Arnhem and hold them for two to three days until relieved by XXX Corps.<ref>Waddy, p. 26</ref> From the beginning Urquhart was severely constrained in his planning for the operation. The US [[IX Troop Carrier Command]] (Major General Williams) could not land all the airborne troops in one go. Williams decided that it would only be possible to fly one air lift per day, meaning it would take three days to deliver the division and Polish Brigade.<ref>Ryan, p. 113</ref> Few areas were suitable for glider landings and Williams was reluctant to send his aircraft too close to Arnhem and into the [[flak]] from [[Deelen Air Base|Deelen airfield]] after the drop.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 55</ref> Urquhart was forced to pick [[drop zone]]s (DZ) and [[landing zone]]s (LZ) up to {{convert|8|mi|km|abbr=on}} from Arnhem, on the north side of the river.<ref name="Waddy, p42">Waddy, p. 42</ref> With the need to secure the bridges, towns and drop zones for subsequent supply drops, the 1st Airborne would need to defend a perimeter {{convert|18|mi|km|abbr=on}} long whilst waiting for XXX Corps.<ref name="Waddy, p42"/>

[[File:Urquhart outside his headquarters.jpg|thumb|alt=Men standing in front of building next to a small flag pole|left|Major General [[Roy Urquhart]] shortly after returning to his Divisional HQ at the [[Hotel Hartenstein]], 19 September]]

Urquhart decided to land the 1st Parachute Brigade ([[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] [[Gerald Lathbury]]) and the 1st Airlanding Brigade (Brigadier [[Philip Hugh Whitby Hicks|Philip "Pip" Hicks']]) on the first day of the operation, along with Divisional HQ, the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery and attached Royal Engineer and medical units.<ref name="Waddy, p42"/> The Airlanding Brigade would land on LZs 'S' and 'Z' and move to secure the drop zones and landing zones for the following days' drops, whilst the three battalions of the parachute brigade would arrive at DZ 'X' and follow separate routes to the Arnhem bridges.<ref name= Waddy47>Waddy, p. 47</ref> The [[2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment|2nd Battalion]] ([[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[John Frost (British Army officer)|John Frost]]) would follow the riverside roads to the centre of Arnhem (''Lion'' route) and secure the main road and railway bridges, as well as a pontoon bridge between them. The [[3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment|3rd Battalion]] (Lieutenant Colonel Fitch) would head through Oosterbeek to Arnhem (''Tiger'' route), assist in the capture of the road bridge and take up positions in the east of the town.<ref name=Waddy47/> The [[1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment|1st Battalion]] (Lieutenant Colonel Dobie) would follow ''Leopard'' route north of the railway line to occupy high ground north and north west of Arnhem.<ref name=Waddy47/>

The advance into Arnhem would be led by a troop of jeeps from the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron ([[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] [[Frederick Gough (MP for Horsham)|Frederick Gough]]) on ''Leopard'' route, who would attempt a {{lang|fr|[[coup de main]]}} on the road bridge.<ref>Waddy, pp. 46–47</ref> On the second day, the [[4th Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|4th Parachute Brigade]] (Brigadier [[John Hackett (British Army officer)|John "Shan" Hackett]]) would arrive at DZ 'Y', accompanied by extra artillery units and the rest of the Airlanding Brigade on LZ 'X'. Hackett's three battalions would then reinforce the positions north and north west of Arnhem.<ref name="Waddy, p42" /> On the third day, the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade would be dropped south of the river at DZ 'K'.<ref name="Waddy, p42"/> Using the road bridge, they would reinforce the perimeter east of Arnhem, linking with their artillery which would be flown in by glider to LZ 'L'. The 1st Airlanding Brigade would fall back to cover Oosterbeek on the western side of the perimeter and 1st Parachute Brigade would fall back to cover the southern side of the bridges.<ref name="Waddy, p42"/> The remaining units of the division would follow XXX Corps on land in what was known as the ''sea tail''.<ref name="Waddy, p42"/> Once XXX Corps had arrived and advanced beyond the bridgehead, the [[52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division]] would land at Deelen airfield to support the ground forces north of the Rhine.<ref>Middlebrook, pp. 53–54</ref> The operation would be supplied by daily flights by 38 Group and 46 Group RAF who would make the first drop on LZ 'L' on day 2 and subsequent drops on DZ 'V'.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 386</ref><ref name="Middlebrook, p246">Middlebrook, p. 246</ref>

===Intelligence===
The division was told to expect only limited resistance from German [[Military reserve|reserve]] forces. A serious challenge to their operation was not expected and many men believed that their work would lead to the ending of the war.<ref>Frost, p. 200</ref> Some – anticipating a period of occupation in Germany – packed leisure equipment in their kit or in the sea tail.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 71</ref> Browning's intelligence officer – Major [[Brian Urquhart]] – obtained information from the [[21st Army Group]] in Belgium and [[Dutch resistance]] that German armour was present around Arnhem. This was backed up with [[aerial reconnaissance]] that he ordered to be flown.<ref name="Middlebrook, p65">Middlebrook, p. 65</ref> Browning was dismissive and ordered his chief medical officer to have Urquhart sent on sick leave.<ref>Middlebrook, p. 66</ref> [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force|SHAEF]] was aware that there were almost certainly two [[Panzer division]]s at Arnhem but with the operation looming chose to ignore them.<ref name="Middlebrook, p65"/> Such information would have been gleaned from [[Ultra (cryptography)|Ultra]] intercepts that the First Allied Airborne Army was not privy to and therefore could not act upon themselves.<ref name="Middlebrook, p65"/>

===German forces===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-M2KBK-771-34, Arnheim, Flakpanzer IV.jpg|thumb|alt=Two armoured vehicles one cowered in tree branches on a hedge lined road|German [[self-propelled gun]]s of the 9th SS Panzer Division during the battle. The presence of the [[II SS Panzer Corps]] would have a significant effect on the battle.]]
The Allied liberation of [[Antwerp]] on 4 September had caused a rout of German reserve troops in the Netherlands, nicknamed "[[Dolle Dinsdag|Mad Tuesday]]".<ref name="Badsey, p22">Badsey, p. 22</ref> The Allied pause at the Dutch border gave the Germans time to regroup although it would make subsequent attempts to clarify the exact German forces opposing the Allies extremely difficult.<ref>Ryan pp. 53–54</ref><ref name="Badsey, p22"/> ''[[Generalfeldmarschall]]'' [[Walter Model]] – commander of [[Army Group B]] – had moved his headquarters to Arnhem and was re-establishing defences in the area and co-ordinating the reorganisation of the scattered units<ref>Ryan, p. 98</ref> so that by the time the Allies launched Market Garden there would be several units opposing them. To the west of Arnhem was ''Kampfgruppe Von Tettau'', a force equivalent to seven battalions made up of all manner of German units (including ''[[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]]'', ''[[Luftwaffe]]'', ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'', rear echelon and ''[[Waffen-SS]]'' troops) under the command of [[General (Germany)|General]] [[Hans von Tettau]] at [[Battle of the Grebbeberg|Grebbeberg]].<ref name="Kershaw, p108">Kershaw, p. 108</ref> This included the SS [[Non-commissioned officer]] school ''SS Unteroffizierschule Arnheim'' and the [[16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS|16th SS Training Battalion]] under the command of SS ''[[Sturmbannführer]]'' [[Sepp Krafft]], whose unit would play a crucial role in the opening phases of the battle. Within Arnhem itself, the town garrison was under the command of Major-General Friedrich Kussin.<ref>Kershaw, p. 94</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J27784, Arnheim, Walter Model, Heinz Harmel.jpg|thumb|alt=Portrait of two men|left|[[Walter Model]] and [[Heinz Harmel]]]]
The [[II SS Panzer Corps]] (''[[Obergruppenführer]]'' [[Wilhelm Bittrich]]){{Snd}}comprising the remains of the [[9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen]] ([[Walter Harzer]]) and the [[10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg]] ([[Heinz Harmel]]){{snd}} had moved into the area north of Arnhem to refit and reorganise.<ref name= "Kershaw, p38">Kershaw, p. 38</ref> Although badly mauled in Normandy and during their escape from the Falaise pocket, the corps was made up of veterans and made available significantly more forces to the Germans than the Allies had been led to expect.<ref>Ryan, pp. 144–145</ref> The divisions were also specially trained in anti-airborne operations; during their formation both divisions had undergone month-long anti-airborne exercises whilst waiting for their heavy equipment, and had also spent the last 15 months studying the best reactions to a parachute attack in classroom and field exercises.<ref name=Kershaw41>Kershaw, p. 41</ref> The 9th SS had a ''[[Panzergrenadier]]'' brigade, a reconnaissance battalion, an artillery battalion, two batteries of [[self-propelled gun]]s and a company of tanks.<ref name="Waddy, p21">Waddy, p. 21</ref> The number of men who were available after the withdrawal from Normandy is unclear. Some sources suggest that the 9th had up to 6,000 men,<ref>Ryan, p. 133</ref> others suggest that the combined total of the 9th and 10th SS was only 6,000–7,000 men.<ref name="Kershaw, p38"/><ref name="Waddy, p21"/>

There were also Dutch units allied to the Germans present at Arnhem. These formations recruited from Dutch nationals (mainly criminals, men wishing to avoid national service or men affiliated with the ''[[Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging]]'') and were incorporated into the German Army.<ref>Kershaw, p. 36</ref> At Arnhem, the partly Dutch SS ''Wachbattalion'' 3 was attached to ''Kampfgruppe Von Tettau'' and the 3rd Battalion of the [[34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland]] training at nearby [[Hoogeveen]] was quickly attached to the 9th SS Panzer Division when they arrived on 20 September.<ref>Kershaw, p. 110</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defendingarnhem.com/landstorm-nederland.htm |title=Defending Arnhem&nbsp;– III./Gren. Rgt. 1 'Landstorm Nederland' |access-date=21 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128114236/http://www.defendingarnhem.com/landstorm-nederland.htm |archive-date=28 November 2009}}</ref>

As the battle progressed, more and more forces would become available to the Germans. [[Adolf Hitler]], stunned by the attack, agreed that the defence of the Netherlands should receive priority, and reinforcements streamed in from [[Wehrkreis VI]], the [[Wesel]] area and Armed Forces Command Netherlands (General [[Friedrich Christiansen]]).<ref name="Badsey, p43">Badsey, p. 43</ref> Model arranged for units to be sent straight to the units in action and rushed in specialist [[urban warfare]] and machine gun battalions.<ref>Waddy, p. 123</ref> Each day of the battle, the German military strength increased whilst the British supplies diminished. By 21 September, the fifth day of the battle, German forces outnumbered the British by 3:1 and continued to increase.<ref name="Waddy, p124">Waddy, p. 124</ref><!--Foreshadowing like this is a mistake-->