A charity supported by the Veterans’ Foundation® has taken a group of veterans to the Netherlands to remember the men who fought and died during Operation Market Garden.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans brought veterans, including eight who served during the Second World War, to the annual commemorations, 82 years after the battle began.
They attended the mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath on Saturday 19 September, watched by more than 60,000 people, and the Airborne Memorial Service at Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery the following day.
For the veterans, drivers and volunteers, some of the most moving moments came at Oosterbeek, where more than 1,700 Allied servicemen are buried.
During the one-minute silence, a Dakota flew over the cemetery and then local schoolchildren, known as the 'flower children', placed a flower on each of its 1,764 Second World War graves, continuing a tradition that began with the first memorial service in 1945.
The crowd also rose in spontaneous applause when Geoff Roberts MBE, the only Market Garden veteran able to attend the service, was called forward to lay a wreath.
With help from his family, Geoff stood from his wheelchair at the Cross of Sacrifice, laid his wreath in memory of those who fought alongside him, and saluted.
Colin Mills, a London taxi driver and Chair of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, drove Geoff from his home to the Netherlands.
“Every year we come to the Netherlands, we are reminded of the extraordinary bond between the veterans, the Dutch people and the men who gave their lives during Operation Market Garden,” he said.
“The mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath is an incredible sight, but it is the moments of quiet remembrance that stay with you.
“Watching the Dakota fly over, seeing the flower children carefully place a flower on every grave and then seeing Geoff stand to lay his wreath and salute were incredibly moving.
“Geoff’s determination to stand, despite being in a wheelchair, and pay his respects to his fallen comrades was a moment that none of us will forget.
“The Dutch people have never forgotten what these men did for their freedom. Every year they demonstrate that gratitude in so many ways, and it is a privilege for the Taxi Charity to bring our veterans back to the Netherlands to be part of these commemorations.”
British cab drivers, carers, medics and volunteers support the charity’s visits to the Netherlands, alongside friends from Dutch organisations.
The Veterans’ Foundation® recently awarded the Taxi Charity a £30,000 grant to help with the fuel and running costs that keep its volunteer drivers on the road.
The charity brings veterans together for commemorations, reunions and trips, helping them maintain friendships while ensuring the stories of those who served are passed on.
To fund and facilitate their work, the charity is wholly reliant on donations, grants and sponsorship.
Find out more about the charity here: www.taxicharity.org
