Arnhem – “A Bridge Too Far”
The British 1st Airborne Division was tasked with capturing and
holding the bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem. Frost’s 2nd
Battalion, Parachute Regiment, by now with a fearsome reputation,
was assigned the critical mission of seizing and holding the northern
end of the bridge until relieved by advancing ground forces.
On the evening of 17 September, Frost’s battalion, comprising
approximately 740 men, parachuted into Arnhem. Despite scattered
landings and immediate engagement with German forces, they
advanced towards the bridge, bypassing or overpowering pockets of
German resistance. By nightfall, the leading elements of the battalion
had reached their objective, immediately engaging German forces
defending the northern end of the bridge. After an initial assault was
repulsed, a subsequent attack succeeded in clearing the area, allowing
the battalion to establish a defensive perimeter around the northern
approach to the bridge By 20:00 hours, they had secured the northern
end, establishing defensive positions in nearby buildings and along the
bridge’s approaches.
Frost’s battalion were also struggling with communication difculties.