Solemn duty: Croydon’s civic mayor, Cllr Mohammed Islam (right), at the Arnhem memorial with Chris Rampling, the British Ambassador to the Netherlands
Croydon’s ceremonial mayor, Councillor Mohammed Islam, was on duty representing the borough in the Netherlands this week, marking Croydon’s historic twinning with the Dutch town of Arnhem.
Councillor Islam was attending the annual commemorations of the Battle of Arnhem, which took place between September 17 and 25 1944, and in which as many as 1,500 British and Polish paratroopers were killed, and 469 to 530 American airborne soldiers died in attacks to seize bridges on the road through the Netherlands.
The bridge over the Lower Rhine was the ultimate objective of Operation Market Garden, an Allied military operation which tried to punch more than 60 miles into German territory, creating an invasion route into northern Germany. Nine bridges through the Netherlands were to be captured and held by airborne troops, with tanks and armoured vehicles racing through to relieve the lightly-armed paratroopers.
A land operation which was supposed to take no more than three days ended up taking more than a week, by which time Nazi Panzer tanks had decimated the British and Polish forces at Arnhem. It was, as Cornelius Ryan titled his book, A Bridge Too Far.
This year was the 82nd anniversary.
At the various wreath-laying, commemorations and receptions, Croydon’s Councillor Islam met various civic officials from Dutch communities in the area, where he says they shared “our commitment to remembrance and the historic bonds between our communities”.
Croydon’s ties with Arnhem go back to 1946, when business and cultural links were formed following World War II. With both towns heavily bombed, a common bond was formed over the years of recovery and rebuilding. The towns have been formally twinned since 1985.
Councillor Islam said, “Throughout the commemorations, it was an honour to meet Chelsea Pensioners, serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans and dignitaries, including His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Chris Rampling CMG MBE.
“Meeting so many people dedicated to keeping alive the memory and sacrifices of those who served made this commemorative weekend particularly special.
“We will remember them,” Councillor Islam wrote.
There is nothing to mark the occasion reported on Croydon Council’s official website this week.
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