British 1st Airborne Division
The 2nd battalion was still fighting to hold their position, although they didn't have any hope of the arrival of either the 2nd Army or troops of the 1st Airborne Division. As a result of the withdrawal of the rest of the British troops towards Oosterbeek, the Germans were given full play in Arnhem, which made harder going for Frost and his men. During a heavy fight, Frost was wounded and command was given to Major Gough of the Recce Squadron. The Germans started to set the houses in which the British soldiers were hiding on fire to force the soldiers out. A temporary cease-fire was arranged, which give the British a chance to evacuate the wounded soldiers. At the end of the day, the 2nd battalion was unable to hold back the German forces, and the Germans could cross the bridge freely.

The rest of the troops at Oosterbeek realized that reaching the bridge was impossible so they concentrated on the region around Urquhart's Hotel Hartenstein Headquarters in Oosterbeek. If they could hold this position, maybe the 2nd Army (XXX Corps) could still cross the river at Oosterbeek. Every unit defended a different area of the so-called 'perimeter'. The west side was defended by the 1st battalion of the 1st Airlanding Brigade, the Border Regiment, the north side was defended by the 21th Independent Parachute Company and the KOSB. The 156th and 10th battalion of the 4th Parachute Brigade covered the east side with the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron and Lonsdale’s Force. Major Londsdale force was made up of the remaining men of the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 1st Para. Brigade, the 11th battalion of the 4th Para. Brigade and the South Staffordshires. The Light Regiment Royal Artillery placed their 75-mm guns on the south side of the 'perimeter'. Again, most dropped supplies fell into German hands.

U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
The boats for the river crossing arrived and the 504th Regiment succeeded in clearing the western part of Nijmegen. Major Julian Cook’s battalion of the 504th Regiment prepared for the hazardous and heroic crossing. Around 1500, the 26 boats which were available pushed off. Irish Guards’ tanks and RAF Typhoon fighter planes gave cover to the operation. Unfortunately due to an unfavourable wind, a smoke screen did not prevent the Germans from seeing the risky undertaking. They put a deadly fire across the river and casualties were severe, but the operation was successful. The paratroopers managed to reach the dike on the other side, and crushed the German positions at Lent.

The attacks on the bridges in Nijmegen also were successful. The Allied forces reached the ramp of both the railroad and traffic bridge. Around 1900, the first British Sherman tanks crossed the Waal and met the men from 504th Regiment on the other side. Many explosives were found on the bridge, but for some reason the Germans failed to blow up the bridge before the British tanks crossed it.

While the 504th Regiment tried to capture the Nijmegen bridge, the forces at Groesbeek were heavily attacked by Germans supported by tanks, artillery and fighter planes. The attack on De Horst, a suburb of Groesbeek, was stopped before the Germans could the reach the city of Groesbeek. De Horst was battered. During Market Garden the area was a constant scene of battle. One moment the Americans controlled the area, the next moment it was the Germans.

In the north and south the situation was critical. In the north German forces managed to reach Berg en Dal and Beek. The fight in the streets of Beek and around the Duivelsberg (Devil's Hill) would last for almost two days. In the south Mook had fallen in German hands again and now the bridge at Heumen was in danger. The bridge was of vital importance to the advance of XXX Corps: the bridge captured on the road between Grave and Nijmegen was unsuitable for crossing the Maas-Waal canal, and the bridge at Heumen was the only one left. The bridge at Heumen had to be secured. The paratroopers of the 505th Regiment fought back, supported by their artillery and the Coldstream Guards from XXX Corps. In the evening Mook was recaptured and just as De Horst, heavily damaged.

The weather conditions back in England forced the planes to stay on the ground...again. The men were two days late. Gavin really needed them, especially after today, when the 82nd Airborne Division suffered their heaviest losses.

U.S. 101st Airborne Division
The German paratroopers who forced the Americans of the 501th Regiment to retreat on September 19th were surrounded by the Americans and defeated. More than 400 Germans were captured and the village Dinther was liberated.

Panther tanks of the 107th Panzer Brigade again endangered the corridor. They shelled the passing trucks on the road to Son and tried to cut off the advance. American airborne troops with British support launched a counter-attack, but the battle was undecided. The fighting continued throughout the day.

British XXX Corps
The Guards Armoured Division supported the American attack on the bridge. The heroic river crossing of the American paratroopers was successful. In evening the first Sherman tanks crossed the traffic bridge. The bridge was in Allied hands. The Coldstream Guards assisted in clearing Mook from the Germans, who succeeded in recapturing the village and were now threatening the bridge at Heumen. The corridor was in danger too in Son, but the Allies retained control.

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