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Friday 22 September 1944, D-Day + 5 |
British 1st Airborne Division
The Poles settled on the other side of the river near Driel, made contact
with a Captain R. Wrottesley’s reconnaissance unit of the 2nd Army’s
Household Cavalry. They succeeded in getting around the German positions at
the Nijmegen Bridge. Two British soldiers managed to cross the river and inform
Sosabowski of the plan to bring his soldiers to the other side the following
night. Sosabowksi had only some rubber boats at his disposal which weren't suitable
for this risky enterprise. This operation wasn’t very successful, only
52 soldiers made it to the other bank.

U.S.
82nd Airborne Division
With the Nijmegen Bridge taken, the 82nd Airborne Division achieved its assignment,
but they still had to defend the landing zone near Overasselt where the 325th
Glider Infantry had to land. This landing had been scheduled for September the
19th, but the 325th still hadn't arrived. The Germans were fighting back along
the front line, but the Americans held their positions with some support from
British tanks. The Germans’ attacks weren't a real threat to the XXX Corps’
corridor.
U.S.
101st Airborne Division
Schijndel village, partially liberated on September the 21st, was now
completely liberated by the paratroops supported by British tanks which shelled
the German positions during the night. About 400 Germans were taken prisoner.
The American paratroops headed north along Hell's Highway. Men of the 506th
Regiment marched towards Uden. Just after they left Veghel the Germans launched
attacks on the village. From the east the 107th Panzer Brigade again shelled
the corridor. They approached Veghel out of Erp and had been ordered to destroy
the bridges at Veghel and stop the advance of XXX Corps. The 107th Panzer Brigade
had been reinforced and was now called Kampfgruppe (fighting-group) 'Walther'.
It consisted of three SS battalions, 35 tanks and artillery. From the west Kampfgruppe
‘Huber’ of the 59th Infantry Division attacked Veghel. Veghel was
a constant scene of battle and Horrocks would refer to this day as 'Black Friday'.

The soldiers of the 501st Regiment couldn’t stop the German attacks on their own. The 506th Regiment was sent to support their fellow 'eagles'. Luckily the American paratroops weren't alone. The British 44th Royal Tank Regiment provided support. Although Kampfgruppe Huber's attack from the west was stopped, the other German attack was not. The main assault from Erp was withstood, but the Germans succeeded in blocking the corridor north of Veghel. Even though the bridges remained intact and in Allied hands, the British XXX Corps’ advance came to a halt. The Americans who had left for Uden in the morning were cut off from the rest of their division.
