The Household Cavalry came to reinforce the Polish troops with eight armored cars
Early in the morning on Friday September the 22nd 1944, troops of the ground army coming from the south reached the Polish paratroopers near Driel. From Nijmegen, units of the Household Cavalry had slipped through the German lines. They were lucky that there was a thick fog, so the soldiers were not discovered. They drove into Driel from the west, over the Drielse Rijndijk, without firing a shot. In this way, the Polish troops got reinforcements of eight armored vehicles with cannons, working radios and 20 soldiers.
Take a look
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Armoured car with troops and Polish paratroopers on the Molenstraat. This is at the same location as where you are now. © Sikorski Institute, gebruiksrechten bij Stichting Driel Polen
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The ridge of the roof and the chimney in the background on the picture from 1944 can be recognized on this current photo of the house at Molenstraat number 2. © Stichting Driel Polen
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Polish paratroopers recover fallen soldiers (Molenstraat). Near Driel, 30 Polish soldiers died. They found their first resting place on the cemetery near the Roman Catholic church. © Via particuliere collectie
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A Polish paratrooper with civilians who fled Oosterbeek, enjoys a cigarette and the attention (location photo unknown). © Sikorski Institute, gebruiksrechten bij Stichting Driel Polen
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Cora Baltussen, one of the citizens of Driel, helped the Poles as an interpreter and as a nurse. She can be seen on this photo with Sosabowski, after the war. © Stichting Driel Polen
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