Operation Berlin

The situation for the allied troops in Oosterbeek became untenable and it was decided to pull the1stAirborne Divisionback over the Rhine. On the night of 25 to 26 September, they withdrew across theRhine duringOperation Berlin.It wascloudy that night,it was raining andthere was a strong wind: the ideal conditions for retreating insecret. Soldiers wrapped their boots in cloths to move as silently as possible and followed the whiteribbons from their position in the perimeter to the Old Church nearthe Rhine. They moved in smallgroups so as not to be noticed.From Nijmegen,there was heavy artillery fire on the German positions to drown out the sound of theevacuation and force the German troops to take cover. The crossing started at half past nine in theevening. In small boats or even swimming, the soldiers tried to reach the other side. It was only in theearly morning that the German troops realized what was going on and took the boats under fire.Thiscaused the crossing to be halted at fiveo'clock in the morning. Some 2,400 men had managed to reachthe south bank of the Rhine, but many had drowned during the evacuation.Not everyone was able to evacuate.The woundedmenand the medical personnel, among others, stayedbehind and were made prisoners of war