Cornish Weekend – Turkey & Tinsel

The year is 1944 and, in the skies, high above the Netherlands, British paratroopers of the First Allied Airborne Army get ready to drop. The ill-fated Operation Market Garden had begun, one of the largest Allied operations of the Second World War. The mission? To seize key bridges and hold them until the ground forces could reach them. The result was the largest airborne drop in history – made famous by Cornelius Ryan’s book and Richard Attenborough’s classic film, A Bridge Too Far – and despite initial successes, the operation is often remembered for its failure to capture the crucial bridge at Arnhem, leading to the operation's ultimate objective not being achieved and 17,000 Allied lives lost.

The operation consisted of a massive airborne assault (Market) to seize key bridges and a ground offensive (Garden). We trace the footsteps of the fallen soldiers and journey into the heart of Operation Market Garden, visiting drop zones and key locations of deployment. Joined by a knowledgeable Battlefield Guide, we visit key towns such as Arnhem and Oosterbeek, as well as landing zone memorials, museums and much more.