| Arnhem Bridge over the Rhine River, photographed on the afternoon of September 18, 1944. Looking East to West, the shattered vehicles of SS-Hauptsturmführer Viktor Gräbner’s (May 24, 1944 – September 18, 1944) reconnaissance battalion of the 9th Schutzstaffel (SS) Armored Division. He had 22 armored personnel carriers, half-tracks and other vehicles. He was ordered to break through the United Kingdom Royal Army 1st Airborne Infantry Division at the Bridge, and then form a perimeter to prevent other Allied forces from crossing the Bridge. The Nazi Germans thought the paratroopers would be no match for the armored cars and panzergrenadiers. On September 17, 1944, as commander of the United Kingdom 2nd Parachute Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel John Frost (December 31, 1912 – May 21, 1993) led a mixed group of about 745 lightly armed men who landed near Oosterbeek and marched into Arnhem.The battalion reached the Rhine River Bridge, capturing the northern end. Frost had not only had 83 millimeter (3.3-inch) Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) spigot mortars for fighting tanks and armored fighting vehicles, but also air-dropped 17-pounder (76.2 millimeter, 3 inch) anti-tank guns. The Nazi German SS column drove across the Rhine River Bridge at 0930 Hours. The British Paratroopers held fire until they hit antitank mines, which exploded but didn’t stop them. Then they opened up with everything. PIATs and 17-pounders slammed into the Nazi German armored cars; grenades dropped into the open-topped half tracks. 1 SS soldier escaped and ran into Arnhem. The battle took 2 hours. 1 of the victims was Viktor Gräbner. Witnesses saw Gräbner climb out of his captured armored car during the battle to get away from the chaos. The German commander was probably shot and then burned near 1 of the burning German vehicles. Gräbner’s body was never identified among all the other charred bodies. Frost then found that his force was surrounded by the II.SS-Panzerkorps and cut off from the rest of 1st Airborne Division. Frost was in command during the fierce 4-day battle that followed, in which the Germans rained artillery fire onto the paratroopers’ positions, and sent tanks and infantry into some of the most intense fighting seen by either side, with very little mercy shown. The Germans were greatly surprised by the airborne forces’ refusal to surrender and their continuous counterattacks. After a short truce on the 3rd day, when 250 wounded were removed, the battle continued until the remaining paratroopers had run out of ammunition. There were around 100 paratroopers left. Following capture, Frost was held as a prisoner of war in Oflag IX-A/H at Spangenberg castle. He was later moved to a hospital in Obermassfeldt. Frost was liberated when the area was overrun by American troops in March 1945. Arnhem remained in Nazi German occupation until April 1945. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0532.jpg |
| Image Size | 638.59 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2872 x 2234 |
| Photographer | A. G. C. Stainforth |
| Photographer Title | Royal Air Force Official Photographer |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 18, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | MH 2062 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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