MARKETGARDEN.COM - THE DIGITAL MONUMENT 1995-2020
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Frans Ammerlaan |
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Name: Frans Ammerlaan
Born: 1953 Marrial status: devorced
Children: Robin, Anne Domicile:
Currently living in Arnhem not too far from the famous Bridge |
As a boy I was always interested in
planes from WW II and I had a big collection of plastic Airfix models.
In the sixties I started attending the flower ceremonies with my school
at Oosterbeek, in our free time I played in the woods in that area.
Occasionally with a school friend who was interested we would find some
ammunition or a helmet but I was never a real collector.
With the filming of the movie 'A Bridge to Far' my interest became more
than just a general interest, with Dakotas flying around and lots of
(local) actors in WW II gear in town and in the surrounding area I
became very interested and when I seen the 50th Anniversary in Arnhem
and Oosterbeek this made a big and lasting impression on me.
I met my good friend and Market Garden colleague Andries Hoekstra at the
schoolyard where our children go to the same school near my house. We
were both wearing Para badges which we both recognized, this meeting was
the start of my friendship with Andries and like our mutual interest in
Operation Market Garden and like the website our friendship went from
strength to strength, Andries is still my best friend and mentor to this
day!
Andries had set up a website about Market Garden in the beginning of the
Internet age and he did this all by himself, In the mid 90’s I got my
self a computer and was struggling how to operate such a thing. Andries
kindly offered to help me. I started to help him with the website. With
an entry in the website guest book there was a couple by the name of
Major and Mrs. Holt that was looking for some help with their new
Battlefield guide book called Operation M.G. The next two years of
research was for me a great opportunity to learn more about what had
happened in the area where I live. Riding my bicycle and looking for
information in the field I meet some nice people. Normally you do not
knock at someone’s doorstep and ask them about what had happened there
during the war. But after 50 or 60 years they are willing to help you to
keep the memory a live. The Holts came over a few times and I could
guide them to the places I had found for them. I know the area quite
well, as I am a surveyor for the Dutch Government.
After the ‘Battlefield Guide’ project I wanted to do more and Andries
told me that he had a dream of changing the ‘Arnhem Roll of Honour’ on
the website. It all started when I was taking photos of all 1895
headstones at Oosterbeek and other sometimes remote cemeteries. We
received help from other people that took photos for us as far as Berlin
and Prague or the U.K. The project was finished just before the 60th
commemoration as planned and since then information is still poring in
every day. Some relatives send us personal photo's or give additional
information. I will be working on this project for the coming years as
it is by long not finished.
Frans Ammerlaan
Honorary member of the Parachute Regimental Association (Aberdeen
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Aart van Uden |
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Name: Aart van Uden
Born: 1955 Marrial status: married to Mia van
Uden - van Weij
Children: Wesley, Mark, Dennis Domicile:
Currently living at Dieren, about 20 km from Arnhem. |
| I was born on the 'Northern Island' at
Rotterdam, very close to the spot where the battle for the 'Willemsbrug'
took place when the Germans invaded Holland in 1940.
I used to visit de large market at
Rotterdam because one trader always had a lot of things for sale related
to WWII. So I guess I have always been interested in WWII since I was a
kid. In those days video did not exist so when a film about the war
played in the movie theatre I always went to see it.
At the age of seventeen I volunteered
for the army and spend five years with the black barets (recce). During
those days at the barracks I met a nice girl named Mia who'm I am
married to for 29 years now. We have three boys named Wesley, Mark and
Dennis.
When Internet became available I was
very interested in the use of it. I saw 'A Bridge Too Far' on television
and immediatly went on the internet to look for information. I
discovered marketgarden.com and was impressed about the huge amount of
information that was on it. I thought it would be a nice idea to look
for missing information and asked the webmaster if I could help. He
appreciated my suggestion and since that moment I am looking on the
internet for additional information that can be used for the website. In
particular for the Digital Monument.
Our pc is in the living room so I can
get on the internet for many hours and still be available for the rest
of the family. I hope to continue this hobby for a long time and keep
trying to make the site more complete.
Aart van Uden |
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John L. West - USA Representative |
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Name: John L. West
Born: 22 March 1947 Marrial status:
Married to Bambi
Children: Our dogs: Wilbur, Maggie, Sebastian, and
Rusty
Domicile: Turlock, California, U.S.A. |
I first became interest in Operation
Market Garden when my parents gave me the book, “A Bridge Too Far”.
After reading it and other books my dad, Keith P. West who had been a
medic with the 9th U.S. Army Air Force and had been at Eindoven and
Venlo, Holland mentioned that he had talked to some of the wounded
paratroopers who were in the hospitals in Holland waiting to either be
shipped back to England, or to rejoin their outfits.
Then, on Christmas Day 2004, my mother-in-law was the victim of a home
burglary in which the Purple Heart and other mementoes of her brother,
Pvt. Richard H. Thomas of Headquarters Company, 508th Parachute Infantry
Regiment were stolen. At that time I began a search for information
concerning Uncle Richard in order to have his medals replaced if
possible. One thing led to another and before long, I was up to my ears
in research about him. It was during that time that I happened to
stumble across the Market Garden Foundation web site and while using it
to gain information about Uncle Richard I began to appreciate all of the
years of work and dedication that had gone into this extensive data
base.
All of these events happened at a very opportune time as I was in the
process of retiring as a Fire Captain from the California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection after a 38 year career. Now I had enough
time to devote to other pursuits and it wasn’t long until Andries told
me that he and the other members of the Market Garden Team needed help
on this side of “the pond”. I volunteered to be the U.S.
representative for the Market Garden Foundation and quickly became even
busier than I had been.
My wife Bambi (Yes, this is her real name) is now used to me having
piles of papers, binders, and notes-to-myself scattered around the
computer all dealing with Operation Market Garden and the brave
American, British, British Commonwealth, and Polish paratroopers who
died during that battle.
The search for information about these men hasn’t turned in to an
obsession for me, but I must admit that it is a quest that becomes more
important and challenging by the day and on occasion does cause me to
loose some sleep.Jon L. West
November 2005 |
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Michael Sosabowski - UK Representative |
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