On Thursday 1 September 2016, the Taxi Charity took five Arnhem veterans to the 70th anniversary of the Airborne March, known locally as Airborne Wandeltocht.
The veterans were taken in three taxis from Harwich to the Hook of Holland on Thursday night and arrived in Arnhem/Oosterbeek at midday on Friday.
The Airborne March itself took place on Saturday 3 September.
The veterans we escorted were:
Arthur Letchford, 2 Para - one of the few soldiers to get to the bridge during the battle
John Crosson and Geoff Roberts, both 7th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) 1st Air Landing Brigade - they went in in gliders
Alex Hall, 218 Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC)
Ted Pieri, 250 (Airborne) Light Composite Company - he was waiting to go on third lift when the operation was cancelled due to heavy losses.
Special thanks to our volunteer taxi drivers: Ian Gaffney, Paul Gale and Ron Geraghty.
[Our veterans are interviewed for Dutch TV around the 6:15 mark]
Itinerary for 70th Airborne March 2016 at Oosterbeek
09:30
Veterans Welcome at Airborne Museum
10:00
Opening of reception, with speeches by Wilma Luckel, march leader; Jasper Verstand, deputy mayor
10:25
Laying of flowers/wreaths at Soldier & Flower Girl monument opposite museum
10:40
Beat & retreat by Massed Pipes and Drums 10:50
Opening speech by march leader on the stage 10:58
Last Post
11:00
One minute silence
11:02
Opening of 70th Airborne March. Veterans were invited to take a place on the stand to salute groups and individuals; or to participate in march past by riding in golf carts
12:30
End of march past
14:00
Start of the homecoming parade
16:00
End of the homecoming parade
16:30
Medals presented to those who participated for the 50th, 60th and 70th time 17:00
End of ceremony
18:00
End of Airborne March
For more information about the Airborne March, visit www.airbornewandeltocht.nl
For more videos, please visit our YouTube channel.