Does anyone have a map reference or name of a road where the laundry was when Major cain was fighting tanks and won his VC in Oosterbeek sept 1944. I need a point of ref to assertain where one of my family were killed. Thanks
Mike, Shame you didn't post this in 2001!!!! I took a group to the site of the van Hofwegen (from memory) laundry on a Saturday afternoon to take some photos and view the few original buildings before it was demolished to make way for a housing development...... It was off the Weverstraat and I think you need to cross refer to the book 'By Land Sea and Air' which has a lot of detail on Cain and the fighting in Oosterbeek. Perhaps Matin Bull if he sees this might have a photo or two....otherwise there were some photos of it in Battlefields Review some years ago....perhaps issue 8....
I remember it well, Niall - indeed I think I took some photos through the locked gates but will need to dig them out.....
Thank you both very much, I have a relative who was killed at the back of that laundry and am taking his elderly brother there in september he would like to see where it happened. Would appreciate sight of the pictures very much if poss.
OK mike but you may have to wait a little - this was back in the days of 'steam photography' and I have no idea where the photos are buried just now....
Mike, Do you have a copy of By Land Sea and Air? It will help you sort things out in your mind as the area now bears no real resemblence to 1944. I seem to recall there are 1940's photos of the laundry in the book..... Martin is quite right in saying that it was what now seems a long while ago in 2001 and not many people had digital cameras then when we visited! It is perhaps also not well known that a signaller climbed up the laundry chimney to string an aerial which helped 1st Airborne to get in radio contact with XXX Corps. Norman Patten was his name....
There is a photo of the laundry pre-war on page 128 and a map of the area/South Staff positions on page 139 of the book I previously mentioned.....
Hi, Found this thread by g00gle search. My grand uncle, Sgt Donald Wyatt (Glider Pilot) died at Oosterbeek and his battlefield grave was in a field by the laundry. I am having trouble locating "By Land, Sea and Air", can you check your copy to see if he was mentioned. I have more fully described my knowledge on the new recruits page. many thanks Wyatt grandnephew
