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Jan van Hoof Memorial Bas-relief, Nijmegen road bridge
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Jan van Hoof Memorial Bas-relief, Nijmegen road bridge
Jan was a young student in Nijmegen who worked for the Dutch Underground Resistance. The Nijmegen bridge had to be captured intact by American Airborne forces during Operation Market Garden so that British Armoured forces could cross the river Waal and move onward towards Arnhem. The Germans had laid mine charges under all the important bridges and intended to blow them if the Allies attempted to cross them. The trigger for the explosion of the mines was connected by wires from the bridge to a safe point from which the bridge could be watched. Jan cut some of the wires and this bas-relief shows him holding a cut wire. However, the young RE officer Captain (later Major-General) A.G.C. (Tony) Jones, did climb under the bridge with a couple of his men and was seen to cut the wires. Date: 2001
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Media ID 23271142
© Holts Battlefield Collection / Mary Evans
2001 Airborne Bas Relief Captured Forces Hoof Intact Nijmegen Resistance Student Underground Worked
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative bas-relief memorializes the heroic actions of Jan van Hoof, a young student from Nijmegen who played a crucial role in the success of Operation Market Garden during World War II. The Nijmegen road bridge, spanning the river Waal, was a vital objective for the Allied forces. The Germans had laid mine charges under the bridge with wires leading to a safe point for observation and detonation. The capture of the bridge intact was essential, as it would enable British armored forces to cross and advance towards Arnhem. Jan, a member of the Dutch Underground Resistance, bravely took matters into his own hands. With the Americans poised to make their move, he risked his life by cutting some of the wires, disabling the explosives and paving the way for the Allied forces. However, Jan's actions were not the only daring move that day. Captain A.G.C. (Tony) Jones, a young British officer, also climbed under the bridge with a few of his men and was seen to cut the wires. Their actions, though unbeknownst to each other at the time, were pivotal in ensuring the bridge's capture and the progression of the operation. This powerful bas-relief, created in 2001, immortalizes Jan van Hoof's courage and selflessness. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the war and the vital role that individual acts of bravery can play in shaping the course of history.
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