A Bridge Too Far  by Cornelius Ryan

The classic account of Operation: Market Garden, paying equal attention to the actions of XXX Corps and the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions as it does to the 1st Airborne at Arnhem. Includes many veterans accounts and is an ideal book to start with for those who are new to Market Garden.

Arnhem by Christopher Hibbert

Synopsis: This book tells the true story of the Battle of Arnhem which was fought in September 1944. Nine thousand men of the First British Airborne Division were parachuted into the peaceful countryside that surrounded Arnhem. Their objective was to capture and hold the bridge over the Rhine ahead of the advancing British Second Army. Nine days later, after some of the fiercest street-fighting of the war, 2000 paratroopers managed to escape to safety. 'Finely recorded...truly the battle of Arnhem has been fortunate in its historian' Sunday Times

Arnhem by Lloyd Clark

Synopsis: Lloyd Clark gives a chronological overview of the operation, from its initial conception through to the end of the battle. He emphasizes both parts of the operation from the air and on the ground, as well as the participation from all parties involved - Britain, America and Poland fighting for the Allies, and also the actions of the German defenders.

Arnhem 1944 by Bill Buckingham

Synopsis: The ferocious battle immortalized in A Bridge Too Far in which British and American paratroopers, deep behind Nazi lines, fought in vain to secure a bridgehead over the Rhine. This controversial new study for the first time critisizes key military figures involved.

Arnhem 1944 by Martin Middlebrook

The best book to date to be published about the general aspects of the Arnhem side of Market Garden. Martin Middlebrook takes events outside of Arnhem as read and instead concentrates his very thorough book on the actions of the 1st Airborne Division alone, including the RAF and USAAF units that supported them. Approximately half of Middlebrook's analysis is told through the words of those who fought at Arnhem.

Arnhem 1944: Operation Market Garden (Osprey Campaign Series) by Stephen Badsey

Synopsis: With the help of bird's-eye views, this book describes one of World War II's most audacious operations. "Market Garden" was Montgomery's plan to end the war by the end of 1944, a plan that was to end in disaster.

Arnhem: A Tragedy of Errors by Peter Harclerode

Synopsis: Peter Harclerode has pieced together an important new view of what was a considerable failure. Existing accounts direct most of the blame to XXX Corps, and two divisions in particular, for failing to push the ground offensive forward. This work sets out to provide a realistic and objective appraisal of why things went wrong - and who in truth should have borne the responsibility.

Arnhem (Fields of Battle) by A. D. Harvey

Synopsis: In this new interpretation of the battle, A.D. Harvey uses German as well as British sources to show how the flaws in Allied planning combined with the unexpected vigour of German counter-measures to defeat an operation that many believed could have shortened the war by several months.

Arnhem: The Fight to Sustain by Frank Steer

Synopsis: Tells the story of the Royal Army Service Corps, including air dispatch, the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, the Pioneer Corps, the Army Catering Corps and the Royal Engineers Postal Section in supporting 1st Airborne Division. As such, it includes for the first time details about the seaborne element and the Airborne Forward Delivery Airfield Group, or AFDAG. Drawing heavily on anecdotal information, and describing in detail the creation of Britain's airborne logistic capability and its first real operational test, this is a powerful story which will be of interest to a wide range of military historians, and, because of the powerful human dimension, a wider audience. It comprises some 65,000 words with around 80 photographs, a number of which are previously unseen originals. All profits made by the author are being donated to appropriate charities.

Arnhem: The Landing Ground and Oosterbeek (Battleground Europe: Market Garden) by Frank Steer

Synopsis: This is latest of the well-respected Battleground series of books, and covers a number of aspects of the battle of Arnhem. The book relies on both historical knowledge and anecdotes from veterans to bring to life the events of those fateful days of late September 1944. Have set the strategic scene on the opening chapter the guide suggests four separate tours around the area, one on foot and the others requiring a car. They can all be completed in a full day, but are structured in such a way that visitors can make their own choice of how and where to visit. For a clear, concise and accurate account of the Arnhem-Oosterbeek battlefield this excellent addition to our Battleground series is unlikely to be beaten.

Arnhem: The Bridge (Battleground Europe: Market Garden) by Frank Steer

Synopsis: In the second of his two Battleground guides to the epic struggle put up by the British and Polish paratroopers at Arnhem, Frank Steer concentrates on the battle in the town itself and particularly for the vital bridge. Seized at a comparatively early stage, the bridge became the focus for prolonged and vicious fighting. Cut off from further reinforcement by the furious Germans, the small garrison, led by the redoubtable Colonel John Frost, waged an increasingly desperate struggle for survival against overwhelming odds, hoping against hope that 30 Corps would arrive in time. As is well known they did not. The fact that this battle was lost and the bold aims of Market Garden were not fully achieved in no way diminished the extent of the achievement of the Paras. Indeed it has added to their glory.

Battle for the Rhine 1944: Arnhem and the Ardennes - The Campaign in Europe 1944-45 by Robin Neillands

Synopsis: Robin Neillands' new history of the Battle of Normandy (Cassell, 2002) was hailed by the Sunday Times as one of the best military history books of the year. This continues the story from the breakout from Normandy to the arrival of the Allied armies on the Rhine at the beginning of 1945. The story is dominated by two great battles: the Allied airborne offensive into Holland that ended in bitter failure at Arnhem, and Hitler's last great offensive in the Ardennes that December, the 'Battle of the Bulge'. This book ends where Robin's previous book The Conquest of the Reich begins, thus forming a trilogy that takes us from the Normandy landings to the fall of Berlin.

Battlefront: Operation Market Garden - The Bridges at Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem (Public Record Office Document Packs)

Synopsis: This wallet contains 12 facsimiles of key original 1944 documents, relating the story of the heroic Allied attempt to take a bridge across the Rhine from the viewpoint of British and American airborne troops, German defenders and the Dutch resistance. The documents are accompanied by an illustrated introduction which places them in their historical context and includes a glossary of technical terms used in the items. The pack includes: the SS account of the battle, with a cover note signed by Heinrich Himmler; VC citations for a glider pilot and paratrooper; the US 82nd Airborne colour map of the landing and attack on Nijmigen; SOE signals sent to London; war diaries for two paratroopers and Grenadier Guards; an aerial reconnaissance photograph of destroyed SS armour on the bridge at Arnhem; a congratulatory letter from a colonel in the US 101st Airborne to Irish Guards; the ULTRA decrypt of the German analysis of the battle; and the Ordre de Mission for the SOE and OSS teams.

The Biography of General Sir John "Shan" Hackett GCB DSO MC by Roy Fullick

Synopsis: 'Shan' Hackett is remembered by his own and succeeding generations for a variety of achievements and attributes. A superb fighting soldier, he served with the Trans-Jordan Force, had fought through North Africa and was involved in the formation of the Long Range Desert Group, the SAS and Popski's Private Army. He went on to raise 4th Parachute Brigade which he commanded with flair at Arnhem where he was wounded and captured. He escaped and got back to British lines. He rose to high rank filling key command and staff appointments in the British Army and NATO. Always an intellectual, yet highly practical, man, he retired to become Principal of King's College London where he was revered by staff and students. He wrote many acclaimed works including The Third World War and its sequel The Third World War - The Untold Story. He was constantly in demand for his television programmes and radio commentary up to his death in 1997.

By Air to Battle: Official Account of the British Airborne Divisions

By Air To Battle

Synopsis: The official account of the British 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions.

The Devil's Birthday by Geoffrey Powell

Major Geoffrey Powell commanded "C" Company of the 156th Battalion at Arnhem, and his account of the whole of Market Garden, dealing solely with the progress of the battle from a command perspective, is thoroughly researched and the best in its field.

Diary of a Red Devil by Albert Blockwell and Maggie Clifton (Editor)

Synopsis: Diary of a Red Devil relates the war time experiences of a young man, Albert Blockwell from the north-east of England, who in February 1940 was called up for service with the Army. Initially conscripted into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and trained as a vehicle mechanic, he was then posted in March 1940 to a pre-war Territorial unit - The 7th Kings Own Scottish Borderers. Then in September 1944 Albert flew to Holland on Operation Market-Garden and his account (written in PoW camp) describes the savage nine days fighting at Arnhem from the slit trench level. Taken prisoner on the last day his account then describes the spartan life in PoW camp without pulling any punches.

A Drop Too Many by Major-General John Frost

John Frost's excellent account of his wartime experiences, largely with the 2nd Parachute Battalion, from their early training through to action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Arnhem. Highly recommended.

The Evaders by Leo Heaps

Synopsis: This World War II adventure story offers a thrilling first-person account of the escape of Allied soldiers from behind enemy lines following the disastrous Battle of Arnhem in September 1944. Of 10,000 Allied troops, there were 8,000 casualties. However, some 250 men were hidden by the Dutch resistance: singly and in groups, theirs were some of the most remarkable escapes of the war. The author, a Canadian paratrooper taken prisoner during the battle, jumped from a moving train on its way to Germany, and subsequently organised the successful rescue of other survivors; for his part in one of the most incredible mass escapes ever recorded, he earned the Military Cross. The stories of the escapees are interweaved with those of the brave Dutch resistance who helped them. It is a moving portrayal of heroism and compassion told with a vigour that keeps readers enthralled.

Parachute Pathfinder Company

First In! Parachute Pathfinder Company by Ron Kent

A veteran of the 21st Independent Parachute Company writes this thorough account of the history of the unit, describing its involvement in the actions of the 1st Airborne Division from North Africa to Arnhem.

Gunners At Arnhem by Peter Wilkinson

A Lieutenant with the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment at Arnhem, Peter Wilkinson presents this fascinating account of the actions of the Royal Artillery at Arnhem - including the Light Regiment, anti-tank batteries, and the Forward Observation Unit.

I Was A Stranger by General Sir John Hackett

Chronicles the amazing escape story of the then Brigadier Hackett, commander of the 4th Para Brigade. It begins with his wounding and capture in the latter stages of the Arnhem operation, and proceeds to detail his dealings with the Dutch Resistance until he succeeds in reaching the Allied lines some five months later.

In the Shadow of Arnhem by Ken Tout

Synopsis: The Battle of Arnhem in September 1944 has been much publicised, with its extraordinary parachute drop and the gallant defence by Frost's few men of the bridge at Arnhem. However, its relative failure left the Allies holding a 30-mile stretch with the enemy firmly entrenched on both sides. The village of St Oedenrode was liberated on 18 September, but Allied troops did not capture Schijndel, four miles away, until 23 October. The Arnhem debacle left vast stretches of Holland to the left and right of the salient occupied by enemy forces, strategically placed to menace any future plans. These areas of Holland had to be cleared by Allied troops in platoon or company strength, fighting in tight situations against bitter skilled resistance, losing one or two casualties at a time. There was none of the awesome and inspirational massing of troops and armour as seen in the battle for Normandy, for Arnhem itself, or in the Battle of the Bulge yet to come. Interweaving narrative with eyewitness accounts of British, Canadian and Polish troops, Ken Tout reveals how these men suffered and died on a scale far exceeding the casualties of the immediate assault on Arnhem.

The Island: Nijmegen to Arnhem (Battleground Europe: Operation Market Garden) by Tim Saunders

Synopsis: Having fought their way up fifty miles of Hell's Highway and through Nijmegen, XXX Corps was just ten miles from Arnhem and 1st British Airborne Division. The Island is flat land between the Waal at Nijmegen and the Rhine at Arnhem. The situation was increasingly bad with the remainder of II SS Panzer Corps in the area and German counter attacks on Hell's Highway preventing the Allies applying their material superiority. The Guards Armoured and then 43rd Wessex Infantry Division took turns to lead before reaching the Rhine opposite the paratroopers in the Oosterbeek Perimeter. Attempts to cross the Rhine by the Polish Paras and the Dorset Regiment had little success but, meanwhile, the guns of XXX Corps ensured the survival of the Perimeter. After some desperate fighting on the island, 43 Wessex Division evacuated just two thousand members of the elite Airborne Division who had landed eight days earlier.

It Never Snows in September by Robert J. Kershaw

Synopsis: On the afternoon of 17 September 1944, Lieutenant Enthammer, a Wehrmacht artillery officer based in Arnhem, gazed up at the clear skies, hardly believing what he saw. White 'snowflakes' appeared to hang in the air. 'That cannot be,' he thought. "It never snows in September! They must be parachutists!' They were. He was witnessing the first wave of the British parachute assault on Arnhem. The war had reached the Reich. The blow moreover had come as a complete surprise. The Allies had expected Operation Market Garden to bring the collapse of the Wehrmacht in the West and shorten the war. But the Germans resolved to fight. Based on extensive research it Never Snows in September uniquely chronicles that struggle through the eyes of the German soldier and analyses the reasons for the eventual outcome. This major work of military history is now reprinted in paperback in response to continuing popular demand.

Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide to Market-Garden: Leopoldsburg to Arnhem by Tonie Holt, Valmai Holt

Synopsis: There have been numerous guide books to the fighting around Arnhem in particular but this is the first to tell the whole story as it happened. As the many thousands of satisfied Holt's Guide readers know, the authors have an uncanny knack of getting to the nub of the story, explaining the action clearly and directing the visitor to the key sites in order that he/she gets the most from any visit. With its full colour touring map The Holt's Battlefield Guide to Market Garden will prove as big a success as its forerunners, on both sides of the Atlantic and the Channel.

Men At Arnhem by Geoffrey Powell

Major Geoffrey Powell commanded C Company of the 156th Battalion at Arnhem, and this tells a very personal story of the actions of then men who fought there. Though names and units are fictional, the events described actually happened.

Nearly There: Autobiography of John Frost of Arnhem Bridge

Nearly There! by Major-General John Frost

John Frost's autobiography, dealing with many aspects of his life, but also dwelling on his wartime experiences with the Parachute Regiment.

Operation Market Garden: Then and Now, Volume 1 by Karel Margry (Editor)

Synopsis: Volume 1 covers the mounting of the operation and the crucial first two days of the battle. The story opens with the planning and preparation of the double undertaking - of "Market" by the newly created First Allied Airborne Army in the UK and "Garden" by the British Second Army on the Belgian-Dutch border. The scene then switches to describe the German military situation in the Netherlands on the eve of battle. The massive initial airborne landings of September 17, 1944, are then recounted with equal attention to each of the three airborne divisions involved. The break-out battle by the Guards Armoured Division, spearhead of the ground army, is likewise illustrated with a wealth of photographs. The second day of the operation, September 18, sees the Guards reaching the 101st Airborne at Eindhoven, making their first contact with the airborne army.

Operation Market Garden: Then and Now, Volume 2 by Karel Margry (Editor)

Synopsis: Volume 2 of this two-volume history of Operation "Market-Garden" continues the story as XXX Corps links up with the 82nd Airborne at Nijmegen which leads to the dramatic and spectacular capture of the vital bridges there over the Waal river. But at Arnhem the tide of battle has already turned. The main force of lst Airborne is thrown back to the Oosterbeek perimeter, leaving John Frost's isolated force at the road bridge to fight it out till the end. As the Polish Brigade is dropped south of the Rhine, and the ground army desperately tries to relieve the beleaguered British paras, down in the south the Germans launch repeated attacks on the narrow corridor in an attempt to cut the Allied supply artery. As savage battles rage for possession of "Hell's Highway", the airborne battle is lost and on September 26 the survivors of lst Airborne are evacuated back across the Rhine.

Over The Bridge: The Story of Arnhem, and Other Poems by W.S. Vernon

Synopsis: The battle of Arnhem took place in September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne operation ever. A large number of paratroopers were dropped in three separate areas in order to occupy the bridges from the Belgian border to Arnhem. However, the attempt failed and many lives were lost in the insuing altercation. Using this as the inspiration for his anthology of poems, W.S.Vernon creates a nostalgic and melancholic atmosphere throughout the collection.

Para!: Fifty Years of the Parachute Regiment by Peter Harclerode

Synopsis: This is a history of the first fifty years of the Parachute Regiment, by an author who has served with both the Paras and the SAS. The Regiment began as a response to the German "blitzkrieg" in 1940, with the aim of supplementing the actions of the British Army and Airforce. The book details the first and most famous of the early raids - on Bruneval in 1942 - alongside the ill-fated assault on Holland in September 1944 that established the Parachute Regiment as an elite force. In the postwar period, they have gone on to prove their worth in action in Suez, Malaya, the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland.

Sons of the Reich: The History of II SS Panzer Corps in Normandy, Arnhem, the Ardennes and on the Eastern Front  by Michael Reynolds

The Road to Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland (World War II Library) by Donald R. Burgett

Synopsis: A former soldier recalls his participation in the epic battle for a "bridge too far"--Field Marshal Montgomery's daring plan to drop the 101st Airborne behind German lines and secure a bridge across the Rhine River.

Urquhart of Arnhem: The Life and Times of Major General R.E. Urquhart, CB DSO by John Baynes

Wings of War: Airborne Warfare 1918-1945 by Peter Harclerode

Synopsis: A comprehensive history of airborne warfare and forces from 1920 to 2000

A Bridge Too Far (R2)

Richard Attenborough's all-star blockbuster adaptation of the Cornelius Ryan novel of the same name.

Battlefield - Arnhem (R2)

The Battle Of Arnhem (R2)

Line Of Fire - Arnhem (R2)