Feldgrau.net

As some of you Gents out there may have read I am trying to specialize on the Battle Of Arnhem.

Well, yesterday while reading Robert J. Kershaw´s excellent book "It never snows in september" I came across what could in my opinion cleary be considered an American war crime. He states that US troops threw woundes German Soldiers from the Nimwegen bridge into the river where most of them obviously drowned.

Does anyone of you have further information on this action or any other war crimes committed (by all sides!) during Market-Garden?

Best regards,
Markus

You've peaked my interest, though I have no information on this; all I'd ever heard of was the chivalry demonstrated by those on the German side toward captured Airborne troops. I'll have to get that book. Absolutely awful and disgusting, if that really happened at Nijmegen (and of course it very well could have).

~ Mike

Hello Markus:
This was mentioned on this site once before, and I assume its origin was Kershaw's book as well. To date I do not think we have had any origins of the allegations; does Kershaw have a footnote back to a source that might help us out?? Best wishes.

John W. Howard wrote:Hello Markus:
This was mentioned on this site once before, and I assume its origin was Kershaw's book as well. To date I do not think we have had any origins of the allegations; does Kershaw have a footnote back to a source that might help us out?? Best wishes.

Hi John,

I´m gonna look for the footnote. I am currently moving from one town to another so the book is not at hand since Sunday...

Hello Markus:
Good luck with the move Let us know what you find when you are ready. Best wishes.

John W. Howard wrote:Hello Markus:
Good luck with the move Let us know what you find when you are ready. Best wishes.

Thank you John, we´re almost done. Thanks to god that I have such a good wife!!! Just need to sort all of my books out of the boxes....

Sources:

Reports by Fritz Fullriede, Schwappacher, Euling, diary entries from a survivor

Jan-Hendrik

I´ve found something else on what might be considered a war crime during Market Garden.

In his excellent book "A Bridge Too Far" Cornelius Ryan states that he was told by an American soldier that they shot surrendering Germans after crossing the Waal in boats. The cited name of the American paratrooper is "Corporal Bommer" on page 332 of the book (German Edition).

From my reading of things, an offer of surrender has to be accepted by the opposition before it becomes effective. If A merely puts his hands up in a sign of surrender, or offers to surrender to B, B is not obliged to accept the offer. Once the offer is accepted it becomes another matter.

Am I wrong?

- Hans

May well be. I don´t know.

I´ve found another hint on a possible war crime during Market-Garden.

In his book "Sons Of The Reich" Michael Reynolds states on page 121 that by the orders of the local Gauleiter two American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division which had mistakenly landed inside Germany during the airborne drop where executed in the village of Kranenburg. The responsible person - called SS Sturmbannführer Klüttgen by Reynolds - was hanged for this crime in October 1948.

Gebirgsjaeger wrote:As some of you Gents out there may have read I am trying to specialize on the Battle Of Arnhem.

Well, yesterday while reading Robert J. Kershaw´s excellent book "It never snows in september" I came across what could in my opinion cleary be considered an American war crime. He states that US troops threw woundes German Soldiers from the Nimwegen bridge into the river where most of them obviously drowned.

Does anyone of you have further information on this action or any other war crimes committed (by all sides!) during Market-Garden?

Best regards,
Markus

Hi Markus

Are we talking about the Rail or Road bridge at Nijmegan?

Have read nothing in the Guards Armoured Divisional history or Lord Carringtons (British Foreign Sec 79-82 and later Sec Gen NATO 84-88) autobio (where he won his MC for the capture at Nijmegan) about the above alleged inncident

Regards

I´ve found another hint on what could be maybe considered a British war crime. Well I am not very familiar with international law or the rules of warfare. Decide yourself.

On page 85 of his book Mr. Kershaw describes the following incident:
"A railroad-track with a signal keeper´s house which changed occupants several times during the day. You (the major) were in a nearby farmhouse which was used as the battalion command post. Suddenly a heavy attack, they were cut off! Captain Ortmann sent me to you with a message. On my way I came under machine-gun fire, dived into a hedge for cover, couldn´t move at all. The distance to the machine gun was about 20 meters. I am under constant fire. A German tank comes rumbeling along. I hope that he has rescued you (the major). Afterwards I see 8 - 10 Fallschirmjägers walking towards the british machine gun position with "hands up", followed by Tommies. A short stop, the machine gun is turned around and cuts down all of the captured Germans. I am powerless because I´ve lost my machine pistol when I dived into the hedge. It´s lying a few metres away. I am slowly moving towards it when I hear "Hands up!". It´s over now, I think. Suddenly some more mortar bombs explode very close nearby. My guards are cowering for cover. I grap my machine pistol. Some short fire-bursts and kill the enemy, including the machine-gun crew. I can finally report back to Ortmann and I can report to him the shooting of our Fallschirmjägers which already had surrendered. Ortman informs me, that you (the major) have escaped the situation successfully".

I hope that he has rescued you (the major). Afterwards I see 8 - 10 Fallschirmjägers walking towards the british machine gun position with "hands up", followed by Tommies. A short stop, the machine gun is turned around and cuts down all of the captured Germans

Ahem - it couldn't have done the escorting Paras any good either....

phylo_roadking wrote:

I hope that he has rescued you (the major). Afterwards I see 8 - 10 Fallschirmjägers walking towards the british machine gun position with "hands up", followed by Tommies. A short stop, the machine gun is turned around and cuts down all of the captured Germans

Ahem - it couldn't have done the escorting Paras any good either....

Well I don´t know - I suppose they will surely have stepped aside. Kershaw claim´s that his source is a "war report" whatever this means. I just want to make clear that my goal is NOT to post as many ALLIED war crimes here as possible just in order to make those committed by my countrymen less worse. I am just very interested in the Market-Garden operations and so came accross this theme.