On a Sunday morning in September 1944 the greatest armada of troop-carrying aircraft ever assembled for a single operation departed from airfields all over southern England. The vast air armada, stretching over forty miles of airspace, included nearly 5,000 aircraft and more than 2,500 gliders. By early afternooln an entire airborne army consisting of three Allied divisions and a Polish Brigade were dropped along a corridor leading to the vital Bridge at Arnhem that crossed the Rhine on the roads leading into Germany. It was the the largest wartime airborne operation in history

Fifty-five years later, on another September morning, Sergeant Roy Mobsby led the Pathfinder Group in a jump into Drop Zone Ginkle Heath. This is the very DZ into which the British paratroopers dropped during World War II.

The Pathfinder Group was privileged to participate in this historic drop with the active serving paratroopers of 4 Para Battalion of the British Airborne Regiment. During the historic battle, the British 1st Airborne Division's task was to capture the vital bridge at Arnhem.

Most importantly on this day was the distinct honor of the Pathfinders including in their number, Bruce Cox a British para who jumped into Ginkle Heath in 1944 and fought in the battle of Arnhem. Also befitting the occasion, the Pathfinder Group included Dutch engineer parachutists in their number.

This was a defining moment for members of the Pathfinder Group who received certificates of recognition for their commemorative jump in a ceremony at the Arnhem Airborne Forces Museum on the grounds of the DZ. Some members of the group were also awarded their Dutch military jump wings. Click here for more photos of the Arnhem jump at the Pathfinder Holland web site.

And, the Pathfinder Group had the honor of having their logbook record of the jump officially authenticated by the Curator of the Airborne Forces Museum at Arnhem.

Into the Millennium the Pathfinder Group will continue to conduct an annual Arnhem Commemoration Jump into Holland.

Click here if you are interested in taking part in the 2007 the Arnhem Anniversary jump.

Click here to send email to the Pathfinder Group

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