On 17 September 1944, SS-Kampfgruppe Graebner was assembled at Hoenderloo, near Arnhem. The battlegroup consisted of battered veterans from the 9. SS-Panzeraufklärungs Abteilung (9th SS Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion), commanded by the eccentric and bold SS-Hauptsturmführer Viktor Graebner.

In just over one hour Graebner’s men had all their ‘unserviceable’ vehicles ready for combat. Graebner immediately headed to Nijmegen, to scout for enemy activity and secure the route.

When he arrived in Nijmegen he found the city’s bridge secured by men from Kampfgruppe Henke. Then Graebner learned that the 10. SS-Panzeraufklärungs Abteilung was engaged in a heavy firefight with British forces at the Arnhem Bridge. Graebner raced his unit north. When he arrived he received reports of a small British parachute force holding the northern end of the bridge. Graebner, true to form, decided to launch an attack as soon as possible.

Graebner decided to use the same tactics that had worked so well in Normandy. He would wait until after dawn passed, counting on the British to relax their vigilance and then he would pounce. Graebner’s men were ready and willing. The battalion, approximately 300 men and 22 vehicles, would cut their way across the bridge.

The faster armoured cars led the assault, followed by armoured half-tracks. The Panzergrenadiers brought up the rear in a mixture of military and civilian trucks crouched behind metal barrels filled with sand and grain for protection against British fire.

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS:

• 2x resin and metal Reinforced Trucks