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STRAIGHT TO THE HELL

by Piotr Górka

21 September 1944, late afternoon. Fields east of Driel, Holland.
1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade jumping during Market Garden operation.

L/E 560 Limited Edition signed & numbered prints
Each of these editions are individual nambered
Overall print size: 35" wide 25 1/2" high  87,5 cm x 64 cm
Image size : 30 1/2" wide 19 3/4" high  76 cm x 45,5 cm
Printed On HQ Acid Free Permanent Paper 250 Gr
preedition PRICE 90 €  plus postage


signed by artist

About the history...

Market Garden, the largest airborne operation in history  began on Sunday, 17th of September 1944. Two American and one British airborne division along with the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade were supposed to secure river crossings to allow forces of XXX corps to break through the cities of Eindhoven, Nijmegen and to reach the city of Arnhem to outflank the Ruhr and bring the war to its end before December 1944. Polish and British airborne units were to concentrate on the Rhine crossings by Arnhem.
The 1st Independent Parachute Brigade was originally scheduled to land on day D+2 however, due to heavy weather conditions the parachute drop was delayed and finally took place in the late afternoon of 21 September 1944. A new drop zone was assigned for Polish airborne units: in the fields near the village of Driel, on the southern bank of the Rhine. As a result of the confusion during radio communication and worsening weather 41 out of 114 planes carrying soldiers of Sosabowski's brigade turned back to England. The remaining planes made it to the drop zone.  Polish paratroopers landed in heavy fire from machine guns, mortars, artilery and antiaircraft guns, jumping from the very low altitude. 
Poles were split apart. Gliders carrying anti-tank battery and heavy equipment of a Brigade landed the on the 18th and 19th and fought together with British units. About one third of a Brigade's strength was still in England because of the radio miscommunication. Those who missed the drop on Driel were to land later, on the 23rd of September.  The designated drop zone was near Grave, about 30 km from the original Brigade's landing site.
Despite constant fighting several attempts were made by soldiers of the Brigade to cross the Rhine and join the 1st Airborne Division holding its position at Arnhem. The cost of those attempts was very high. On the night of 25th September Polish troops provided cover for units withdrawing from the Arnhem area in an operation known as 'Operation Berlin'
The 1st Independent Parachute Brigade lost almost 23% of its initial strength: wounded, missing, killed and captured during the Market Garden operation.