Sixteen consecutive drops have been cancelled in the last few months... for one reason or another.
But this time the party's on... and no one is going to call it off.
Is that fully understood?
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Waddy.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Do sit down, gentlemen.
Please sit down.
Look after these.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Thank you.
Gentlemen, this is a story that you will tell your grandchildren... and mightily bored they'll be.
The plan is called Operation Market Garden.
Market is the airborne element, and Garden the ground forces... That's us.
Now this is our position on the Belgian border here.
Tomorrow, three airborne divisions will begin landing in Holland... thirty-five thousand men taking off from 24 airfields... in troop-carrying planes or towed in gliders.
The American 101st here... around Eindhoven... the American 82nd here... south of Nijmegen... and our own 1st Airborne boys and a Polish brigade... here at Arnhem... sixty-four miles... behind enemy lines.
Now, their job is to take and hold... all the bridges in these three areas.
Our job is to punch a hole... through the German front line here... and then drive like hell up this road... linking up with each airborne division on the way up.
Speed is the vital factor.
The plan is to reach Eindhoven in two to three hours... and Arnhem in two to three days.
That, gentlemen,
is the prize:
the bridge over the Rhine... the last bridge between us and Germany.
Kickoff will be at 1435 hours tomorrow afternoon.
The Irish Guards, under the command of Colonel Vandeleur, will take the lead.