Major General Urquhart and Brigadier General Lathbury are the two most important commanders during the Battle of Arnhem on September 18, 1944. Poor radio contact frustrates Urquhart so much that he wants to check in on the advance of his troops.
Major General Urquhart and Brigadier General Lathbury are the two most important commanders during the Battle of Arnhem on September 18, 1944. Poor radio contact frustrates Urquhart so much that he wants to check in on the advance of his troops. He ends up in the middle of the fire lines and has to flee into a house. His troops think he is dead.
Zwarteweg 14 is an inconspicuous terraced house in Arnhem west. But for a few crucial days in September 1944 it played an important role, as the British commander, Major General Roy Urquhart, was hidden here by Anton Derksen. Shortly after the British airborne landing on September 17, the British experienced problems with radio communications. This forced Major General Urquhart to be informed of the situation on site.
On September 18, he ended up in the Lombok district of Arnhem with Brigadier General Gerald Lathbury. When Urquhart and Lathbury tried to return to their headquarters, they misdirected themselves and walked towards German positions. Lathbury was shot in the back. After leaving Lathbury in a house, he fled further and was hidden in the attic by Anton Derksen at Zwarteweg 14. When the British made a last attempt to advance to the Arnhem bridge on September 19, Urquhart was liberated.
Tourist information
Corner Utrechtseweg-Zwarteweg in Arnhem. GPS code: 51°59’03.90”N 5°53’07.40”E
- Category:
- Landmark
- Outdoor recreation
Address and contact
Utrechtseweg & Zwarteweg
6812 CH Arnhem
