NB: Group photograph above is not mine (Stuart Riley), others are!
Digging Market Garden – University of Oxford Website.
Just spent four fantastic days at Fulbeck Manor (15 – 18 August), revealing archeology relating to Operation Market Garden (A Bridge Too Far). Fulbeck Manor was requisitioned from the Fane family in 1940 and became the headquarters of Major-General Urquhart before Operation Market Garden. Julian and Alix Fane, the owners of Fulbeck Manor were absolutely brilliant hosts throughout the dig, even though we dug up their garden, having said that, we spent day 4 restoring as if we hadn’t been there.
RAF Fulbeck was one of the airbases from which troops on involved in Market Garden departed, which included the British 1st Airborne Division and the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade, both under the overall command of Major-General Roy Urquhart (played by Sean Connery in the 1977 film). Aircraft flying from the local airfields dropped more than 8,600 British, US and Polish paratroopers, and towed more than 3,000 US glider troops to their landing zones in the Netherlands. Many were never to return, as the ambitious aim to advance as far as Arnhem [roved to be a “bridge too far”.
Digging market Garden, organised by South Kesteven District Council (Debbie Nichols), Wings to the Past, Operation Nightingale and 216 Parachute Signal Squadron, with funding by Dr Tim Clack (see full list below).
Plus, Prof. Carenza Lewis (Lincoln University) and Dr Tim Clack, the Chingiz Gutseriev Associate Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Oxford guiding us all the way. These guys were ultra professional and were always willing to answer any question.
Also, a special thanks to Matt Naughton and Alex Wilford of Network Archaeology, for supervising us throughout the three days of digging.
There was also a presentation in Fulbeck Village Hall by Brian Riley, explaining the South Kesteven’s Airborne Heritage to Brians usual high standard.
The aim was to find WW2 Nissan hut foundations, but instead we found much much more. Will post the follow-up report once received. Hopefully, there will be much more of these fantastic digs in the future, as all involved were brilliant, a thoroughly enjoyable four days meeting new people.
List of those involved:
- Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)
- Wings to the Past
- South Kesteven District Council SKDC
- The Royal Corps of Signals
- British Army
- Royal Air Force (RAF)
- NETWORK ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED
- Fulbeck Craft Centre
- University of Oxford
- University of Lincoln
