"Old "Lonsdale" Church and Memorials" Oosterbeek Things to Do Tip by vichatherly

It was here that survivors from the 19th September 1944 savage fighting in the area gathered and were reorganised by Major Lonsdale.

In a sermon from the pulpit, Lonsdale with his hands in bandages, began his stirring speech "You know as well as I do that there are lot of bloody Germans coming at us...We must fight for our lives and stick together...We've fought Germans before - in North Africa, Sicily, Italy. They weren't good enough for us then and they're bloody well not good enough for us now"

The church then became known as "The Lonsdale Church".

The church itself is filled with British Airborne memorials and you will find the Pegasus horse everywhere, including the pulpit, the communion table, font and the alter cross, which was taken form the church back to England and then returned after the war had finished. There is also a splendid Lonsdale Force Memorial Seat.

We had a chat with one of the local guides and she made us very welcome.