The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans organised travel for a group including eight Second World War veterans to take part in the 82nd-anniversary events for Operation Market Garden, including a mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath and the Airborne Memorial Service at Oosterbeek.
Volunteer London taxi drivers and supporting volunteers took veterans to Netherlands commemorations for the 82nd anniversary of Operation Market Garden.
Events included a mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath (19 Sept) attended by more than 60,000 people and the Airborne Memorial Service at Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery (20 Sept).
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, run by volunteer licensed London taxi drivers since 1948, provides free trips to commemorations and relies on donations, grants and sponsorship.
Volunteer London taxi drivers organised and ran a trip that brought military veterans, including eight Second World War veterans, to the Netherlands for commemorations marking the 82nd anniversary of Operation Market Garden. The organising body was the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, which arranges free travel to battlefield and remembrance events in the Netherlands, France and the UK.
The charity's visit included two headline events. On Saturday 19 September the group attended a mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath, an event the charity reported drew more than 60,000 people. The following day, Sunday 20 September, veterans and the charity's party attended the Airborne Memorial Service at Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.
The charity highlighted both the large public spectacle and quieter acts of remembrance. Colin Mills, a London taxi driver and chair of the Taxi Charity, said: "The mass parachute drop at Ginkel Heath is an incredible sight, but it is the moments of quiet remembrance that stay with you." He also noted Geoff Roberts's determination: "Geoff's determination to stand, despite being in a wheelchair, and pay his respects to his fallen comrades was a moment that none of us will forget."
British cab drivers were joined by carers, medics and other volunteers to support the trip. Dutch organisations also assisted the visit on the ground. The charity describes the annual travels as helping to maintain friendships between veterans and people in the Netherlands.
About the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
Run by volunteer licensed London taxi drivers, the Taxi Charity has supported veterans since 1948. It provides free trips to commemorations in the Netherlands and France and to events in the UK. The organisation relies on donations, grants and sponsorship to fund its activities.
For readers interested in veteran commemorations, community volunteer efforts or the role of civic organisations in remembrance, this account shows a practical model: licensed drivers and unpaid helpers provide transport and on-site support so elderly veterans can attend major commemorations. The report documents both public participation—the parachute drop—and personal acts of respect at the cemetery service.
Image credit: Taxi Charity Ten Second World War veterans have received a VIP welcome in the Netherlands after travelling to the 79th Wandeltocht with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans. Dorothea Barron, Robbie Hall, Betty Withers, Paul Terry, Alf Cooley, Geoff Roberts, George Durrant, William Puckett, Ivan Staines
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