British airborne dentists during the Battle of Arnhem, September 1944

Abstract

This year gone marks the eightieth anniversary of Operation Market Garden; the biggest airborne operation in military history, which took place in September 1944 in occupied Holland. Unfortunately, the operation was a failure. The last objective - the bridge at Arnhem - could not be reached. This battle became known to the general public through the film A bridge too far. Over the years, many books have been published about it, but the role of the Army Dental (AD) Corps has never been described. Within the 1st British Airborne Division, one dentist served in each brigade. A total of three dentists took part in the battle. They not only had a role in providing dental care, but also served as anaesthetists within the Royal Army Medical Corps. All three of them were taken as a prisoner of war but survived. Not only did these dentists render their services, but so did the entire AD Corps. For their war time service, the AD Corps were awarded the regimental honour of ‘Royal''.