The Cafs Restaurant Schoonoord, Oosterbeek, 1944

By the late evening of 18 September 1944, the second day of Operation Market Garden, a dressing station had been established here. The ADMS (Assistant Director Medical Services) Colonel Graeme M.Warrack of 1st AB Div, removed his badges of rank and posed as an orderly. On 20 September the Schoonoord was taken by the Germans and very soon became overcrowded with Germans and British being treated together as the building changed hands. Colonel Warrack met the German General Bittrich and negotiated a ceasefire so that the wounded could be evacuated through German lines to the St Elisabeth Hospital in Arnhem and then, when it became clear that the remainder of the paras still fighting were to be withdrawn across the river, he helped the wounded to be prepared for the journey to German-held Apeldoorn. He then hid in the roof space and eventually made his own way back to British lines. He received the DSO and the MBE. The oil painting. which truly captures the scene in the Schoonord and hangs there, was done by Reg Curtis of 1 Para who was treated there himself

Apeldoorn Arnhem Captures Ceasefire Changed Clear Done Established Evacuated Eventually Failed Graeme Hangs Helped Negotiated Oosterbeek Orderly Overcrowded Para Paras Prepared Rank Remainder Removed Treated Truly Withdrawn

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