Airborne March Medal in Coincard

Heritage comes in different forms. In 2023 and 2022 we had a festive issue (for 10 years of Kingsday and Summer Carnival Rotterdam). Now, we have a very nice issue with an important message that shouldn’t be forgotten. The Royal Dutch Mint launches an exclusive coincard for the Airborne March, to commemorate the Allied soldiers and their sacrifices during the Battle for Arnhem in September 1944. The Airborne March Medal in Coincard is part of the series “Intangible Heritage of The Netherlands”. 

Airborne March

From 17th to 25th of September 1944, there was a hard fight going on in and around the city of Arnhem. The landing and battle where both part of Operation Market Garden. More than 5,000 men landed in Wolfheze and north of Heelsum, in the afternoon of 17 September. A day later, 1,900 parachutists landed near Ede and Wolfheze. After heavy battles, the Allied soldiers couldn’t keep possession of the John Frost Bridge over the Rhine River. In the night of 25th to 26th of September, 2,400 soldiers managed to get to safe territory, after crossing the Rhine near Oosterbeek. Almost 6,500 soldiers were held prisoners of war and weren’t freed until April or May 1945.

To never forget the sacrifices of the Allied soldiers, the Politie Sportvereniging Renkum (Police Sports Association Renkum) organized an Airborne March for the first time in 1947. The idea was to create a commemorative march, to honor the onces that fought for the liberation of our county. Around 2,000 people took part in the first March. Today, thousands of people take part in the Airborne March. Participants can choose from four routes, of 10, 15, 25 and 40 kilometers. The routes pass important landmarks from those days in September 1944. Members of the Police Sports Association Renkum and hundreds of volunteers work hard every day to organize a great day. 

Design

The Airborne March Medal is all about the Allied soldiers. That is why on the obverse of the medal, a group of soldiers is portrayed. In the background you can see parachutes coming down. In the middle is the text ‘’Lest we forget” and on top is the text “Airborne Wandeltocht – Politie Sport Vereniging Renkum” (Airborne March – Police Sport Association Renkum). Below you can find the text “Immaterieel Erfgoed” (Intangible Heritage). On the reverse of the medal is the logo of the Inventory Intangible Heritage The Netherlands.

The design of the coincard has the John Frost Bridge on the obverse. This bridge played an important part in the Operation Market Garden. The reverse of the coincard has the image of a map: red stripes have been added to show the routes of the Airborne March. As you are used to, on the coincard you can also find the specifications of the medal.