When Dr Hal Sosabowski unveiled the Sosabowski Memorial in 2006, he was introduced by Sir Brian Urquhart.
In the planning for the Battle of Arnhem, Sir Brian was Browning’s Intelligence Officer and on 12 September warned Browning of the presence of the two German Armoured Divisions between Zutphen and Arnhem and advised him it was essential to adjust his plan for the battle (for which there was still time) to meet this new threat.
Browning refused.
Later when Sir Brian accompanied Browning to Nijmegen, Browning was present at the Valburg Conference when he allowed General Sosabowski’s advice (which later research has shown was the last chance of saving the battle) to be overridden.
After the war, Sir Brian became Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations, one of the most powerful and influential men in the world.
He is the last surviving veteran who was in a responsible position and present at the above Arnhem events.
I would like to quote extracts of Sir Brian’s speech last year:
“I had not known until 2004 that General Browning had been the cause, with the connivance of General Montgomery of dismissing General Sosabowski after the battle. They had circulated a grotesque criticism of the General and his Brigade. If there was anything wrong with them it was certainly not lack of courage and fighting spirit . I think that there can be no question that General Sosabowski’s dismissal was a shameful act and a gross miscarriage of justice.
There was a conclusion in that report that if the charges could not be justified, they had to have been made by some desire to divert blame for what was a pretty spectacular failure here in Arnhem and that there was, whether consciously or unconsciously in the minds of Browning and Montgomery, a desire to find a scapegoat and to call the Poles that scapegoat. I must confess that it seems to me to be a justified conclusion and one that is very shameful to us British.”
I and many of the Arnhem Veterans support these conclusions. In raising the Memorial we have re-affirmed our faith in General Sosabowski and our gratitude for the fighting quality of our comrades in arms in the 1st Independent Polish Brigade and for their bravery in helping the survivors of our Division to escape back across the river.
I now have great pleasure in inviting Mr Michael Sosabowski to unveil the new bronze plaque for the Sosabowski Memorial.