The Second World War 1939 - 1945- the Allied Campaign in North-west Europe June 1944 - May 1945- the British Airborne Division at Arnhem and Oosterbeek in Holland Aerial view of the bridge over the Neder Rijn, Arnhem; British troops and armoured vehicles are visible at the north end of the bridge. Had General Montgomery's ambitious scheme for seizing the Rhine bridges succeeded the war in Europe might have been shortened by many months. In the event, however, back-up forces were unable to come up quickly enough to enable the advanced airborne troops to hold the strategically vital bridge at Arnhem.