Eighty London taxi drivers were today due back in the capital after giving up their Bank Holiday weekend to take a group of war heroes on an "emotional" trip to Holland.
The £120,000 pilgrimage, organised by the Taxi Charity to remember the Liberation of Arnhem in 1945, was funded by veterans' own fundraising at Tube stations over the year.
Sizeable donations from the National Lottery and the Royal British Legion also helped them reach their target - but the cabbies' time, as well as most of the fuel and the use of their vehicles, has been donated by the big-hearted drivers themselves.
In all, about 120 veterans were taken to the Netherlands to mark the 70th anniversary of the battle. The Liberation of Arnhem finally brought the city back into Allied control, just weeks before Germany's surrender.
Anniversary: Veterans attend a service for their fallen friends in Groesbeek (Picture: Dick Goodwin/London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled) Last September saw the 70th anniversary of the first Battle of Arnhem, which saw heavy Allied losses, including many British troops.
Vice-president Dick Goodwin told the Standard the trip had been "very, very emotional".
"Everyone knows someone in one of the cemeteries," he said. "To me they're names, but to them they're mates."
Unfortunately the trip's centrepiece - yesterday's National Liberation Parade at Wageningen - was beset by bad weather.
Heroes: 'Everyone knows someone in one of the cemeteries' (Picture: Dick Goodwin/London Taxi Benevolent Association for War Disabled) Nonetheless, during their time in Holland, the veterans - more than 80 of whom took part in the liberation and the remainder of whom fought against Hitler elsewhere - have laid wreaths, visited veterans' homes, met Dutch officials and seen the graves of their fallen friends.
They were brought together from as far afield as Scotland and Wales through the charity's network.
"Some of the guys have never been back before," said Mr Goodwin, "so that's very emotional.
"The Dutch love our veterans - there's a great sense of comradeship. They're back with their mates."
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