The battle occurred in the aftermath of Operation Market Garden, a failed attempt by the Allies to cut off German forces in the Netherlands and end the war quickly.

Walter Model who commanded German forces during Market Garden attempted to regain the Nijmegen salient which had been seized by the allies in an effort to contain the offensive and drive them off the Betuwe, which became known as 'the Island.'

When the Arnhem road bridge was destroyed by US medium bombers on October 7, sporadic fighting continued for a further three days but the Germans called off any major assault.

[2] In September 1944, the Allies had launched Operation Market Garden, a major offensive from the Dutch-Belgian border across the south of the Netherlands through Eindhoven and Nijmegen toward the Rhine bridge at Arnhem.

The advance stopped south of the Lower Rhine, resulting in a narrow salient that ran from the north of Belgium across the south-east of the Netherlands, and was vulnerable to attack.

The Household cavalry managed to reach the Polish Parachute Brigade at Driel following which 4th Dorsets attempted to reinforce 1st Airborne division but suffered heavy losses after crossing the river.

They feared that the Allies could still use the area as a springboard to the north to cut off the German Fifteenth Army in the western part of Holland and threaten the plains of North-Western Germany.

Model, therefore ordered Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Bittrich, of II SS-Panzer Corps, to destroy the Allies between the Nederrijn and Waal by coordinated armour and infantry attacks from the north and east.

Upon arrival the 9th Panzer Division took over command of the battlegroups Knaust and Bruhn, ad hoc formations composed of reserve and depot infantry, which previously had engaged the British 1st Airborne.

[10] To ensure proper coordination of the counterattack, all German units on The Island were placed under command of Bittrich's II SS Panzer Korps to devote his attention exclusively to the conduct of the upcoming operation.

The Scheldt estuary needed to be cleared so that the huge port of Antwerp could be opened to Allied shipping, making supplies easier to get to the new stabilised front line.

[13] On October 1, Calais and Cap Griz Nez finally fell, but the damage to the port was severe, and the facilities were not available for some time, so Allied eyes lay firmly on Antwerp.

[21] Another pre-emptive strike on British defences beforehand was ordered – an early morning crossing of the Rhine at Doorwerth Castle a mile downstream from Driel was the target.

[22] II SS Panzer Corps's main counter-attack began as planned on October 1, facing them was an ad hoc British force of four battalions: 5th Wiltshire Regiment, 4th Somerset Light Infantry, 3rd Irish Guards and the 7th Green Howards.

[23] Under a creeping barrage in the morning mist, Kampfgruppe Volker, supported by Tiger II tanks, struck at Heuvel against the 7th Green Howards, the left-hand battalion of the 50th Northumbrian Division's 69th Brigade; here fighting raged all day.

[27] Later that afternoon, at about 16:30 hours, the East Yorkshires were ordered to relieve the 7th Green Howards, even though severely attacked by German tanks, infantry and subjected to heavy shellfire.

At around 11am 24 B-25 Mitchells dropped their bomb loads right in the centre of Huissen and destroyed a large part of the small town causing the loss of 106 civilians.

Their commanders including Bittrich realized that, given the poor ground conditions and the strength of the British defences, further attempts to force a breakthrough were pointless.

German morale began to plummet – during the daytime of October 2, three deserters from the 1/156 Panzer Grenadier Regiment came over the railway embankment near the De Laar farm, and divulged the news of another attack taking place that evening to the British – namely 5th Wiltshires.

With an artillery barrage and close support from rocket firing Typhoons – 8th DLI managed to capture Haalderen with all objectives taken by 5:30 pm – having suffered 40 wounded.

The 6th Highland Light Infantry were sent south of Haalderen to take positions beyond which included a number of brick factories – their attack was costly partly due to inaccurate maps.

[49] During the late afternoon and evening the 2nd Devonshire Regiment having struggled against incessant mortar and artillery fire finally succeeded in mopping up the Germans in the orchards around Vergert.

[24] After the attacks of the 9th and 116th Panzer Divisions in his Corps' centre, against Aam and Elst, had been defeated, Bittrich, who was under strong pressure from OB West to continue the assault, decided to change tactics.

On October 6, the 506th in a day of stiff fighting again supported by British artillery rounded up 150 POWs in the area and inflicted heavy losses which was estimated to consist of 300 men (the equivalent of two and a half companies).

A combined Anglo-American counter attack was attempted with the support of tanks of the Royal Scots Greys and with the assistance of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

After poor weather on October 5 and 6 an attempt was made on the 7th – seven USAAF Martin Maurauders of the 344th Bombardment Group, dropped their loads with several direct hits being scored on the road bridge, which completely destroyed it.

The 10th SS Panzer Division suffered their worst day on October 4 since their arrival in Holland, and losses were so high that they were unable to mount an attack for some time.

The British, supported by Canadian tanks, counterattacked and surrounded the Germans, resulting in an entire battalion being destroyed – 700 men in all were killed, wounded and (mostly) captured.

[73] The Island was fully captured in April 1945 during Operation Anger when the 49th 'Polar Bear' Division supported by Canadian armour threw the Germans back over the Rhine.

[75] The 2001 American war drama HBO miniseries Band of Brothers episode five – 'Crossroads' portrays the German attack on the Driel-Opheusden railroad line near Randwijk on 5 and 6 October.