Commemorative run “Walking over Bridges” in honor of 80 years of liberation.

Commemorative run “Walking over Bridges” in honor of 80 years of liberation.

Last Sunday, June 9, runners from the running groups Blixemsnel from Eindhoven and the Springboks from Son gathered at the city hall in Eindhoven for the start of the running/cycling relay “Lopend over Bruggen”. They organized this 30 km relay in the context of 80 years of liberation to commemorate all the events that took place in Eindhoven and Son at the time.

In addition to the runners, there was also a large group of walkers, who took a 15km walk from Zonhove to the Bevrijdende Vleugels museum in Best. Both runners and walkers followed a specially marked route past monuments that refer to the liberation, now 80 years ago. The torch with the liberation fire from Bayeux was carried by the runners and walkers and upon arrival at Liberating Wings, the liberation fire at the Lancaster Monument was ignited.

A special moment was the story of a member of the running group De Springbokken, the granddaughter of Willem Hikspoors, who told the group of runners on the spot about the history surrounding this bridge. The group was warmly welcomed on the historic grounds at the Paulushoeve in Son, where all kinds of finds from the past 80 years could be viewed. Also very special was the large parachute, from an American soldier, who was accidentally found there years ago while working the land.

After this sporting effort, the more than 60 participants in this unique event had lunch together outside at the Bevrijdende Vleugels museum on the Bailey Bridge, which is part of the museum collection. For anyone who wants to know more about what happened in our area 80 years ago, a visit to this museum is definitely recommended.

However, this event could not have been organized without the support of various sponsors and the fire masters of the 18 September Foundation. In short, we can look back on a more than successful running/cycling/walking relay, in which commemorating the events of 80 years ago was central.