The Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp

Welcome this new archive relating and dedicated to the men and women service personnel and the part they played at the Liberation and subsequent Humanitarian Effort of the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp in 1945: The Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp.
UPDATE:
Thank you to everyone who submitted a name/details to coincide with the anniversary of the liberation of Bergen Belsen – we’ll go through all your submissions, moderate and add them on. If you have a photo or any more details please email us. Thank you.

We are now inviting any relatives of service personnel who may have been at the camp to get in touch. Any regiment, service, nationality, volunteer or any snippet of information – we would like to hear from you. We do not believe there are any records of the diverse group of men and women, many completely untrained, who were involved with the camp, after it’s liberation.

Those That Served

Latest | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z | Submit a name
There are currently 79 names in this directory beginning with the letter R.
Rahilly David Maurice
Randall, John (Lieutenant) 1SAS
First in: SAS More More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Rankin Bill
Ranson, William
Intelligence Corps (Thank you - if you have any more details or a period photo please email liberator@belsen.co.uk)
Submitted by: Lynne Woodward
Raperport, Gerald (Medical Student)
Medical Student. The Middlesex Hospital
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Raphael John Henry
Rattigan, Peter (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 15/07/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Rawlings, Eric Jack Sgt. (63rd ATR)
Troop Sgt. 249 Battery. 63rd Anti-Tank Regt. Photo More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Raymond Michael James
Readman BSM (113th LAA)
Brigade Sargeant Major (not initials) (113th LAA)
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive
Redshaw, Joseph (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 26/01/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Reece, Tom
My Dad was a cook attached to the Royal Engineers he had been with then since the planning for the Pluto fuel line at the Isle of Wight then Normandy France Belgium Holland Germany (Belsen) although little did he talk about his experiences he did say how they had to dilute soup so the prisoners could tolerate it as it had been so long since they had anything at all and any food was impossible for them it was doing more harm than good. My Dad was TPW(Tom) REECE 410099 army catering corps. Before the war he was in the Shropshire Yeomanry and a baker in civilian life, that's how he came to be in the catering corps, he didn't have an option.
Submitted by: John Reece
Reede, Arthur (RE)
Royal Engineers More
Submitted by: Robert Durrant
Reekie Stella Jane
Reeves, Alfred (RAMC)
He enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1940, saw service in Africa, and was one of the first to enter Belsen concentration camp after liberation by the Allies.
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Reid, Archibald (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 00/01/1900
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Resin, Michael "Moe” RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Revill, Charles Leslie (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 16/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Revill, George (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Reynolds, John Anthony (Medical Student)
Medical Student. St Thomas More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
RICHARDSON, ISAAC (KIA)
Service Number 4535197 (Lance Bombardier) Died 29/07/1944 Aged 33 370 Bty., 113 (2/5th Bn. The Durham Light Infantry) Lt. A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery RIP
Submitted by: 113th Durham Light Infantry RA
Riches, George Frederick Pte. (RAMC)
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009720
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Ricketts, Don (Lt) 3RTR - 11th Armoured
No 1 Troop Command.
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Ridler, Duncan. Sgt. (1SAS)
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Riley, James (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 30/09/1930
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Riley, K A Lt (113th LAA)
(113th LAA)
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive
Ritson, Ernest (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 15/04/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roach, A (Capt.) (113 LAA)
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Roach, William E. Capt. (58th LAA)
174 Battery, 58th Light Anti-Aircraft More More v2 first in account Coventry Telegraph More details to follow
Submitted by: Michael (Mike) Roach
Roberson, Laurence Edward (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 16/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roberts Douglas Ivor
Roberts Hilda (Maj.)
RAMC
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Roberts Sidney LCpl.
Roberts, Arthur (113 LAA) Sergeant
1516030 My grandfather was with 113 LAA - Sergeant Arthur Roberts 1516030. It was his second time in Europe having narrowly escaped with the BEF at Dunkirk. Arthur returned to England after the war and had a successful career finding oil in the North Sea for BP
Submitted by: Simon Chapman
Roberts, Joseph (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 16/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roberts, Joseph (RAMC)
My grandad was Joseph Roberts and was part of the medical Corp who went into Belsen April 1945 after its liberation. He never talked about it . My mam has all has papers .
Submitted by: Helen Mosley
Robertson George
Robertson, Alexander S (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 14/11/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robinson, Charles Henry (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (Durham LI) Enlistment Date: 26/04/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robinson, Ernest George (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robinson, James Coenelies (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 07/02/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robinson, Leonard (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 15/12/1941
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robsinson, Sergeant (113th LAA)
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Robson, George (113 LAA)
530/55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 14/11/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Robson, John (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 09/02/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Rodger, George
George Rodger (19 March 1908 – 24 July 1995) was a British photojournalist noted for his work in photographing the mass deaths at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the end of the Second World War. More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Rodgers, Frank (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA (TA) Enlistment Date: 16/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Rodinson, Frank (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Rodman, Sydney (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 29/07/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roe, Clifford (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 01/11/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roe, Clifford (113th LAA)
My father was there he was Clifford Roe from West Hartlepool. (Thanks Maureen - please send us an email with more details)
Submitted by: Maureen Yuill
Roebuck, Harold (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Roger George
Rogers, Albert John (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Rollinson, John
John Rollinson who served in WW2 as a cook with the Army Catering Corps, army no. 7600895. In 1945 he was attached to 91 Reception Camp in Amersham, catering for injured repatriated POWs. We know from John's personal testimony when he was alive that he was one of a number of army cooks sent to Bergen-Belsen on the camp's liberation to feed the prisoners. However, there is no reference to this on his records (Army form B103 etc.), presumably as it was a secret operation (?).
Submitted by: Archive
Rooke Geoffrey Basil
Roscoe Harvey Charles Barnet Brig.
Rose Berhard
Rose, James Dudfield
RAMC. Evacuated from Dunkirk, was at the seige of Tobruk and was sent to the liberation of Belsen.
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Rosensaft, Josef
Josef Rosensaft (January 15, 1911 – September 11, 1975) was a Holocaust survivor who led the community of Jewish displaced persons (Sh'erit ha-Pletah) through the establishment of a Central Committee of Liberated Jews that first served the interests of the refugees in Bergen-Belsen DP camp and then DP camps throughout the entire British sector.
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Rosenstock/Abadi Odette Dr.
Ross, John (Capt.) (113 LAA) Rev
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Rothery, Vincent
Rothery, Vincent
Lance bombardier 249 battery
Submitted by: Peter Rothery
Rowan, Vincent
My father, Vincent Rowan, born 1914, was with the BAMC at Bergen Belsen when it was liberated. It was only as they were leaving that they were told the war was over. Dad always described the area as terrible and it affected him greatly as he told us some of the things they experienced. (RAMC? Admin)
Submitted by: Phil Rowan
ROWBOTHAM, STANLEY (KIA)
113 (2/5th Bn. The Durham Light Inf.) Lt. A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery (Gunner) Killed: 20th July 1944. Age 37 HERMANVILLE WAR CEMETERY 2. E. 2 Son of Henry and Ellen Rowbotham; husband of Margaret Ann Rowbotham, of Bradford, Manchester. RIP
Submitted by: 113th Durham Light Infantry RA
Rowsell Peter Watts
Rowsell, Peter
Medical Student
Submitted by: Archive
Roxby, Thomas (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 28/04/1939
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Royden Charles Ashmore
Dad was completing his National Service, he was part of a group that went in to support the dreadful clean up of the camp. He used to tell us of the atrocities that he witnessed.
Submitted by: Julia Hawkes
Rudman Joan
Rurka Hofstein Sadie
Rushton, Albert
British Red Cross
Submitted by: Gareth Jones
Russell Sister
Russell-Smith Nancy
Russell, John (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive
Russell, William (Wull)
1923–2006 Royal Army Service Corps More
Submitted by: Belsen Archive
Russell. Reg (113th LAA)
113 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Submitted by: 113th Durham Light Infantry RA
Ryder, George (113 LAA)
55 Searchlight Regt RA: 113th LAA Enlistment Date: 30/09/1940
Submitted by: 113th DLI Archive/Belsen Archive


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Liberation of Bergen Belsen

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This site will progress and I’d encourage anyone with any info to get in touch. My granddad, Reg Price served with the 113th Durham Light Infantry*, as part of 369 Battery. As a signwriter, he produced this sign…

Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp
The Sign at the Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp

And this was kept in the family for years – so for the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Belsen in 2020, subsequent VE Day and VJ Day, I thought it’s about time I’d try to find out more about Reg – his comrades (many of which are names, simply written on the back of photos), what they did together and for a way to remember them all, properly.

To coinicide with the anniversary, I was able to be filmed both on national and local BBC TV to tell Reg’s Story.
Whilst this was totally out of my comfort zone and I dreaded every moment – I decided I needed to do something to start this all off. BBC Midlands Today aired 7th May and a VE Day Antiques Roadshow Special aired Sunday 10th May.

Read here about The Heroes of Belsen.

The main photo, shown here was coloured for the 75th Anniversary and we’ll tell you all about it shortly – and what happened next!

*Just 113th Durham Light Infantry? No we are interested in all Service and Medical personnel who took part during the humanitarian effort at Belsen Concentration Camp. Their roles and names are largely forgotten, as many were too horrified to ever speak of what they had to do, so this archive seeks to form a tribute to ALL those that were there, to find out more and to remember them.
If you have a relative, or any info, on the relief effort at Belsen, we’d love you to please get in touch. Email us: liberator@belsen.co.uk – Thank you

***

The Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp

Any 113th Durham Light Infantry friends or family are encouraged to get in touch via 113th@belsen.co.uk

** In 1938 the old 5th Battalion DLI changed its role to Searchlights and then in 1940 to Anti-Aircraft. This 113th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment went to Normandy in June 1944 and joined the advance into Germany in early 1945.
Official designation – Brigade: 100 AA • Division: 30 Corps. • Unit: 113 LAA Regt. RA (DLI) TA.

The Liberation of Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp
Names of British soldiers who liberated Belsen

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