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.
I believe that my late father, Sgt J K Lightfoot late of the 141 Royal Armoured Corps (The Buffs) Churchill Crocodiles.
Throughout his life, he spoke very little of his war, only during his final day's did he share his terrible memories
Submitted by: Classical Brands
Day, William Henry
I'm not sure if anyone can help me. I'm trying to find out more about my Grandad and his war time service. When I was much younger and learning about World War 2 at school, I'm afraid to say I did badger him about his time in the war. He told me he would talk about his experience of Belsen once and never again. he told me he was part of the group of soldiers who liberated the camp and that it was like Hell, people dead or dying and hardly recognisable as human beings, he said that they tried to help and as they were starving gave the prisoners their rations, he said, we killed more people, we didn't know that our rations were too rich for their stomachs.
This has stayed with me for over 40 years now and I think about this exchange often and wished I'd asked more questions, even though he made it clear the subject wasn't up for discussion again!
The reason for the resurgence of interest is threefold, firstly we are due to visit Auschwitz over the next week, although not the same, still an important place to visit, secondly and the reason for the visit is our son has recently studied further in History at school and has an interest, along with reading The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in English lessons, in learning more and thirdly as part of his GCSE course in RS has to prepare a project, he is intending to research all of my Grandads medals and why he received them.
My mother is of an age that although she's always been interested in what her Father did in the war has not had the opportunity to research, I'd like her to know more before she exits stage left and I feel like it's left to me to share his story and know more.
Any pointers you can give me would be most welcome, I do have his record card but it's very vague. His name was William Henry Day born in Bradford.
I'm also sending over a couple of photos we have in case they are of interest. My Grandad is the one writing at the desk!
Submitted by: Charlotte Parker
Hunter, James
My grandfather, James Hunter of Belfast, served in the Gordon Highlanders. He rarely talked about the war, but he did mention taking part in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen.
Submitted by: John Hunter
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
Clifford, William (RA)
My late father My William Clifford was in the 8th Army Royal Artillery 1456039 (Gunner Clifford) and told me he was at the liberation of Belsen. It affected him deeply and he would not talk about it. He also served on police duty at the Nuremburg trials of the SS officers. He did have several small photos of the bodies piled high but he burnt them just before he died.
Submitted by: Janice Wooldridge
McMurtry Anderson, Robert
I think my grandfather Robert McMurtry Anderson was an ambulance driver attached to the American army who helped liberate the prisoners from Belsen.
He didn’t talk about it other than what is above so I don’t know any more about it. I’d love to know more about his service.
Nancy Anderson
(Admin: Poss AFS? https://www.belsen.co.uk/category/american-field-service-afs/ )
Submitted by: Nancy Anderson
Acreman, Stanley
My uncle served in the war. He left at 17 and at 18 helped liberate the Belsen camp.
His name is Stanley Acreman. He lived in Somerset and moved to Dursley, Gloucestershire.
He was a lovely man. He never spoke about what he saw to anyone. Then in the last years of his life I felt privileged that he shared history with me.
It was horrendous what he saw and how he described it. Truly awful. It’s awful to see a grown man cry. I will never forget what he saw and he was such a brave young man.
I do not know his regiment nor number. All I know is that he was called up to fight as he had turned 17.
Submitted by: Helen Fursland
Comer, Dominic
My dad told me his brother Dominic Comer who was a cook in the R.A.F.
Was involved in the liberation of Belsen, and he only ever spoke about what he had experienced once.
I was shocked as my uncle was a very happy cheerful much loved uncle who showed no signs of what he had been through.
I do not have his records or i.d no.
Submitted by: Maria Knight
Hutchinson, Robert Clark (Major)
For reasons of family history, I would be highly grateful if you could be so kind as to provide any sign, traces or concrete evidence of the presence of Major Robert Clark Hutchinson of the 115th Highland Division (Gordon Highlanders) at the initial opening of the gates and liberation of the WWII Bergen Belsen transfer concentration camp in Germany.
Submitted by: Anthony Patrick Hutchinson (son)
McKeown, Albert (Major)
Found your website by chance so thought I'd let you know another name for the Liberators list as I've been researching my family tree.
Maj Albert McKeown
Sherwood Foresters under the Royal Artillery.
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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…
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.
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
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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.
