• Ted Smith – Canadian Pilot

    Ted Smith, 92, was a Canadian pilot during the Second World War who saw frequent combat. But it is a spring day in April 1945 that’s seared into his memory. He arrived at Bergen-Belsen, the Nazi concentration camp, two days after it was liberated. Here is his description of the horrific scene he encountered.  9,544 total views

  • Leopold John “Leo” Genn (War Crimes Unit)

    WCIT. War Crimes Unit. Arrived 20th May. Produced initial report 22nd June. 14 page document summarised investigators key findings and made recommendations for the cases against key concentration camp personnel.  10,107 total views

  • Military Government at Belsen

    The 224 Mil. Gov Det. was responsible for “the former concentration camp” and remained one month in Belsen (ie until the camp was completely evacuated).  8,940 total views

  • medical students Belsen

    Sir James Gowans (1924-2020)

    St Catherine’s College is saddened to share the news that Sir James Gowans, Honorary and Founding Fellow, passed away on 1st April, 2020 aged 95.  11,254 total views

  • Major Brian Urquhart

    Brian Urquhart (Major) (Sir)

    I left the airborne business after the Battle of Arnhem because I was pretty unpopular there. It’s unpopular enough to be the one person who opposes something that everybody else wants to do. But if you turn out to be right, you get seriously unpopular, and I was seriously unpopular because I was right.  9,863 total views

  • Bill Millin Bergen Belsen

    Bill Millin

    Branko Lustig. As a 12/13 year old, the future producer of Steven Spielberg’s movie ‘Schindler’s List’, was in Bergen-Belsen and on the brink of dying when he all of a sudden heard a sound he thought might have been produced by angels. It was in fact British Army pipers playing as the camp was liberated.  11,047 total views

  • Clifford Beckwith – Green Howards

    My dad Clifford Beckwith was among the first British soldiers to enter Belsen. He never spoke of it other than to say they were told not to give food to the prisoners as it would make them ill. He said he never felt so helpless.  12,474 total views

  • Hugh O Hara – 11th Armoured Brigade

    This is the horrifying image of young soldier Hugh O’Hara helping to bury thousands of death camp victims after liberating notorious Bergen-Belsen. Hugh, who served with the 11th Armoured Brigade, sits at the wheel of a bulldozer, a white hanky at his face, looking out over dozens of dead bodies.  11,547 total views