{"id":1607,"date":"2020-02-15T12:34:23","date_gmt":"2020-02-15T12:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1607"},"modified":"2025-10-06T10:48:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T10:48:35","slug":"liberation-of-belsen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1607","title":{"rendered":"Liberation of Belsen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1607\" class=\"elementor elementor-1607\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-22ace098 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"22ace098\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-92d4933\" data-id=\"92d4933\" 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href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=653\">Regimental Records<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-659\" id=\"mega-menu-item-659\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=657\">Page Turning Ceremony<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-663\" id=\"mega-menu-item-663\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=661\">Soldiers of Oxfordshire<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-667\" id=\"mega-menu-item-667\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=665\">142 (QOOH) Veh Sqn RLC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-671\" id=\"mega-menu-item-671\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=669\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-671\">Churchill\u2019s Funeral<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-671'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1364\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1364\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1342\">Personal Memories<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1363\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1363\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1344\">MV Havengore<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1362\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1362\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1346\">Funeral Train<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1361\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1361\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1348\">St Martin\u2019s Church, Bladon<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-1608\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1608\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1607\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-1608\">Liberation of Belsen<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-1608'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1639\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1639\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1624\">Before Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1638\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1638\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1629\">Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1637\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1637\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1633\">After Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1863\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1863\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1861\">Bergen-Belsen Trial<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-676\" id=\"mega-menu-item-676\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=673\">Oxfordshire Blue Plaque<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-3745\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3745\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3621\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-3745\">WW2 &#038; 63 (Oxf Yeo) A\/Tank Regt RA TA<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-3745'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3773\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3773\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3700\">1939 \u2013 1940<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3822\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3822\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3764\">1941 \u2013 1942<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3872\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3872\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3817\">1943<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3905\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3905\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3867\">1944<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3920\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3920\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3900\">1945<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3983\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3983\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3918\">1946<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-5087\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5087\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4936\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-5087\">251(OY) Bty &amp; 85th Anti-Tank Regt, RA<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-5087'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5091\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5091\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=5013\">Into Battle<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5095\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5095\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=5063\">Captivity<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5119\" 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class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-375ac974 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"375ac974\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Liberation of Belsen<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ca1468b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ca1468b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-31f41c0\" data-id=\"31f41c0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b156709 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b156709\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Many articles<\/span> have been published over the years of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and its liberation.\u00a0 There is much to find via the internet (very little of it reporting the involvement of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry) and many websites contradict each other.\u00a0 The officers and men of 249 Battery, 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment RA were the very first unit from the Allied Forces to enter Bergen-Belsen on that fateful day of Sunday, April 15th 1945.\u00a0 In the days which followed there were many more units, with their relevant trades, skills and equipment, drafted in to deal with the great many problems found.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6189a4e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6189a4e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-671cbf2\" data-id=\"671cbf2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e58e7bc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e58e7bc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0April 15th, 2025, was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belsen Concentration Camp<\/strong>.\u00a0 No doubt many will have watched the TV broadcasts of the liberation of Auschwitz, some of these programs even covered Belsen.\u00a0 But nowhere shows the men of the QOOH and their involvement in this dreadful experience.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The task of liberating the camp, and taking command of the German SS forces which were running the camp, was detailed to <strong>249 Battery, 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment RA<\/strong>.\u00a0 Probably the most dubious \u2018claim-to-fame\u2019 in the history of the QOOH.\u00a0 Certainly one, which most of the men of the Battery, have tried to forget over the years.\u00a0 These were men trained to fight an enemy and kill where necessary.\u00a0 They were certainly ill-equipped, both practically and mentally, to cope with what lay before them.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Commanding Officer (CO) of the Regiment, Lt Col Dick Taylor, and 249\u2019s Battery Commander (BC), Maj Ben Barnett were informed that the surrounding area of the camp was being guarded by some 600 Hungarian troops, as well as a large number of German Wehrmacht troops \u2013 these were outside the camp.\u00a0 The prisoners inside were guarded by the German SS, male and female.\u00a0 Due to the fact that many of the internees had infectious and contagious diseases, including typhus, TB and sundry other conditions, the whole area had been declared a neutral zone, agreed between the Allied 8th Corps HQ and the commander of the German 1st Parachute Brigade.\u00a0 The worry was that it was feared the typhus would spread if the internees managed to escape.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0On April 13th, a group of German officers had approached our leading troops under a flag of truce.\u00a0 They informed the Allies that there was a concentration camp a few miles in front of the Allies line of attack.\u00a0 The Allies at this time were still several miles away on the other side of the river Aller and the Battery spent the next day (14th) waiting to cross the bridge at Celle, with the Germans putting up a stiff fight.\u00a0 Late in that afternoon, they managed to cross the bridge and spent the night of the 14\/15th in woods just past the bridge.\u00a0 Next day, after being kept hanging about all morning, the BC sent his 2i\/c, Capt Pat Ashton, to liaise with the Germans at Bergen-Belsen Barracks, (the German Panzer training-school barracks).\u00a0 The Battery was still being harassed by German marines at the edge of the neutral zone.\u00a0 Once inside, the CO, BC, and an interpreter, with a small bodyguard, moved on to meet up with Capt Ashton at the concentration camp entrance.\u00a0 To meet them there was the Commander of the Wehrmacht Training Area, Oberst Harries with his 2i\/c, Schmidt.\u00a0 Also, Kramer, the SS Commander was present.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Meanwhile, the remainder of the Battery moved to the large Bergen-Belsen Barracks, about 2 miles away, to establish themselves in these barracks.\u00a0 The CO, BC, and the bodyguard and the Germans prepared to go into the camp, which covered an area of some 10-12 acres; it was surrounded by a 10\u2019 high barbed-wire fence.\u00a0 They were informed that there were approx 45,000 internees.\u00a0 On the strength of this information the BC immediately sent for one troop of his battery, complete with their Crusader tanks.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0They were also informed that there was enough food in the camp to feed everyone for 3 days, but in fact found there was no food at all.\u00a0 Not only that, but there was no water either, and there hadn\u2019t been for 2 or 3 days !\u00a0 At about this time, Brigadier Glyn Hughes, who was the DDMS (Deputy Director Medical Services) 2nd Army, had arrived.\u00a0 As there was no food or water, the DDMS Brigadier Glyn Hughes got on his wireless to Army HQ with a very urgent request for food and water.\u00a0 Also arriving soon after was a Maj Leonard Berney, a Staff Officer attached to the HQ of 8 Corps, of the British 2nd Army.\u00a0 He had been tasked to liaise with Lt Col Taylor, and the 63rd Anti-Tank Regt and to report back as soon as possible to the Chief of Staff and the Corps Commander.\u00a0 Later, Taylor wrote his report which Berney took back to the HQ.\u00a0 This started the immediate action to start the relief effort.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Next morning, there was a proper inspection of the whole camp area.\u00a0 The second troop of the Battery were sent into the camp with their Crusader tanks to take over from the German SS and to try to get some sort of order in the camp.\u00a0 This was a very major problem, as the Battery had not been in any way trained or given advice on how to administer camps with about 45,000 people, especially there being no food or water.\u00a0 They also discovered that apart from the absence of food and water, there was no sanitation of any sort in the camp, there did not appear to be any trenches to use as latrines.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0What was discovered were many, many, large piles of naked corpses scattered around the camp.\u00a0 A large pit (50x10yds) had been dug and a large number of bodies in it.\u00a0 A message was broadcast telling the internees that food and water was on the way and that the German rule in the camp was over and that the Allies were doing everything in their power to relieve their misery.\u00a0 The next day the 2nd Army sent up several water bowsers and lorry loads of American compo-pack rations.\u00a0 This created problems of how these internees were meant to get into the cans of food in the rations.\u00a0 These rations were also not a suitable diet for people who had not been eating normally and indeed caused even more deaths.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0It was discovered that there were about 50 SS men and women and these were then put to work (supervised and prompted by soldiers of 249 Battery) collecting and moving the piles of dead bodies into the pits.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Over the following days the might of the various Army departments swung into action.\u00a0 Late in the afternoon of the 16th, water tankers, food, coal and cooking equipment arrived.\u00a0 These food supplies consisted of dried milk powder, rye flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, tinned meat and vegetables.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0On the 17th, 224 Military Government Detachment, commanded by Major Miles, took control of Bergen-Belsen camp (the German Panzer training-school barracks), becoming the Displaced Persons (DP) camp and a hospital began to be set up at Bergen-Belsen.\u00a0 The 32nd Casualty Clearing Station, RAMC also arrived.\u00a0 Members of the 5th British Army Film and Photograph Unit arrived.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0On the 18th, the first ambulances of 11th Light Field Ambulance arrived.\u00a0 A temporary Belsen Jewish Committee was elected, chaired by Josef Rosensaft.\u00a0 113 LAA Regt RA also arrived to assist and eventually relieve 249 Bty, 63rd (OY) A-Tank Regt RA.\u00a0 800 Wehrmacht soldiers left Bergen-Belsen Barracks to return to the German lines as per the truce of 12th April.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0April 20th, despite the fact of a neutral zone being declared, an attack by 10 Focke-Wulf 190\u2019s machined-gunned the camp.\u00a0 Major Davies, of the USA Typhus Commission arrived at Bergen-Belsen and is assigned the responsibility for the creation and command of a typhus control unit.\u00a0 After spending the previous 2 days, assessing the internees and finding a suitable building, the &#8216;Human Laundry&#8217; is established (in a former stable) by the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station, and the evacuation of Belsen begins.\u00a0 After being shaved, cleaned and deloused, the former prisoners are moved into either the newly established hospitals or clean barrack accommodation at Bergen-Belsen Barracks.\u00a0 300 former prisoners were processed through the &#8216;Human Laundry&#8217; on that day.\u00a0 113 LAA Regt Workshops, REME creates a makeshift water supply using civilian pumping equipment (from Celle Fire Dept), to pump water from the Meisse, a small river approx 500 metres away.\u00a0 Over the next 8 or 9 days, an average of 750 internees each day are processed through the \u2018Human laundry\u2019.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<strong>On the 24th, 249 Battery is moved out of Belsen<\/strong> and tasked to set up a camp for released Russian PoW\u2019s at Celle.\u00a0 Evacuation of medically fit prisoners begins.\u00a0 1,164 French\/Dutch Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route.\u00a0 On the 25th, 912 Military Government Detachment&#8217;s organisation of the bakery at Bergen-Belsen Barracks and the dairy at Bergen results in the first deliveries of bread, milk, butter and cheese into Bergen-Belsen.\u00a0 1,130 Belgian Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route. <br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0April 29th, all SS camp staff are arrested and transferred to the prison in Celle.\u00a0 April 30th sees the first of 97 medical students arrive from London to help with relief work.\u00a0 On this day <strong>Adolf Hitler commits suicide !<\/strong>\u00a0 From Apr 15th to 30th, over 9,000 prisoners died.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0On May 1st, 30 Czechoslovakian Prisoners were evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks to Displaced Persons (DP) route.\u00a0 33 Germans evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks were sent to PoW camps.\u00a0 30 German Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks were to return home.\u00a0 May 2nd sees 2,468 Soviet Prisoners evacuated from Bergen-Belsen Barracks and sent to Fallingbostel.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0On May 4th, the Officers Mess (The Roundhouse) in Bergen-Belsen Barracks is equipped with beds and brought into use as a hospital.\u00a0 And still the internees are being processed through the \u2018Human Laundry\u2019 at daily rates of 500-600.\u00a0 <strong>Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the surrender of German forces in northern Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.<\/strong><br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In mid-May, Bergen-Belsen Barracks is the largest hospital in Europe housing over 13,000 patients.\u00a0 On May 17th, the last of the prisoners pass through the \u2018Human Laundry\u2019, making a total of 11,890.\u00a0 May 19th sees the last of the prisoners evacuated and the burning of the old Belsen camp begins.\u00a0 Approx 14,000 former prisoners have been admitted to the various hospitals in Bergen-Belsen Barracks.\u00a0 It is declared on May 21st that 17,000 former internees have been repatriated, with many thousands yet to go.\u00a0 From May 1st to 31st, 4,531 prisoners die and a further 1,827 are buried.<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In June, the British rename Bergen-Belsen Barracks, to Bergen-Hohne Barracks.\u00a0 On 28th June, the Daily Mirror reports that 20 former SS staff had died of Typhus.\u00a0 13,944 prisoners died since the liberation (2,000 of which because they were given the wrong type of food by well-meaning British Soldiers).<\/p><p>\u00a0 After spending 6 or 7 days at Belsen, the men of 249 Battery were relieved of their duties there and they moved on.\u00a0 They were soldiers, after all, and there was still a war to win.\u00a0 They were initially sent to Celle on the 24th April to set up the camp for released Russian PoW\u2019s, then on 28th April they moved again to Luneberg to take up Garrison duties in the town.\u00a0 249 Battery, along with the rest of 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) A-Tank Regt, were then involved in the \u2018Dash-to-Kiel\u2019, preventing the German port falling into the hands of the Russians, following the end of WW2 when the whole German territory was being split amongst the former Allies.\u00a0 Whilst these guy\u2019s involvement in the initial liberation of this despicable camp and the horrors which met them was nothing to brag about, these men should hold their heads high and feel proud of what they achieved in attempting to make the conditions for the internees better.\u00a0 To witness these poor souls dying, in their hundreds daily, and not knowing how to help, must have been so traumatic.\u00a0 Unfortunately, all they had to carry out their task was an abundance of anti-tank shells, not the medical equipment or the correct food, unlike the many units which were drafted in after the Liberation and release from the SS command.\u00a0 What they did have, was a compassion for the internees suffering and most likely a hatred for the Nazis and their military governance.\u00a0 What a great many of the men ended up with was years and years of horrific nightmares, reliving the horrors of what they had witnessed at Belsen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5f2c151 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5f2c151\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a808274\" data-id=\"a808274\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3369862 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3369862\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Over the next few pages can be found more information about :-<br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The history of Belsen camp, before Liberation; <br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 More detailed events of the Liberation; <br \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 And what happened after Liberation \u2013 the War Crime trials.<\/p><p>Also,witness accounts from soldiers and internees, along with some carefully selected pictures.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-102c7ce2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"102c7ce2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b37eca7\" data-id=\"2b37eca7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54ab167a elementor-widget elementor-widget-wp-widget-maxmegamenu\" data-id=\"54ab167a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wp-widget-maxmegamenu.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"mega-menu-wrap-primary-menu\" class=\"mega-menu-wrap\"><div class=\"mega-menu-toggle\"><div class=\"mega-toggle-blocks-left\"><\/div><div class=\"mega-toggle-blocks-center\"><\/div><div class=\"mega-toggle-blocks-right\"><div class='mega-toggle-block mega-menu-toggle-block mega-toggle-block-1' id='mega-toggle-block-1'><span aria-expanded=\"false\" 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id=\"mega-menu-item-4287\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4270\">Alphabetical  \u2018D \u2013 G\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-4303\" id=\"mega-menu-item-4303\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4289\">Alphabetical  \u2018H \u2013 L\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-4324\" id=\"mega-menu-item-4324\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4304\">Alphabetical  \u2018M \u2013 Q\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-4342\" id=\"mega-menu-item-4342\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4325\">Alphabetical  \u2018R \u2013 S\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-4366\" id=\"mega-menu-item-4366\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4343\">Alphabetical  \u2018T \u2013 Y\u2019<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-651\" id=\"mega-menu-item-651\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=648\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-651\">Unit History<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-651'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-692\" id=\"mega-menu-item-692\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=686\">Brief History<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-691\" id=\"mega-menu-item-691\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=689\">Regimental Lineage<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-708\" id=\"mega-menu-item-708\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=693\">Battle Honours<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-707\" id=\"mega-menu-item-707\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=696\">Operations &#038; Honours<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-706\" id=\"mega-menu-item-706\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=699\">2nd Anglo-Boer War<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-705\" id=\"mega-menu-item-705\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=702\">First World War<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-655\" id=\"mega-menu-item-655\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=653\">Regimental Records<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-659\" id=\"mega-menu-item-659\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=657\">Page Turning Ceremony<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-663\" id=\"mega-menu-item-663\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=661\">Soldiers of Oxfordshire<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-667\" id=\"mega-menu-item-667\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=665\">142 (QOOH) Veh Sqn RLC<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-671\" id=\"mega-menu-item-671\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=669\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-671\">Churchill\u2019s Funeral<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-671'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1364\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1364\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1342\">Personal Memories<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1363\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1363\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1344\">MV Havengore<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1362\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1362\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1346\">Funeral Train<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1361\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1361\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1348\">St Martin\u2019s Church, Bladon<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-1608\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1608\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1607\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-1608\">Liberation of Belsen<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-1608'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1639\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1639\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1624\">Before Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1638\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1638\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1629\">Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1637\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1637\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1633\">After Liberation<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-1863\" id=\"mega-menu-item-1863\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1861\">Bergen-Belsen Trial<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-676\" id=\"mega-menu-item-676\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=673\">Oxfordshire Blue Plaque<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-3745\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3745\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3621\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-3745\">WW2 &#038; 63 (Oxf Yeo) A\/Tank Regt RA TA<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-3745'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3773\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3773\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3700\">1939 \u2013 1940<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3822\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3822\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3764\">1941 \u2013 1942<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3872\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3872\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3817\">1943<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3905\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3905\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3867\">1944<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3920\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3920\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3900\">1945<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-3983\" id=\"mega-menu-item-3983\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=3918\">1946<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-has-children mega-align-bottom-left mega-menu-flyout mega-menu-item-5087\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5087\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=4936\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"mega-sub-menu-5087\">251(OY) Bty &amp; 85th Anti-Tank Regt, RA<span class=\"mega-indicator\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a>\n<ul class=\"mega-sub-menu\" id='mega-sub-menu-5087'>\n<li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5091\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5091\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=5013\">Into Battle<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5095\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5095\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=5063\">Captivity<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-5119\" id=\"mega-menu-item-5119\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=5099\">Japan\u2019s Surrender<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-680\" id=\"mega-menu-item-680\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=678\">Clippings<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type mega-menu-item-object-page mega-menu-item-684\" id=\"mega-menu-item-684\"><a class=\"mega-menu-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=682\">Useful Links<\/a><\/li><li class=\"mega-menu-item mega-menu-item-type-post_type 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elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1e60616f\" data-id=\"1e60616f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56c6ec8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"56c6ec8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u00a9 qooh.org.uk\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 2019-2024\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 All rights reserved<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Designed &amp; written by Mick Luxford\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 with help from LCN Hosting and WordPress.org<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Liberation of Belsen Many articles have been published over the years of the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and its liberation.\u00a0 There is much to find via the internet (very little of it reporting the involvement of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry) and many websites contradict each other.\u00a0 The officers and men of 249 Battery, 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank&hellip;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/?page_id=1607\" title=\"Continue reading &lsquo;Liberation of Belsen&rsquo;\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","iawp_total_views":113,"_xspeed_no_cache":false,"_xspeed_expiry_hours":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1607","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1607"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1607\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qooh.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}