Was my grandad really one of the first into Belsen?

Discussion in 'The Holocaust' started by Steve hiscox, Feb 1, 2020.

  1. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    14385203 Hiscox David Lloyd George joined up I believe in 1942 as a territorial in the general service corps.
    He then transferred to R.A. field .
    As with my gt grandfather who fought in the 1st world war, it was never again spoken about on return home.
    My father seems to believe he was among the 1st British troops to enter Bergen belsen.
    Does anyone on here have the ability to help me find this out. I watched a tv programme about Belsen today and its stirred something in me, especially as my father turns 80 next week.
    Yours hopefully
    Steve
     
  2. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum.

    The starting point in your search ought to be to obtain his Army service record via this link -

    Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide

    His record will confirm his unit and you can then look to obtaining the unit War Diary to confirm his unit location and activities in and around the time Belsen was liberated.

    You may need to return to the forum for help to interpret the military shorthand in his service record.

    Good Luck

    Steve
     
    Tony56 likes this.
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Tony56 likes this.
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    If he turns 80 next week then he was born in 1940 - do you think he would have been one of the first British troops into Belsen in 1945

    TD
     
  5. hucks216

    hucks216 Member

    His father turns 80, not the granddad.
     
    TriciaF, Tony56 and Tricky Dicky like this.
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Ah - so his grandfather fought in WW1 & WW2 - thats rare

    Its been a hard day today and I have an eye test on Tuesday

    TD
     
  7. hucks216

    hucks216 Member

    His Great Grandfather fought in WW-1 and his Grandfather fought in WW-2.
     
    Owen likes this.
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Name: David Lloyd George Hiscox
    Enlistment Date: 17 Dec 1943
    Branch of Service: Army
    Regiment: Royal Artillery
    Military Unit: Survey Training RegtR,A
    Service Number: 14385203
    61820_003374_0009-01866.jpg

    Told you I needed and eye test
    TD


    Probable
    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: David Lloyd G Hiscox
    Death Age: 74
    Birth Date: 25 Dec 1915
    Registration Date: Dec 1989
    Registration district: Wolverhampton
    Inferred County: West Midlands
    Volume: 34
    Page: 941

    You will need a copy of his death cert when applying for his service records

    Sorry for the earlier confusion on my part
     
  9. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    There was an account on the BBC recently by a former member of an ENSA (Every Night Something Awful) troupe who mentioned that he might have been one of the first in. They needed a replacement floodlight and someone mentioned that thee was some sort of floodlit camp nearby so they drove over to nick one and found something really awful. They simply did not know what to do but gave some inmates their rations (which may have done more harm than good). He said that at that point some "real" soldiers turned up and they scarpered. One gains the impression that the relief of Belsen was somewhat haphazard and numbers stumbled across it.
     
  10. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    If you read the post you will see I said my father turns 80 and that is was my grandad that fought in the 2nd world war.
    Thanks
     
    Chris C likes this.
  11. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    One gains the impression that the relief of Belsen was somewhat haphazard and numbers stumbled across it.[/QUOTE]

    Not so as this reference indicates.The Germans gave up and surrendered Belsen by parley.
    The Liberation Of Bergen-Belsen

    Kramer stuck to his post to "welcome" the British Army along with a group of SS concentration guards including the notorious Irma Grese. Grese stayed with Kramer probably due to being in a relationship with him.

    The rest of the SS had fled and were composed of mainly Hungarian SS

    On entry to the camp by British troops,Kramer,callous and indifferent took them on a tour of the camp,a location of horrendous scenes and rife with typhoid.
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2020
    timuk likes this.
  12. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    Thanks folks..I am a bit concerned that family history folklore is littered with 'incredible ' events they were involved in and how gradually the penny drops as the actual story is nothing of the sort .
    I just wanted to try and find out if there was some truth to the story..or not ,whichever is true.
    My father mentioned that he ended up as a range finder for the RA as he still has original maps from my grandad, showing a battlefield involved.
    I'm adding some military details my father has passed on ..
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    And this
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    And this
     

    Attached Files:

  15. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Tricky Dicky and Harry Ree like this.
  16. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    I'll listen to that Tim later..thanks
     
  17. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Show the maps!!
     
    SDP likes this.
  18. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    Not got them as my parents live in Dudley and hes got home Simpson brain which wont allow anything regarding posting emailing or to be honest, 21st century
     
  19. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

  20. Steve hiscox

    Steve hiscox Member

    My brother is visiting my old guns Wednesday and hes going to email pics of the maps to me so I can post them...
     
    Alex1975uk and SDP like this.

Share This Page