Unknown location 30th Corps at German Barracks, Belsen?

Belsen Memorial erected by the Central Jewish Committee, British Zone, 15th April 1946.

 

30th Corps in Germany booklet.

 

Thank you so much for starting this thread Simon, and posting the photographs. Your efforts, and those of JDKR and Historic Steve, and all others who have contributed are very much appreciated.

And, I hope this makes sense, I am always in a quandary to "like" posts as your ones with photos from Bergen-Belsen Camp. The "like" button for me just seems wrong sometimes.

Again, I hope that makes sense.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Jim,

I entirely agree with your sentiments but I would like to add that I really am not looking for "likes" or want people to think that I have a wonderful collection. I am only the temporary custodian of other people's memories.

I try to save as many photographs and documents as I can as so much history is lost when family members pass away and their houses are cleared. I bought these photographs at a well known flea market, they were all together, loose, in a shoe box, and I very quickly realised their importance. The seller didn't rate them and I was able to buy them for less than a pint of beer and a sandwich. This happens quite a lot and now certain dealers put ephemera aside for me, they used to take it to the tip as no one was interested in buying it.

With this particular lot, it is so important that they shared as there are now so few witnesses to these events and many, many, voices shouting that this evil never happened. We must never forget what the Human Race is capable of and the depths to which we can descend.

Thank you for your kind words,

Best wishes,

Simon

 

Other random, uncaptioned photographs that I will probably never know the significance of.

 

Unknown British Officers.

 

Captain Torben Billetop is the officer at the left of this photograph. Notice his parachute wings worn on his right breast in the Indian Army fashion.

 

Captain Torben (Ian) Billetop is the officer on the right of this photograph. He had previously served in India and Burma.

 

Very moving photos of Belsen, particularly the one showing its area after the burning of the huts. What a bleak, desolate place. I am very much in sympathy with your view of the photos taken next to the oven; this was not the 'selfie' generation. And also your's and Jim's views on 'likes' (which, although I do them from time to time are a bit too Facebookish for my liking).

Intriguing photo of the officers in their service dress engaging in digging - or at least one doing the work while two watch! The countryside shown on the picnic is absolutely typical of the area of Belsen.

The photos of the vehicles outside the garages sent by Simon yesterday at 1.14 confirm XXX Corps as the black leaping boar on a white circle can be seen on the rear of the trucks and the car.

I thought the XXX Corps 'In Germany' words were also very moving. Considering that we had just fought a bloody war against a country and its detestable, criminal regime I reckon the author's sentiments are immensely magnanimous and forward-thinking. How different things would have been if the boot had been on the other foot. We have much for which to be thankful.

Best

John

 

Please forgive the intrusion chaps but I concur with John (JDKR) re use of 'Like'. In my mind, it means positive things such as 'I agree', or simply 'Thanks for posting' etc.

 

I use 'likes' where I think a post/comment/photo/ or whatever adds something significant to a thread or that member has in my mind gone to some length to provide a response

TD

 

Unknown 30th Corps officers.



Close up.

 

Unknown 30th Corps R.E.M.E. officer.

 

Sadly we don’t know who the REME officer is but the photo was taken with him standing next to the sedan - presumably German - seen in the photo looking down on the vehicles outside the garages. Doesn’t take us much further forward but I always enjoy squeezing as much as I can out of a photo!

 

A young German women possibly a sweetheart.