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15 October 2014
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Jack Botoshaner: Captured at Dunkirk

by StephScott

Contributed by 
StephScott
People in story: 
Jack Botoshaner
Location of story: 
Dunkirk
Background to story: 
Royal Navy
Article ID: 
A2311912
Contributed on: 
18 February 2004

Jack was only 19 when he was captured at Dunkirk. After waiting days for a boat he was rounded up by German troops. The first night was spent in a field near the beaches and mindful of the German's distaste for Jews, Jack removed his Star of David and buried it. (In 1958 he went back to the place with his family, but ofcourse the field by then was totally built over.)
After the first night in captivity there began a long march through France and Germany, ending in Poland where he was a prisoner of war until 1944. He was repatriated on medical grounds after an operation on his thyroid gland, and being one of the first prisoners to be repatriated to his area of London was given a hero's welcome. He spend the rest of the war giving talks to raise money for the British Red Cross, whose parcels had become so precious to him during the long years of captivity.
Jack is now 83, alive and well (if a little forgetful!) and is looking forward to revisiting Dunkirk this year on the 60th anniversary of the famous event.

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