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15 October 2014
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by captainCharlie

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Contributed by 
captainCharlie
People in story: 
Louis Sydney
Location of story: 
Dunkirk
Background to story: 
Army
Article ID: 
A2312470
Contributed on: 
18 February 2004

My late father in law was interned at the outbreak of WW II in Kitchener Camp, Kent. He was a stateless person on board a German ship,which had docked in London, en route to Canada. The declaration of war against Germany meant the ship was seized and all the occupants were interned.
He was a Jewish stateless person who was being moved from Berlin.
He was kept captive, until he was recruited into the British Army, as a private in the Pioneer Corps. He posed no threat to Englands security. He was posted to France with the B.E.F. and when the decision was made to evacuate from Dunkirk, he volunteered along with other Jewish men, who were from Germany, to stay behind and help demolish bridges etc. He made a successful escape as part of the rearguard action from Dunkirk, and returned to England. He continued to serve this country until he was demobbed in 1946, although he never served outside England again.
I still have his British Army medals, he lost most of his family, who were dealt with by the Nazi regime. His only surviving family were two brothers, who escaped to France and evaded capture. He married a Hungarian lady and raised his family in the country which he served so well, and which was proud of, England.

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