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One of the many sessions organised by Thanet Libraries and UK-Online took place at the ‘GAP’ community centre in Broadstairs. Mrs. Wampach came in with the work of her late husband C. R. Wampach — Royal Engineers. He made the army his career and by the time the army decided he was of retirement age he had reached the rank of Major. In fact — had he not lied about his age when he joined — he could have stayed in the forces for a further 3 years. The account of his career is called ‘The Memoirs of a Sapper’ and this is one of those memories.

Memoirs of a Sapper — Humour and Horror

There was an amusing incident when we arrived at the Dutch town of Helmond. Our Division had captured the paymaster of the 5th SS Panzer Division — a Baron Oberst von Slachen who was a typical Prussian, clicking his heels and sporting a monocle. My Captain asked him where was all the money which he was supposed to have to pay out the Divisional troops? The Baron clicked his heels and said, “I hef handed all monies over to ze British Army.” My Captain replied, “Oh Yes, and where is the receipt for such monies?” The baron threw back his shoulders and said with pride, “Here is ze receipt Herr Hauptman!” This is what was written on the receipt.

‘This is to certify that this square headed bastard had 48,000 guilders. He hasn’t got the buggers now! Signed Michale Mctavish, Cpl. 51st Highland Division’

We gradually took the war into Germany. The last resistance was at the Reichfield Forest where strong SS units held out but after that it was plain sailing. The destruction of the towns and cities in northern Germany by allied bombing was total. Whole towns were just reduced to rubble and in some places railway carriages and engines could be found on tops of houses. The prisoners we were taking now were 14 year old boys and 65 year old men. From then on it was a case of restoring some semblance of order to the chaos. In addition to the destruction and the food shortages there was the problem of the uncontrollable slave work force that was now free. All this became the responsibility of the Allied Control Commission taking over from the military. Moving forward with the Guards Armoured Division we came upon the concentration camp just north of the town of Luneburg. The name of the camp was Belsen.

The horrors of the camp are well documented but above all were the stench and the frightful smell of death. We brought up bulldozers and pushed the bodies into mass graves whilst RAMC medical teams did what they could for the living. We arrested the commandant, Joseph Kramer and his assistant Irma Crese along with the camp guards. We ordered the local German civilians to clear up the mess. One of the inmates requested that they be allowed to conduct a Jewish service for the dead. The German Burgomeister said that this might cause problems. A British Officer grabbed the Burgomeister and said “This service will take place and any opposition from you will result in your being shot on the spot!”

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