Thame Citizen Helps Honour Belsen Liberation Hero

THE war-time memories of a Thame Honoury Citizen were rekindled on Sunday, when he was invited to commemorate and honour the life of the medical officer in charge of the liberation of the Belsen concentration camp.
Ex Thame Mayor and District Councillor, Len Webb, was a young army driver in April 1945, assigned to Brigadier Glyn Hughes CBE,DSO,MC,FRCGP, who was the medical officer in charge of the liberation of the notorious Belson concentration camp.
At the invitation of the Yad Vahem UK Foundation, the organisation which, on behalf of the Jewish people recognises the bravery of non-Jews in attempting to save the lives of Jews, Len joined the annual commemoration of the six million victims of the Holocaust on the anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, in London on Sunday (April 15).

Now 86 years-old, Len re-called his old boss: “When we went into the camp, it was riddled with typhus and there were bodies lying in open pits. The majority of those still alive were sick with the desease. The Brigadier was responsible for transferring them to the near-by German hospital and ordering the burning of the camp a week later. Despite being a very tall and imposing figure, he treated the sick and starving people with gentleness and respect. I remember one occassion when he ordered German soldiers to carry a couple of old people they were kicking to move then along. On another occasion, he arranged for another couple to be married. Brigadier Hughes was a wonderful and brave man and I am honoured to have served under him, and to have been part of Sundays recognition of what he did, and the presentation of a Meritous Award for Bravery to his son-in-law, his only remaining relative in the UK.”

Apart from the harsh memories of that historic week in Germany, Len has many fond memories of happier times driving the sport-loving Brigadier in his Humber car to play rugby and even golf whenever he got the opportunity, and shares his many photographs of those war years and his tremendous store of memories with poignancy and pride.

Len Webb was made the first Honoury Citizen of Thame in December, 1999, in recognition of his long, exemplary and outstanding public service to the people of Thame, both as a citizen and a councillor.
His achievements include:
* Serving from 1969 to 1995 as a Thame Councillor
* Serving from 1977 to 1991 as a Thame District
Councillor
* Mayor of Thame from 1975 to 1979 and Deputy Mayor
on two occassions
* School Governor of John Hampden school in 1969,
serving for 26 years, including as Chairman from
1975 to 1990
* Helping to set up and Chair ‘Thame In Bloom’
* Setting up and chairing Thame Carnival for many
years
* Setting up and Chairing Thame PHAB Club for the
Disabled for many years
* Becoming a Trustee of The Thame Barns Centre in
1990
* Chairman of The Friends of Meadowcroft in 2000
* Chairing the Thame Golden Jubilee Festival
Organising committee 2002

Photo: Len Webb with his daughters, Alison and Judith who accompanied him to the commemoration of Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust, and the commemoration of the Brigadier Gly Hughes and the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, at Logan Hall, Institute of Education in London.