WW2 veteran, who helped evacuate prisoners from Belsen concentration camp, gets 'best Christmas present ever'

Harry Birdsall, 97, from Wakefield could not walk up his stairs due to mobility problems and received the new stairlift after approaching the charity and woke up in his own bed on Christmas morning.

The veteran was called up as a driver in the Service Core in 1944 at the age of 18, just three months before D-Day.

Harry saw the horrors of war first hand whilst evacuating prisoners from the Belsen concentration camp as part of Operation Barleycorn.

He said: “I set off with £2 in my pocket and got on a steam train to Leeds, then on to Richmond for six weeks of basic training.

"I felt nervous, I knew there were bombs being dropped on London and people were getting killed, but I had to do as I was told.”

Having learnt to drive at the age of 14, Harry was attached to the Royal Army Service Corps and ferried supplies to the coast in preparation for the Normandy landings, before being sent into Germany at the end of 1944.

“I was put on a ship at Dover, and I was terrified to tell you the truth, cowering in my life jacket, but we all had to be quiet due to submarine activity in the area – we were at sea for four days and eventually landed at the Hook of Holland.

“We carried on through Germany, in a convoy of about 20 vehicles, and I didn’t have a shower or sleep in a proper bed for two months. We were just outside Cologne when the War ended. An officer came and told us it was over, but there were no big celebrations.”

Harry took part in Operation Barleycorn, the break-up of the German armed forces, and joined another convoy to evacuate the prisoners of war from the Belsen concentration camp.

Harry said: “It was the worst experience of my life. All the remaining Polish inmates who didn’t have typhoid had been isolated into a compound, and some of them were just tiny kids, skin hanging off them, it was terrible.

"We had to take them from Bergen to Szczecin in Poland. We took about 35 in each vehicle, they were so relieved to see us, but it was a four-day journey. Those poor people had been deemed fit to travel, and I did three trips, but we lost two or three people on each trip.

“It really affected me, and still does today. I was having nightmares.

"After I got back from Poland, I went to the Medical Officer, because I knew I wasn’t right, I just couldn’t get the horror of it all out of my mind. They sent me to Hanover for rehab and they simply told me to forget about Belsen and think about something else.”

Whilst there, Harry worked as a coach trimmer, and stayed in Germany until he was demobbed in 1947.

He returned to Wakefield and worked as a driver and an air pressure welder, before starting a family business called Birdsall Brothers Coaches & Taxis alongside his four brothers, before starting his own firm, Cross Lane Garage, until his retirement in 1989.

Harry, who was married to his late wife Margaret and had three children, is a keen gardener and still does steelwork and woodwork in a huge workshop at the bottom of his garden. He is also a keen musician and amateur magician, who loves to perform tricks for visitors.

He said: “I’ve spent the last four years sleeping in a chair in the lounge, because it reclines. It was my choice to do that, but the stairlift has changed everything.

The RBL provided Harry with a state-of-the-art adjustable orthopaedic bed to make him more comfortable at night, as well as a new reclining chair for his lounge.

Charlotte Lawson, Independent Living Advisor for the RBL, said: “As soon as we were made aware of Harry’s situation we went to see him and we’re delighted to be able to support Harry to live a more fulfilling life in the home where he’s lived for more than six decades.

“He is an incredible individual with a sharp mind, but just needed a bit of help with his mobility, so we are proud to offer Harry this solution. This is just one example of how the RBL uses the donations that people make during the Poppy Appeal every single year.”

Now entering its fifth year, The Royal British Legion’s Together at Christmas campaign raises awareness of the support available for the Armed Forces community during the Festive period. The RBL is reminding its community to reach out if they are struggling.

The RBL’s Interim Director of Services, Nina Villa, said: “Christmas can be a time when people’s troubles and worries are exacerbated by the financial pressures of the season or feelings of loneliness and isolation. We want the Armed Forces community to know that we are here for them, whether that’s to offer financial support, companionship, or a friendly ear.

“The support the Royal British Legion offers means we can make a big difference to our community’s well-being. We want all those who may be feeling the pressures of the season to know that they can reach out – our lines are open 8am – 8pm every day.”