Last Stand at le Paradis: The Events Leading to the SS Massacre of the Norfolks 1940

Men fell like grass before a scythe I felt a searing pain and pitched forward Ninety-seven British prisoners were killed and the Germans forced French civilians to bury the bodies in a shallow mass grave the next day. The pair then hid in a pig-sty for three days and nights, surviving on raw potatoes and water from puddles before being discovered by the farm's owner, Madame Duquenne-Creton, and her son Victor. The French civilians risked their lives caring for the two men, who were later captured by the Wehrmacht's st Infantry Division and transferred to a military hospital.

It was possible to look into the back yard from the road They were lying in such a position that one can assume they were killed by machine-gun bursts. It struck me at once that the dead soldiers were not wearing helmets, nor did they have any equipment on them I took pictures of the dead bodies, and the whole farm. At Thum's request these were to be placed at the disposal of the division I believe I was already sitting there in the vehicle when Thum Major Friedkerr von Riedner, who was also at the scene of the massacre on that day, reported that "These people had almost all suffered head wounds from shots that must have been fired at close range.

Some had their whole skull smashed in, an injury that can almost only be caused by a blow from a gun butt or similar means. News of the massacre spread to neighbouring German divisions, eventually reaching General Erich Hoepner , commander of the German forces in France.

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He disliked the SS, especially Eicke , and was determined to have him dismissed if charges of mistreatment or murdering of prisoners could be brought. However, none of these investigations was ever successful. The Allies received no information about the massacre until the summer of , when Pooley, who had spent the last three years in a German hospital due to the injuries he had suffered in the massacre, was declared medically unfit and repatriated.

British authorities did not believe Pooley's story on his arrival; it was not thought that the German army were capable of such atrocities against British troops. His confirmation of Pooley's story prompted an official investigation. The bodies of those killed in the massacre were exhumed in by the French, but only about 50 of the 97 were successfully identified. After the war, O'Callaghan's evidence and the discovery of the SS -run extermination camps prompted the British authorities to look into the reports.

They also claimed that the British had used dumdum bullets during the battle and misused a flag of truce ; all of which were vigorously denied by the prosecution. On 25 October at All that is left for me to say is that some little doubt may have remained in the minds of the Court which will enable the members not to award the extreme penalty.

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Or, get it for Kobo Super Points! The first months of World War Two were relatively quiet but after deploying to the Maginot Line sector during January they came into contact with those Germans manning the West Wall or Siegfried Line. A patrol led by Captain Peter Barclay entered German territory and was attacked. As a result, the first decorations of the war were awarded.

Barclay received the Military Cross and Lance-Corporal Davis the Military Medal while the remaining members of the patrol were mentioned in despatches. Two days later, the battalion suffered a tragic first when Lieutenant Patrick Everitt was mortally wounded while leading a daylight patrol.

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Everitt was the first British officer to be killed in action in the Second World War. Within days the Allied Armies had been forced onto the back foot by the speed and ferocity of the German breakthrough. Already down to around half strength, the Norfolks held their sector from 24 to 27 May. After the surrender, ninety-nine men of the Battalion were marched to a paddock where they were machine-gunned in cold blood by their SS captors.

Miraculously, two men survived and were instrumental in bringing the SS officer responsible, Fritz Knoechlien, to justice after the war. When the remnants of the battalion reassembled in England, its strength was just five officers and other ranks. The remainder had either been killed or captured as POWs. Ratings and Reviews 0 0 star ratings 0 reviews.

Overall rating No ratings yet 0. How to write a great review Do Say what you liked best and least Describe the author's style Explain the rating you gave Don't Use rude and profane language Include any personal information Mention spoilers or the book's price Recap the plot. Close Report a review At Kobo, we try to ensure that published reviews do not contain rude or profane language, spoilers, or any of our reviewer's personal information. Would you like us to take another look at this review?

Nearly British POWs where lined-up against a wall and machined-gun down in cold blood. Only two British soldiers lived to tell the tale of this terrible event in history. I found this book to be well written,well researched and easy to read.

The author gets high marks for research. His account of the actions and ultimate fate of the Norfolks interweaves first-person reminiscences with official documents to create a vivid portrayal of men at war. The Norfolk officers and men truly come alive in the pages of Lane's book. This book is a much-deserved tribute to the Soldiers who fought and died at Le Paradis in France in A must-read book for anybody intrested in world war 2 military history. Jun 12, Ian Willey rated it really liked it.

Added more depth to the final battle and following events so recommended. Jon rated it really liked it Mar 12, Andrew added it Mar 27, Juanito marked it as to-read Mar 20, Manray9 marked it as to-read Mar 20, Sowards marked it as to-read Mar 20, Mike marked it as to-read Mar 20, Jim added it Mar 20, Sean Smart marked it as to-read Mar 21, Rich Taylor marked it as to-read Mar 21,