11th Hussars liberated the POW camp, Stalag XI B

Birkenweg 10, Fallingbostel, Germany

Listing Details

Date

1945-04-16

Status coordinate

No status yet

Address

Birkenweg 10, Fallingbostel, Germany

Description

A real boost to morale came on the 16th, when 'B' Squadron, 11th Hussars and a recce troop of 8th Hussars, liberated the POW camp, Stalag XI B, in the woods south west of Fallingbostel. Here were two camps, one with 6,500 and one with another 6,000 prisoners. Roughly half were British and American POWs and amongst this throng they found men from 4th CLY and 'A' Company, 1st Rifle Brigade, captured at Villers-Bocage in 1944. The Rifle Brigade also found five riflemen captured at Calais, in 1940 and another from 9th Rifle Brigade captured at Derna in 1941. A detachment from the Norfolk Yeomanry were also there, along with some men from 8th and 11th Hussars captured at Sidi Rezegh in 1941. Meanwhile, in the town of Fallingbostel, the Queens found it defended by mortars and anti-tank guns and had to clear it house by house.