I know this must have been an emotionally tough episode to film and edit, but thank you for sharing your Dads story with us. By documenting this trip, and the importance to your family history, it will help to educate those who were unaware, and help us all to never forget the sacrifices of so many.
My Granddad was also a POW at Stallag VIIIb, with his nephew. Both of them survived the Long March. Bless all these men. We will never know their like again.
Thankyou for making the pilgrimage, I'm sure your Dad would be smiling. My Great Uncle was also at 8b and part of the Great March. Thanfully he made it home and i remember him as being the most jolliest kindest person i knew. Now i know why he grabbed life with both hands. Much respect.
My Dad was in the Royal Army Service Corp and drove a supply truck onto the beach at Normandy and then across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. He was also a dispatch motorcycle rider, which was where I developed my interest in motorcycles, looking at his WW2 pictures. Dad was fortunate to make it through the war unscathed and back to him Mum and Dad and sister in Bristol. I remember all of his war stories. You are a good son. I would love to retrace my Dad’s trek through Europe during the war. I’m sure your Dad is proud of you.😎👍
A trip we should all take! Thank you for sharing this emotional journey with us.Not an easy thing to do. My Father served in WW2. He trained in a special group of young men. He did a course in the paras school at Ringway in Manchester. He told me that the most scary thing he ever did was to jump out of the stationary basket tethered to a barrage balloon. He fought in Normandy with the 7th Battalion Royal Northfolks. Was captured at the Battle of the Orne Bridgehead in early August 44. Eventually taken to Stalag IVB 30 miles east of Dresden. He escaped captivity whilst on a working party in the December of 44 and was picked up by American forces 6 weeks later. They were all tough men like you I miss him every day. Well Done, Kind Regards, Robin.
Indeed Robin, yes my dad always said the balloon jumps were the worst part of the training. Much scarier than jmping from a moving plane! Thats a great story, they really were a differemt breed
A very moving tribute to your dad, beautifully filmed. I'm sure he would have been proud of you for your efforts. When I was in the army in the 70's I was stationed not far from Belsen- Bergen concentration camp and went there a couple of times. It was a museum then and very moving if a horrific example of man's greed and inhumanity. Well done mate.
Cheers Graham, Belsen was a terrible place, thankfully for the Brits and yanks the treatment wasn’t as harsh as for others in the stalags. But the concentration camps were despicable places.
POWs from Western countries were treated incomparably better than, for example, Polish or Soviet soldiers. The same applies to the occupation; People from the West cannot even imagine what Poles experienced. The concentration camps you write about are a completely different level of terrible suffering.
Thank you, Tony. My late father was also there after being captured at Dunkirk. Although V111B was his main camp, throughout his POW days he was sent out to various Working Camps, attached to a mixture of industries. It took many years for him to tell me his story and in fact we left it too late to complete it.
A tough journey in more ways than one, well done to you for the effort you put into this production and letting us all know how it was for a lot of families with relatives held in these conditions, thank you.
Thanks Tony. Very informative and moving. My father was also at Lamsdorf having been captured in France 1940 with the Welsh Guards. He was also on the ‘Long March’. Fortunately for me he survived and lived to be 89 yrs old. I intend to visit there this year so your video has been very interesting and helpful. Thank you.
My Father, also a paratrooper, was wounded and captured at Arnhem. The year after he died, my daughter and I visited Fallingbostel, the site of Stalag X1b. So many of the things you said and felt reminded me of that visit and my Father. My god they were tough men. Thank you for an excellent video and for sharing your emotional trip. 👍
My Grandfather was a P.O.W. in this camp. He was an Australian who had fought in Tobruk (an original Rat Of Tobruk) as part of 2/3 A.I.F Thankyou for posting this
Nice one Tony. Emotional. Well captured on film to pass onto your children’s children. Your father was a very brave and showed great fortitude to come through all of that.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Like your Dad my grandfather Percy "Pat" Preston was also a PoW at Stalag VIIIB (he was captured in Dunkirk in 1940). It was incredibly moving to watch the footage you captured, it gave me an insight into the area for the first time in my life. Therefore I was moved to tears. Thank you Tony, bless ya x
Incredible history of all human despair & suffering. Just as incredible as today in Ukraine. You’d think as people we would understand… Feel for you Tony. Incredibly emotional 💪💪
Hi Tony what a learning vlog that was. it makes you realise how very lucky we really are in this day and age. You have done your Dad proud. it even made me emotional. Thank you Tony for sharing your journey. All the best
Thank you very much indeed for sharing your journey. I went on my bike to France to see where my Great grandfather was taken as a POW in France and found it very hard especially seeing graves of his comrades and fellow soldiers who were killed but I’m glad I went.
We owe our freedom to your Dad and his generation for their bravery and sacrifice. Thanks for sharing your journey. ‘Young wasted lives due to maniacs with big ideas’, so sad it’s happening again in Europe .
This is a fantastic video. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us. So thankful I stumbled across your channel and found these episodes. God bless you, and may your father rest in peace.
Tony, thanks for sharing. It would have been an emotional visit for sure, give your personal connection. I think these museums are essential to remind us of our capacity to be inhumane but also how we are able due endure in times of hardship. I’m glad you were able to make the journey.
Thank you for sharing this. It’s good these sites are preserved and future generations are taught about the events of that era. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”
Thanks for sharing, my father who passed away over 20 years ago, was in the Hungarian army in WWII, he spent the last 6 weeks or so in a concentration camp somewhere in Germany (I think) because he refused to change to a German Uniform. He was liberated by the Americans, who he ended up working for until emigrating to Australia on a liberty ship, arriving here 1st Jan 1949. I don't know much else as my father spoke very little about the war or even about his life before coming to Australia, he never saw his father again and didn't see his mother until the mid 70's.
Couple years back, my bro and I did a bike tour through the northern France Memorial sites (of which they have a lot). A reminder of those who gave their all, simply because it was the right thing to do.
Thank you for the video, my father also ended up there after the battle of tobruk. Its the 1st time I have seen the place, alot of tears but great to see where he was and thank you for posting
Very interesting and informative film. A great tribute to your dad, and all the allied POWs that suffered at the hands of the Germans. All the best, Scott.
You should be proud of yourself. That was a great thing to do and I’m sure it was more difficult day for you than you let on. Thanks for sharing your pilgrimage with us.
Thanks Tony, I appreciate this has been a real emotional roller coaster. You’ve inspired me to go on a pilgrimage to my Gt uncles grave in Normandy next year and have a look around. I think we all owe them our respect weather they came home or not. Thank you again for this mate. Ride safe my friend.
Great video Tony. Great content and I'm sure your father would be chuffed that you made this emotional journey. A great tribute to him and his muckers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Respect. All the best, Pat
Thanks for taking us along on your journey Tony. It's a lovely tribute journey for you and for your memories of your father. I know a lot of youtube videos would shy away from a long format but I feel it is important to spend time on this subject matter. You need to time to appreciate each step and moment. Thanks again and safe travels, Alan.
Very moving video Tony. A real tribute to your Dad and the strength he must have had to endure what he did in the camp and on the horrific march out. Glad you finally fulfilled this important trip for yourself and your family. Safe travels.
Thankyou Tony for taking us along on what obviously was a very emotional journey. I visted Dora-Mittelbau in the Harz a few years ago and like you observed, the place was silent.
A great video and thank you for sharing, the filming and narrating couldn’t of been easy. It’s a huge contrast between the freedom we have now and the lack of freedom your father had. We still owe so much to so few.
Interesting but sad personal story Tony, I visited the First World War memorial to my grandfathers eldest brother in Belgium and it was emotional even though I’d never met him. I can only imagine your feelings but it has to be done, thanks for sharing your father’s incredible story.
Great, interesting video. Glad you got to walk in your dad’s footsteps. Looking forward to the next episode. A lot of people are having issues with GoPros crashing etc. think I’ll steer clear of them.
@@mancavemoto My grandad and great uncle fought in WW2. My grandad fought the Germans and told us stories, my great uncle fought the Japanese with the Australian army and never spoke about it.
A great video, Tony. By coincidence, I watched the 2022 remake of "All Quiet on the Western Front" on Netflix last night, It is well worth seeing but one can't help but ask why do we, or at least some of our leaders, never learn? It seems that we, as a species, are doomed to keep repeating the same terrible mistakes over and over. ☹
Very moving Tony...glad the sun was shining when you visited, gave you a chance to sit and reflect. As you sa, it is pretty unbelievable that humans can behave this way. Thanks for sharing this personal journey. Cheers, Steve
I feel sad for what happened to your farther or anybody else on this site. Yet I believe the way it is kept in memory is wrong. The museum shows what happened to the PoWs. It shows them as victims (which they were of course). In that it reduces those poor guys to being objects while it shows their tormentors as acting allthough they shouldn't be remembered at all. The older I get the more attractive seems the way the old egyptians handled such things: Bad individuals (including pharaos) were litterally erased from memory (by deleting their names from any stone or papyrus). It is my deepest believe that to do justivce means to remember the lifes of the victims, not their sufferings and to erase the tormentors from mankind's memory. For that I think we don't need places where the cruelty is kept alive and a valuable instruction for future devils. ... Sorry I got carried away. Your video is interesting as ever and I'm looking forward to the rest of your trip! And finally: Three HURRAYS to your farther and his comrades!
The important thing is to 'remember' to try and stop these things happening again, but sadly it seems to be the human condition not to learn from history. I personally think erasing things from history is a dangerous thing to do. Good or bad, it needs to stand as a lesson
To be aware in today's world that not so long ago controlling people's would enter into contests where life was essentially cheap in the trade for dominance under the illusion of nationalism ...kinda like their leading up to today in different facades....
I know this must have been an emotionally tough episode to film and edit, but thank you for sharing your Dads story with us.
By documenting this trip, and the importance to your family history, it will help to educate those who were unaware, and help us all to never forget the sacrifices of so many.
Thank you
My Granddad was also a POW at Stallag VIIIb, with his nephew. Both of them survived the Long March. Bless all these men. We will never know their like again.
Thankyou for making the pilgrimage, I'm sure your Dad would be smiling. My Great Uncle was also at 8b and part of the Great March. Thanfully he made it home and i remember him as being the most jolliest kindest person i knew. Now i know why he grabbed life with both hands. Much respect.
Thanks Evelyn, they were a different breed in those days.
Thanks for sharing this Tony. The emotions are very real but a fantastic tribute to your father. Never forget.
Thanks Brian
My Dad was in the Royal Army Service Corp and drove a supply truck onto the beach at Normandy and then across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. He was also a dispatch motorcycle rider, which was where I developed my interest in motorcycles, looking at his WW2 pictures. Dad was fortunate to make it through the war unscathed and back to him Mum and Dad and sister in Bristol. I remember all of his war stories.
You are a good son. I would love to retrace my Dad’s trek through Europe during the war. I’m sure your Dad is proud of you.😎👍
Thanks Bill, I got a lot out of making the journey
A trip we should all take! Thank you for sharing this emotional journey with us.Not an easy thing to do. My Father served in WW2. He trained in a special group of young men. He did a course in the paras school at Ringway in Manchester. He told me that the most scary thing he ever did was to jump out of the stationary basket tethered to a barrage balloon.
He fought in Normandy with the 7th Battalion Royal Northfolks. Was captured at the Battle of the Orne Bridgehead in early August 44.
Eventually taken to Stalag IVB 30 miles east of Dresden. He escaped captivity whilst on a working party in the December of 44 and was picked up by American forces 6 weeks later.
They were all tough men like you I miss him every day. Well Done, Kind Regards, Robin.
Indeed Robin, yes my dad always said the balloon jumps were the worst part of the training. Much scarier than jmping from a moving plane! Thats a great story, they really were a differemt breed
A very moving tribute to your dad, beautifully filmed. I'm sure he would have been proud of you for your efforts.
When I was in the army in the 70's I was stationed not far from Belsen- Bergen concentration camp and went there a couple of times. It was a museum then and very moving if a horrific example of man's greed and inhumanity.
Well done mate.
Cheers Graham, Belsen was a terrible place, thankfully for the Brits and yanks the treatment wasn’t as harsh as for others in the stalags. But the concentration camps were despicable places.
POWs from Western countries were treated incomparably better than, for example, Polish or Soviet soldiers.
The same applies to the occupation; People from the West cannot even imagine what Poles experienced.
The concentration camps you write about are a completely different level of terrible suffering.
Thank you, Tony. My late father was also there after being captured at Dunkirk. Although V111B was his main camp, throughout his POW days he was sent out to various Working Camps, attached to a mixture of industries. It took many years for him to tell me his story and in fact we left it too late to complete it.
Thank you for your kind reply,best wishes, Robin.
A tough journey in more ways than one, well done to you for the effort you put into this production and letting us all know how it was for a lot of families with relatives held in these conditions, thank you.
Thanks
Thanks Tony. Very informative and moving. My father was also at Lamsdorf having been captured in France 1940 with the Welsh Guards. He was also on the ‘Long March’. Fortunately for me he survived and lived to be 89 yrs old. I intend to visit there this year so your video has been very interesting and helpful. Thank you.
Brilliant work, thank you for all your efforts, it’s videos and channels like his that have stopped me watching any terrestrial TV at all these days.
My Father, also a paratrooper, was wounded and captured at Arnhem. The year after he died, my daughter and I visited Fallingbostel, the site of Stalag X1b. So many of the things you said and felt reminded me of that visit and my Father. My god they were tough men.
Thank you for an excellent video and for sharing your emotional trip. 👍
Thanks for watching. We need to remember what they did and the sacrifices some of them made
My Grandfather was a P.O.W. in this camp. He was an Australian who had fought in Tobruk (an original Rat Of Tobruk) as part of 2/3 A.I.F
Thankyou for posting this
My pleasure
Nice one Tony. Emotional. Well captured on film to pass onto your children’s children. Your father was a very brave and showed great fortitude to come through all of that.
Very interesting.
And thank you for your father's service.
We are forever grateful to him and his generation.
Happy, safe travels 👍
Cheers
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Like your Dad my grandfather Percy "Pat" Preston was also a PoW at Stalag VIIIB (he was captured in Dunkirk in 1940). It was incredibly moving to watch the footage you captured, it gave me an insight into the area for the first time in my life. Therefore I was moved to tears. Thank you Tony, bless ya x
Thank you for joining me on my journey, it was indeed a very moving experience. They were special men to deal with what they did
Thank you for sharing such a personal story, we should never be allowed to forget
Thanks for watching
Thank you for sharing this with us, Tony. And greetings from northern Germany.
Incredible episode, and an even more, just an incredible story. Thanks for sharing this.
Incredible history of all human despair & suffering. Just as incredible as today in Ukraine. You’d think as people we would understand… Feel for you Tony. Incredibly emotional 💪💪
Hi Tony what a learning vlog that was. it makes you realise how very lucky we really are in this day and age. You have done your Dad proud. it even made me emotional. Thank you Tony for sharing your journey. All the best
No problem, thanks Paul
Your dad would be proud of you T a very very brave man take care mate
Your a special man your dad would be so proud.
Thanks
Thank You for sharing something so very personal.
Respect to you.
Enjoying the vids, my father was in the Essex Reg and incarcerated in Stalarg V11A in Germany after being taken prisoner at Casino in Italy .
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I feel for your loss. Safe travels.
Cheers Ian
Thank you very much indeed for sharing your journey. I went on my bike to France to see where my Great grandfather was taken as a POW in France and found it very hard especially seeing graves of his comrades and fellow soldiers who were killed but I’m glad I went.
Thanks for watching Nikki
Thanks Tony for sharing with us👍🏻
We owe our freedom to your Dad and his generation for their bravery and sacrifice. Thanks for sharing your journey. ‘Young wasted lives due to maniacs with big ideas’, so sad it’s happening again in Europe .
We do indeed Dave. It also seems we never learn from history
This is a fantastic video. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us. So thankful I stumbled across your channel and found these episodes.
God bless you, and may your father rest in peace.
No problem, thanks for watching and commenting
Tony, thanks for sharing. It would have been an emotional visit for sure, give your personal connection. I think these museums are essential to remind us of our capacity to be inhumane but also how we are able due endure in times of hardship. I’m glad you were able to make the journey.
Thanks Ian
Thank you for this. My dad was POW too. Very well done and very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing this. It’s good these sites are preserved and future generations are taught about the events of that era.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”
Thanks for sharing
A difficult, emotional trip
Stay safe
Thanks for sharing, my father who passed away over 20 years ago, was in the Hungarian army in WWII, he spent the last 6 weeks or so in a concentration camp somewhere in Germany (I think) because he refused to change to a German Uniform. He was liberated by the Americans, who he ended up working for until emigrating to Australia on a liberty ship, arriving here 1st Jan 1949. I don't know much else as my father spoke very little about the war or even about his life before coming to Australia, he never saw his father again and didn't see his mother until the mid 70's.
Couple years back, my bro and I did a bike tour through the northern France Memorial sites (of which they have a lot). A reminder of those who gave their all, simply because it was the right thing to do.
Thank you for the video, my father also ended up there after the battle of tobruk. Its the 1st time I have seen the place, alot of tears but great to see where he was and thank you for posting
No problem Martin, it’s definitely worth a visit if you get the chance.
Congratulations, a real salute from a grateful son to his father who served his country.
Thank you for sharing this.
Glad you made it there. Thanks for sharing. Brutal.
Thanks for sharing….
Very poignant . I'm sure your dad would be very proud. Excellent video.
Thank you for sharing, an incredible personal journey
No problem
Good video my granddad was in that camp and completed that March I share you feeling
Very interesting and informative film. A great tribute to your dad, and all the allied POWs that suffered at the hands of the Germans. All the best, Scott.
What can I say . Thanks for this series Tony.
No problem, there’s another couple of episode ls to come.
You should be proud of yourself. That was a great thing to do and I’m sure it was more difficult day for you than you let on. Thanks for sharing your pilgrimage with us.
Wonderful of you to do this. Thank you for sharing
No problem
Thanks Tony, I appreciate this has been a real emotional roller coaster. You’ve inspired me to go on a pilgrimage to my Gt uncles grave in Normandy next year and have a look around.
I think we all owe them our respect weather they came home or not.
Thank you again for this mate. Ride safe my friend.
A tough trip Tony but brilliantly well done. Brady
Thank you
You're welcome
Great video Tony. Great content and I'm sure your father would be chuffed that you made this emotional journey. A great tribute to him and his muckers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Respect. All the best, Pat
Thanks Pat, hope your keeping well mate
Thanks for sharing this with us. Glad you’ve made the trip.
Thanks for taking us along on your journey Tony. It's a lovely tribute journey for you and for your memories of your father.
I know a lot of youtube videos would shy away from a long format but I feel it is important to spend time on this subject matter.
You need to time to appreciate each step and moment.
Thanks again and safe travels, Alan.
Very moving video Tony. A real tribute to your Dad and the strength he must have had to endure what he did in the camp and on the horrific march out. Glad you finally fulfilled this important trip for yourself and your family. Safe travels.
Thanks Kerry, it was quite a trip!
Good on you Tony, great video and very moving . Your old man would be proud....stay safe
Thankyou Tony for taking us along on what obviously was a very emotional journey. I visted Dora-Mittelbau in the Harz a few years ago and like you observed, the place was silent.
Interesting video. Rewarding and daunting for you.
A great video and thank you for sharing, the filming and narrating couldn’t of been easy. It’s a huge contrast between the freedom we have now and the lack of freedom your father had. We still owe so much to so few.
It’s good that you made the journey as it means a lot to you👍🏍
Top video many thanks
Thanks for sharing this Tony.
No problem
another great episode, know how it feels to visit those spots, my family was heavy impacted by the war,,,, anyway excellent episode, thank you V!
Seriously brilliant
AWESOME VIDEO ! ! ! ! ! !! RESPECT ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Interesting but sad personal story Tony, I visited the First World War memorial to my grandfathers eldest brother in Belgium and it was emotional even though I’d never met him. I can only imagine your feelings but it has to be done, thanks for sharing your father’s incredible story.
Thanks for watching and commenting, it is appreciated
Good Boy I have the same attitude I’m also ex forces great vids what an inspiration 👍
Cheers John, and thank you
well done, a great tribute to your father
Thanks
A very poignant and touching video. Thanks for sharing
Great, interesting video.
Glad you got to walk in your dad’s footsteps.
Looking forward to the next episode.
A lot of people are having issues with GoPros crashing etc. think I’ll steer clear of them.
Thankyou for doing this on video Tony
Great video, thanks for sharing 👍
Brilliant Tony ! Loving it.
Ah the joys of the M11 and A120 is just as bad. Another great video.
😂 yep and cheers
@@mancavemoto My grandad and great uncle fought in WW2. My grandad fought the Germans and told us stories, my great uncle fought the Japanese with the Australian army and never spoke about it.
you did your dad proud
Cheers
A great video, Tony. By coincidence, I watched the 2022 remake of "All Quiet on the Western Front" on Netflix last night, It is well worth seeing but one can't help but ask why do we, or at least some of our leaders, never learn? It seems that we, as a species, are doomed to keep repeating the same terrible mistakes over and over. ☹
Cheers Richard, yes it appears that as a species we dont learn that well from history.
Mon père a passé 33 mois stalags viii b en Pologne débarquement Dieppe 19 août 1942 avec ses amis .
Very moving Tony...glad the sun was shining when you visited, gave you a chance to sit and reflect. As you sa, it is pretty unbelievable that humans can behave this way. Thanks for sharing this personal journey. Cheers, Steve
There are some sections of the autobahn that are regulated
Yes there’s no speed limit UNLESS sign posted otherwise
My grandpa have been dying at this scared camp in February 1942 😢
I’m sorry to hear that
Germans also flash their lights at people who sit in the outside lane to get them to move over....it works and no one gets mad.
In the footsteps of your father...😳..those words reverberated....😕
My grandfather died here in 1944.
Sorry to hear that, very sad
How do you find the Pro Shade ???
Really like it, it does exactly what it needs to
I feel sad for what happened to your farther or anybody else on this site. Yet I believe the way it is kept in memory is wrong. The museum shows what happened to the PoWs. It shows them as victims (which they were of course). In that it reduces those poor guys to being objects while it shows their tormentors as acting allthough they shouldn't be remembered at all. The older I get the more attractive seems the way the old egyptians handled such things: Bad individuals (including pharaos) were litterally erased from memory (by deleting their names from any stone or papyrus). It is my deepest believe that to do justivce means to remember the lifes of the victims, not their sufferings and to erase the tormentors from mankind's memory. For that I think we don't need places where the cruelty is kept alive and a valuable instruction for future devils. ... Sorry I got carried away. Your video is interesting as ever and I'm looking forward to the rest of your trip! And finally: Three HURRAYS to your farther and his comrades!
The important thing is to 'remember' to try and stop these things happening again, but sadly it seems to be the human condition not to learn from history. I personally think erasing things from history is a dangerous thing to do. Good or bad, it needs to stand as a lesson
To many people go to vegas or Disney or the beach or ski resorts...or....
This is exactly what Russia is doing in Ukraine. Just because of yet another madman's ambitions...
To be aware in today's world that not so long ago controlling people's would enter into contests where life was essentially cheap in the trade for dominance under the illusion of nationalism ...kinda like their leading up to today in different facades....
True words, nationalism rarely ends well
It was evil and it still exists unfortunately