Leonard Webb
Encyclopedia
Leonard James Webb was a British
World War II
veteran who was present at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen
concentration camp in 1945.
while on duty in the occupation of the Rhine. In 1924 his father's regiment moved back to Tidworth
, Wiltshire
until he was demobbed in 1927, and the Webb family moved to William Webb's native Long Crendon
, Buckinghamshire
.
Leonard Webb attended Long Crendon County School until the age of 14 with the idea of trying for a place as a pilot in the RAF. Unfortunately he failed the exam for an RAF apprenticeship, at RAF Halton
in Aylesbury
, being offered a place as a boy entrant instead which he accepted but was rejected later due to colour blindness.
As the driver to Brigadier Glyn Hughes
the Deputy Director of Medical Services for the British Second Army
, who was in charge of relief operations in Bergen-Belsen, Webb witnessed some of the horrors for which the Holocaust is remembered. The relief work he and his staff faced was a monumental task of feeding tens of thousands of former prisoners, reducing the mortality rate and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Burying the bodies became an overwhelming task. The British forced SS
guards to remove and inter the corpses in mass graves, but soon bulldozers were used to complete the task.
from 1975-79. In December 1999 he was made the first Honorary Citizen of Thame, in recognition of his long, exemplary and outstanding public service to the people of Thame, both as a citizen and a councillor.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran who was present at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
concentration camp in 1945.
Early life
Webb was born in 1921, the second son of William and Lillian Webb, in Cologne, Germany where his father was serving as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant in the then 14th King's Hussars14th King's Hussars
The 14th King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 14th/20th Hussars in 1922....
while on duty in the occupation of the Rhine. In 1924 his father's regiment moved back to Tidworth
Tidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
until he was demobbed in 1927, and the Webb family moved to William Webb's native Long Crendon
Long Crendon
Long Crendon is a village and civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, about west of Haddenham and north-west of Thame in neighbouring Oxfordshire.The village has been called Long Crendon only since the English Civil War...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
Leonard Webb attended Long Crendon County School until the age of 14 with the idea of trying for a place as a pilot in the RAF. Unfortunately he failed the exam for an RAF apprenticeship, at RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
in Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, being offered a place as a boy entrant instead which he accepted but was rejected later due to colour blindness.
World War II
Webb joined the army on 17 April 1941, the day after his 20th birthday, he reported to Bulford Barracks where he underwent 4 months of drilling and square bashing he was posted to a holding company, later to pass his driving test and become T262475 Driver Webb.As the driver to Brigadier Glyn Hughes
Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes
Brigadier Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MC, MRCS was a British military officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps and later medical administrator, educationalist and sports administrator...
the Deputy Director of Medical Services for the British Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
, who was in charge of relief operations in Bergen-Belsen, Webb witnessed some of the horrors for which the Holocaust is remembered. The relief work he and his staff faced was a monumental task of feeding tens of thousands of former prisoners, reducing the mortality rate and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Burying the bodies became an overwhelming task. The British forced SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
guards to remove and inter the corpses in mass graves, but soon bulldozers were used to complete the task.
Post World War II
Later on in life, he was also the mayor of ThameThame
Thame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
from 1975-79. In December 1999 he was made the first Honorary Citizen of Thame, in recognition of his long, exemplary and outstanding public service to the people of Thame, both as a citizen and a councillor.
Medals
- 1939-1945 Star
- France and Germany StarFrance and Germany StarThe France and Germany Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.The medal was awarded for operational service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945...
- 1939-45 Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939-1945
Career
- 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; Deputy Mayor on two occasions
- School Governor of John HampdenJohn HampdenJohn Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
school in 1969, serving for 26 years, including as Chairman from 1975 to 1990 - Becoming a Trustee of The Thame Barns Centre - 1990
- Chairman of The Friends of Meadowcroft - 2000
- Chairing the Thame Golden Jubilee Festival Organising committee - 2002