Oral History: Walter Topham 30-Mar-11, 20110330.

Format:

Book

Language:

English

Genre:

Internet videos.

Nonfiction films.

Physical Description:

online resource (video file 1:13:57) : Sound, Colour

Place of Publication:

30-Mar-11,

Summary:

Battery C; Mr. Topham was a Forward Observer for the 20th Armored Division; he arrived in Europe right after the Battle of Bulge and continued through France and into Germany; he recalled crossing the Rhine River on Hodges Bridges and his actions during the last phase of the Ruhr Pocket operation; he recalls taking fire from German 88s a few times; he claims to have unknowingly entered Dachau early in the morning on April 29, 1945; he and his commanding officer and a sergeant entered Dachau from the back of the camp looking for an area to set up an observation post; they entered the camp but there were no guards and the gate was open; they met only two Polish prisoners; Topham noted that these prisoners looked emaciated and asked for food and cigarettes; the prisoners wanted the American weapons and tanks to track down the German guards who had fled the camp; Topham walked around the camp but did not see anyone else outside; he noticed the crematorium and realized what type of camp they were in; Topham and the two other men left and returned to their unit and continued the move into Germany.

Notes:

Description based on online resource (viewed on 12 June, 2019).

Archive Reference: OH.2568.