Plea to find lost medals of war hero who witnessed the horrors of Belsen concentration camp
A Hampshire man with Caithness connections is on a hunt for the lost medals of his late grandfather, James W Sutherland, who witnessed terrible scenes at a Nazi concentration camp at the end of WW2.
Alex Anderson posted pleas on various social media groups and local people suggested he try contacting the Caithness Royal British Legion Scotland branches, Cashpoint Auctions in Wick and Wick Heritage Museum. Nothing has yet turned up, however.
Alex explained: “Basically, when my grandparents in Thurso died, my uncle, William Sutherland, who lived in Wick had pretty much everything of theirs including my grandad’s medals and cap badge from WW2.
“My grandad served with the 2nd Glasgow Highlanders as part of the 15th Scottish Division – he drove a Bren gun carrier throughout the war. I only know bits about his service from snippets of information but also what is now available online and war diaries. What I do know is that he saw the clear-up at Belsen concentration camp.”
Belsen was the site of a notorious Nazi concentration camp that was liberated by the British Army in April 1945. Overcrowding, lack of food, and poor sanitary conditions caused outbreaks of typhus, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and dysentery; leading to the deaths of more than 35,000 people in the first few months of 1945, shortly before and after the liberation.
Alex’s grandfather, James W Sutherland was known as Jimmy or by his nickname ‘Pigeon’ due to the fact he used to breed pigeons. “My grandparents used to live in Royal Terrace [Thurso].
“Later, [my grandad] was a well-known and successful budgie breeder, showing them and winning many cups and prizes over the years. His name is on many of the cups and shields given out at budgerigar shows.”
The cap badge is of the Glasgow Highlanders and Alex says his grandfather dipped it in tin when he was stationed in Holland, allegedly to save him from polishing it. The medals are a France and Germany Star, the 1939-1945 Star and a Defence Medal. There was also a medal issued to his grandmother who also served during the war.
“The last I saw, they were all together in a plain wooden frame with a dark felt background,” Alex recalls.
“My uncle suffered from dementia and it seems that he sold or got rid of a lot of stuff out of his house over the years. The family had no idea where the stuff went or where it was being sold.
“I’ve asked the remaining family members of his wife if they’ve seen them in the few bits that were left after the house was cleared and they don’t have them.”
Alex says the medals are not particularly valuable and that he could replace them quite easily. “But it’s more about the sentimental value than anything else. I’d really like to locate the originals if I can.”
He is also looking for information published in a Caithness Courier or John O’Groat Journal, possibly from the early 1980s, in which a family from Asten in Holland were trying to trace his grandfather.
“His unit helped liberate Asten and they remembered him. There was a picture of two young women, one either side of my grandad. He had his Tam o’ Shanter hat on and his big coat and he was in between them both. They wrote for many years, but the letters and their details are long gone.”
Alex was directed to Nucleus: the Nuclear and Caithness Archives at Wick which has old copies of each newspaper but if anyone local has any memories of this reunion then please contact him with your information.
If you can help Alex in his bid to find the medals or have any other details to share he can be emailed at: a.anderson83@talktalk.net