The Massacre at Le Paradis
This site is dedicated to the memory of the 97 soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolks and 1st Battalion The Royal Scots and other units who were massacred at Le Paradis in Northern France on 27th May, 1940, by troops from the German 3rd Company 1st Battalion 2nd SS Totenkopf Rifle Regiment.
It also features the soldiers who fought in defence of Le Paradis and the surrounding area. Some survived to tell their stories, others died in battle. The site is also dedicated to their memory.
Hell in Paradise looks at all aspects of the massacre - the men who sacrificed their lives, the background, the village of Le Paradis and, in particular, the story and memories of the two survivors - Private William "Bill" O'Callaghan from Dereham in Norfolk and Private Albert "Bert" Pooley from Southall in London. It also looks at the years after the massacre and the effect it had on families and those left behind.
The site has been put together thanks to the co-operation of experts on the subject, residents of the French village of Le Paradis, along with the families of Bill O'Callaghan and Bert Pooley and descendants of others who died in the massacre or who fought in the area in the days leading up to the event. Many of the documents and photographs featured have never been available to the public, including Private O'Callaghan's personal diaries.
The image further up this page was drawn by Captain Charles Long and is reproduced by kind permission of the Long Family. You can see more of Captain Long's art by clicking here.
Follow us on Facebook by clicking here
To view a full site index click here
It also features the soldiers who fought in defence of Le Paradis and the surrounding area. Some survived to tell their stories, others died in battle. The site is also dedicated to their memory.
Hell in Paradise looks at all aspects of the massacre - the men who sacrificed their lives, the background, the village of Le Paradis and, in particular, the story and memories of the two survivors - Private William "Bill" O'Callaghan from Dereham in Norfolk and Private Albert "Bert" Pooley from Southall in London. It also looks at the years after the massacre and the effect it had on families and those left behind.
The site has been put together thanks to the co-operation of experts on the subject, residents of the French village of Le Paradis, along with the families of Bill O'Callaghan and Bert Pooley and descendants of others who died in the massacre or who fought in the area in the days leading up to the event. Many of the documents and photographs featured have never been available to the public, including Private O'Callaghan's personal diaries.
The image further up this page was drawn by Captain Charles Long and is reproduced by kind permission of the Long Family. You can see more of Captain Long's art by clicking here.
Follow us on Facebook by clicking here
To view a full site index click here
An Appeal For Help
Tracing the identified victims' families of the massacre of the 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment at Le Paradis
Of the 97 victims of the massacre only 49 were identified upon exhumation in May 1942 . Of these, 44 were from 2nd Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment . The Le Paradis Commemoration Group have only been able to trace the families of 13 of them. Therefore we still need to trace 31 other families.
Over the years we have concentrated our efforts in Norfolk with the assistance of the media and our website. We now feel we need to extend our research to the whole of the UK as several soldiers in the battalion did not come from Norfolk.
Click here to take you to the 44 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment Soldiers identified upon exhumation. Click on their names and it will take you to full details of their rank and last resting place
In this list of 44 we are particularly interested in tracing the families of the following
Pte Thomas William ALLEN
Pte Douglas Harry AUKER (more information required)
Pte Robert Norval BRASH
Pte George Ephraim BROMLEY
Pte Philip BROOKS
Pte Frank Leonard CHEVIS (more information required)
Pte Charles William CLILVERD
Pte Walter Leonard CRACKNELL (more information required)
Pte Albert Victor DALLAS
Pte Harold DENHAM
Pte William Benjamin DOWNING
Pte Arthur Charles William GALLIN
Pte Lionel Charles GREENGRASS
Pte Henry Robert HANSEN
Pte Frederick William George HEDDEN
Pte Charles Richard HIGH
Corporal Amos HORNBY
Pte Charles Ernest MARSHALL
Pte Arthur Edward MOSS
Drummer Claude Oberia NIGHTINGALE
Lance Corporal Ernest Alfred PAGET
Drummer Thomas George Reeves PARKER
Cpl Horatio Herbert PRETTY
Pte Richard William PRIEST
Pte John William RAYBOULD
Pte Harold READE
Pte Sidney Arthur SMALLER
Pte Harry John SOANES
Lance Corporal Alex Henry SPOONER
Pte Alfred Frederick WARD
Pte John Edward WHITE
Drummer George Edward WOODHOUSE
Of the 97 victims of the massacre only 49 were identified upon exhumation in May 1942 . Of these, 44 were from 2nd Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment . The Le Paradis Commemoration Group have only been able to trace the families of 13 of them. Therefore we still need to trace 31 other families.
Over the years we have concentrated our efforts in Norfolk with the assistance of the media and our website. We now feel we need to extend our research to the whole of the UK as several soldiers in the battalion did not come from Norfolk.
Click here to take you to the 44 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment Soldiers identified upon exhumation. Click on their names and it will take you to full details of their rank and last resting place
In this list of 44 we are particularly interested in tracing the families of the following
Pte Thomas William ALLEN
Pte Douglas Harry AUKER (more information required)
Pte Robert Norval BRASH
Pte George Ephraim BROMLEY
Pte Philip BROOKS
Pte Frank Leonard CHEVIS (more information required)
Pte Charles William CLILVERD
Pte Walter Leonard CRACKNELL (more information required)
Pte Albert Victor DALLAS
Pte Harold DENHAM
Pte William Benjamin DOWNING
Pte Arthur Charles William GALLIN
Pte Lionel Charles GREENGRASS
Pte Henry Robert HANSEN
Pte Frederick William George HEDDEN
Pte Charles Richard HIGH
Corporal Amos HORNBY
Pte Charles Ernest MARSHALL
Pte Arthur Edward MOSS
Drummer Claude Oberia NIGHTINGALE
Lance Corporal Ernest Alfred PAGET
Drummer Thomas George Reeves PARKER
Cpl Horatio Herbert PRETTY
Pte Richard William PRIEST
Pte John William RAYBOULD
Pte Harold READE
Pte Sidney Arthur SMALLER
Pte Harry John SOANES
Lance Corporal Alex Henry SPOONER
Pte Alfred Frederick WARD
Pte John Edward WHITE
Drummer George Edward WOODHOUSE
We are very pleased to say that our book on the massacre "Hell in Paradise" is now available. A good quality production, it tells the story of the massacre and also the brave men who fought in the area around Le Paradis in May 1940. The book contains many photographs and diary entries never before published in print format, along with interviews with families and stories from descendants. Hell in Paradise is written by Peter Steward and John Head and published independently by the le Paradis Commemoration Group. Copies are £12 each from Amazon.uk with postage and package free for Amazon Prime members along with next day delivery.
"Although the sands of time run out
the sands of Dunkirk
will forever remain in our memories."
the sands of Dunkirk
will forever remain in our memories."
“The golden evening brightens in the west
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest
Alleluya! Alleluya!”
Verse six: For All the Saints (Sine Nomine): W. Walsham How 1823-97/ R Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest
Alleluya! Alleluya!”
Verse six: For All the Saints (Sine Nomine): W. Walsham How 1823-97/ R Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
New On The Site: To find out what has been recently added to the site click here.
NOTICE: Wherever possible we have endeavoured to obtain permission to use all material on this site. No violation of copyright or trademark is intended.