Media Watch/Press Cuttings
In this section we take a look at some of the periodicals, newspapers and books that mention the massacre and also provide a link to a section that includes press cuttings about or mentioning the massacre.
Most histories of the Second World War deal at length with the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk but few focus on what happened at Le Paradis as soldiers from the Norfolk and other regiments battled to hold the German advance at bay. Indeed a cursory check of various histories at any local library show that most omit the event entirely whilst others dismiss it in a single paragraph. Below are some of the books that cover the event to a lesser or greater extent.
The London Cage by Lt Col A. P. Scotland OBE
Lt Col Scotland wrote an entire chapter on the massacre and the aftermath in his book on the London interrogation centre that became known as The London Cage. The book is also a biography of a controversial figure who led the interrogation of suspected war criminals. Excerpts from the book are used in a number of sections of this web site.
Chapter Six of the book is entitled Mass Murder at Paradis and covers the interrogation of Fritz Knochlein and his trial after the war in Hamburg. It covers his investigations into what actually happened at the small French village.
Scotland admits that his original manuscript was heavily censored by the War Office. There have been many suggestions over the years that Scotland's interrogation methods used at The Cage bordered on torture. The book does give an insight into interrogation methods in a very watered down way.
Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore
This 2017 book deals at length with the men left behind as over 300,000 troops evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk. A number of pages are given to the massacre at Le Paradis.
The Vengeance of Private Pooley by Cyril Jolly
The definitive account of the lives of the two survivors of the massacre - Privates Bert Pooley and Bill O'Callaghan.
The Man Who Missed The Massacre by Cyril Jolly
Last Stand at Le Paradis by Richard Lane
At the Sharp End from Le Paradis to Kohima by Peter Hart
Massacre and Murder in Le Paradis by Bill Sharpe
The London Cage by Helen Fry
Press Cuttings
Click here to view newspaper and magazine cuttings either about the massacre about Bill O'Callaghan and about Bert Pooley.
Photographs
Click here to view some of the photographs used on this site.
The Massacre on Film
Click here to see how Le Paradis has been portrayed on film and video
The Massacre on The Radio
On Wednesday, November 7th, 2018, Dennis O'Callaghan and Rob Edwards were featured in a major piece on BBC Radio Norfolk.
They were interviewed by programme presenter Nick Conrad who referred to the story of the Le Paradis Massacre as "extraordinary."
Dennis explained the setting for the massacre:
"On 27th May, 1940, the Royal Norfolks and other regiments were mounting a fighting retreat for 17 days with hardly any sleep and little food. This action culminated in Le Paradis. Late in the afternoon came the surrender. Ten men went out and were shot down. Most of the men went out en masse. The Germans held what they referred to as a field court martial. The soldiers' dog tags were taken and they were marched 300 metres into a field. As they marched into the field they were machine gunned.
"My father was told the Germans were not going to shoot as their surrender would be covered by the Geneva Convention. There were two survivors - my father and Albert Pooley. The Germans went round finishing off anyone still alive. They stood on my father and shot another man who was laying on him. My father thought he was going to be shot again but then a whistle blew. Pooley was badly shot in the leg. My father went to sleep. Pooley heard somebody snoring, which was my father.
"My father extricated Pooley and carried him 300 yards into a woodpile which was quite something as my father was about 5ft 3in or 5ft 4in while Bert was over 6ft tall.
"Pooley asked my father to go back and get a blanket he had seen. He went back and the Germans were only 25 yards away having a meal. My father heard a cry from someone 'please get me out of the rain.' My father had the dilemma of whether to rescue that man or to go back to look after Bert Pooley. At that point there was a shot, so my father returned to look after Bert."
At this point Nick Conrad referred to the massacre at Le Paradis as "an incredible story" and "extraordinary that there is no memorial in the UK but a number in France." Nick emphasised the vital role the men had played in the success of troop evacuation from Dunkirk.
Dennis went on to say: "If my father hadn't survived I would not be here talking to you today."
"The rearguard action of the Norfolks, the Scots and others gave troops three additional days to be taken off the beaches. By holding the Germans up instead of 45,000 troops being evacuated, the number was well over 300,000. The area around Le Paradis saw some of the most vicious fighting of the war," Dennis added.
Rob Edwards explained that there are five memorials to those massacred in France but none in Norfolk.
"Two to three years ago I didn't know anything about the massacre. We need a memorial to help us remember the price these people paid in defence of our country and our liberty," he said.
Rob added that numerous people were supporting the campaign including the daughter of one of the survivors - Bert Pooley.
"We will be launching our campaign at the Holiday Inn at Norwich Airport on November 27th, 2018 when everyone will be welcome. We want people to realise they shouldn't take peace for granted," he said.
The London Cage by Lt Col A. P. Scotland OBE
Lt Col Scotland wrote an entire chapter on the massacre and the aftermath in his book on the London interrogation centre that became known as The London Cage. The book is also a biography of a controversial figure who led the interrogation of suspected war criminals. Excerpts from the book are used in a number of sections of this web site.
Chapter Six of the book is entitled Mass Murder at Paradis and covers the interrogation of Fritz Knochlein and his trial after the war in Hamburg. It covers his investigations into what actually happened at the small French village.
Scotland admits that his original manuscript was heavily censored by the War Office. There have been many suggestions over the years that Scotland's interrogation methods used at The Cage bordered on torture. The book does give an insight into interrogation methods in a very watered down way.
Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore
This 2017 book deals at length with the men left behind as over 300,000 troops evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk. A number of pages are given to the massacre at Le Paradis.
The Vengeance of Private Pooley by Cyril Jolly
The definitive account of the lives of the two survivors of the massacre - Privates Bert Pooley and Bill O'Callaghan.
The Man Who Missed The Massacre by Cyril Jolly
Last Stand at Le Paradis by Richard Lane
At the Sharp End from Le Paradis to Kohima by Peter Hart
Massacre and Murder in Le Paradis by Bill Sharpe
The London Cage by Helen Fry
Press Cuttings
Click here to view newspaper and magazine cuttings either about the massacre about Bill O'Callaghan and about Bert Pooley.
Photographs
Click here to view some of the photographs used on this site.
The Massacre on Film
Click here to see how Le Paradis has been portrayed on film and video
The Massacre on The Radio
On Wednesday, November 7th, 2018, Dennis O'Callaghan and Rob Edwards were featured in a major piece on BBC Radio Norfolk.
They were interviewed by programme presenter Nick Conrad who referred to the story of the Le Paradis Massacre as "extraordinary."
Dennis explained the setting for the massacre:
"On 27th May, 1940, the Royal Norfolks and other regiments were mounting a fighting retreat for 17 days with hardly any sleep and little food. This action culminated in Le Paradis. Late in the afternoon came the surrender. Ten men went out and were shot down. Most of the men went out en masse. The Germans held what they referred to as a field court martial. The soldiers' dog tags were taken and they were marched 300 metres into a field. As they marched into the field they were machine gunned.
"My father was told the Germans were not going to shoot as their surrender would be covered by the Geneva Convention. There were two survivors - my father and Albert Pooley. The Germans went round finishing off anyone still alive. They stood on my father and shot another man who was laying on him. My father thought he was going to be shot again but then a whistle blew. Pooley was badly shot in the leg. My father went to sleep. Pooley heard somebody snoring, which was my father.
"My father extricated Pooley and carried him 300 yards into a woodpile which was quite something as my father was about 5ft 3in or 5ft 4in while Bert was over 6ft tall.
"Pooley asked my father to go back and get a blanket he had seen. He went back and the Germans were only 25 yards away having a meal. My father heard a cry from someone 'please get me out of the rain.' My father had the dilemma of whether to rescue that man or to go back to look after Bert Pooley. At that point there was a shot, so my father returned to look after Bert."
At this point Nick Conrad referred to the massacre at Le Paradis as "an incredible story" and "extraordinary that there is no memorial in the UK but a number in France." Nick emphasised the vital role the men had played in the success of troop evacuation from Dunkirk.
Dennis went on to say: "If my father hadn't survived I would not be here talking to you today."
"The rearguard action of the Norfolks, the Scots and others gave troops three additional days to be taken off the beaches. By holding the Germans up instead of 45,000 troops being evacuated, the number was well over 300,000. The area around Le Paradis saw some of the most vicious fighting of the war," Dennis added.
Rob Edwards explained that there are five memorials to those massacred in France but none in Norfolk.
"Two to three years ago I didn't know anything about the massacre. We need a memorial to help us remember the price these people paid in defence of our country and our liberty," he said.
Rob added that numerous people were supporting the campaign including the daughter of one of the survivors - Bert Pooley.
"We will be launching our campaign at the Holiday Inn at Norwich Airport on November 27th, 2018 when everyone will be welcome. We want people to realise they shouldn't take peace for granted," he said.