Episode 180

Churchill’s German with Helen Fry

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In 1937 a seventeen year old German arrived at Liverpool St station in London, not speaking the language, but with a strong sense of freedom considering the place he had left. Claus Ascher was Jewish and had found safety, but sadly his father was not so lucky. Claus became Colin Ansom and joined the British Army, then became a Commando, becoming one of Churchill’s special forces conducting ungentlemanly warfare. Historian and author Helen Fry joins to discuss his life.

Episode Links

Why I Became an X Troop Commando: A Life of Colin Anson, the German who Fought for Churchill, by Helen Fry

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