British Army marks Bergen-Belsen liberation anniversary with renewed Holocaust education call
Commemorative event highlights Jewish victims, survivor legacy and duty to challenge hatred 81 years on
The British Army has marked 81 years since the liberation of Bergen-Belsen with a commemoration bringing together soldiers, Holocaust educators and descendants of those who witnessed the camp’s horrors.
The event, held at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, was organised by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust in partnership with The Light Dragoons, whose predecessor regiment was among the first British forces to enter Bergen-Belsen in April 1945.
Serving personnel heard testimony from John Wood, whose father, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Berney, was one of the first Allied officers on the scene. Berney remained at the camp for 14 weeks after its liberation, helping to care for survivors and later overseeing the displaced persons camp established there.
Eighty-one years ago, British troops discovered around 53,000 prisoners at Bergen-Belsen, many suffering from starvation and disease. The anniversary event included an act of remembrance and a minute’s silence beneath a memorial oak tree planted by Holocaust survivors Mala Tribich MBE and Alfred Garwood MBE during last year’s ceremony.
Wood told attendees: “The message I want to leave you with is the importance of improving Human Rights education as key to building a better and more compassionate society.”
Paul Lopez-Salzedo, chief operating officer of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said the partnership with the Army ensured that “we honour not only those who were murdered at Bergen-Belsen… but also the six million Jewish men, women and children who were killed during the Holocaust.”
He added that such moments serve as “a call to action” to challenge prejudice and safeguard the memory of those lost.
Lieutenant Colonel Dan Lenherr, commanding officer of The Light Dragoons, said it was a “privilege” to host the commemoration and reflect on the role played by British troops in liberating the camp.
“It was also an honour to hear from John Wood and reflect on the significant role his father… and many others played in the liberation,” he said. “We must not forget the horror of the past and… ensure that they are never repeated.”
Wood now serves as an ambassador for Generation 2 Generation, a Holocaust education charity that supports descendants of survivors in sharing family histories with wider audiences.
The commemoration comes as the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust reports continued national engagement with Holocaust education. Its 2026 figures show more than 3,800 organisations and 17 percent of UK secondary schools took part in Holocaust Memorial Day, with hundreds of landmarks illuminated across the country as part of its Light the Darkness campaign.
The charity has also announced the theme for 2027 as “No Place for Prejudice”, focusing on how hatred develops and how it can be challenged.
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