A South African Jew, Mr. Leonard Rubinstein volunteered to fight with the British 8th Army the “Desert Rats” in WW2. After seeing action in Bardia, he was captured and spent the remainder of the war in Axis POW camps, where he was fortunate to keep his religious identity secret from the Gestapo. Mr. Rubinstein came to Crestwood to speak to students, was very happy to be involved in this video project and was interviewed on two occasions in his home by Mr. Masters’ students.
Videos
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- 1. Life before the war
- 2. Training
- 3. Why he enlisted
- 4. Early Wartime Memories
- 5. Fighting in the Desert
- 6. Len's Role in the Army; Taken as a POW
- 7. Memories of Combat; Taken as a POW
- 8. Nazism and Propaganda
- 9. Forced Labour in the Camp
- 10. Entertainment and Religion in the Camps
- 11. Travelling as a POW
- 12. Q and A - Guards, Labour, Letters, the End of the War
