Did anyone watch the Tuesday's episode of Heir Hunters on BBC1? They were looking into the estate of Franz Josef Nebel. Available here on BBCiplayer, from 7 minutes in http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0549y82/heir-hunters-series-9-2-hudsonnebel Lt Col Joseph Henry Levey, DSO, OBE, was a British Officer who served in the Boer War, WW1 and continued his service into the 1930's. In August 1939 he lobbied the German and British Governments to secure the evacuation of students and staff from Berlin's ORT Technical School, which had been founded by his Organisation. The British Government agreed but the Germans continued to stall. The Colonel finally lost his patience. He marched into Berlin himself, a proud Scotsman wearing his kilt, a Jew even, and marched into the Headquarters of the SS in Berlin, demanding the release of the Leeds Old Boys, and his permission was finally granted on 29th August, just 3 days before WW2 broke out. Half of the 200 boys were released including Franz to the UK. Sadly the rest of his Berlin School classmates were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/36118/old-boys-remember-leeds-school You can read about Colonel Levey here http://www.ort.org/news-and-reports/world-ort-news/article/recognition-at-last-for-colonel-levey/ Colonel Levey passed away in 1970. A remarkable man Can any members add more information about the Colonel please? Lesley edited-added more info
A bit more about his background Another pre-war Guardsman was John Henry Levey of the Scots Guards, born 1881 in Newcastle upon Tyne to a Polish Jew and Scottish mother. He joined the Scots Guards in 1899, served in the Boer War, and at the beginning of the war in 1914 was a Sergeant-Instructor. He had attested as C of E and he formally applied to the Army in 1911 to change his recorded religion to Jewish. In fact before that he had taken part in the Chanukah Military Parade, a yearly occasion, from the early 1890s, for the gathering of men in uniform, regular and Territorial army, and naval personnel, to take part in this religious festival. Levey was among some 400 warrant officers and NCOs who were rapidly commissioned when the war began. For three years he was engaged in training, writing two booklets: Five Instructional Lectures to Regimental Officers on the Western Campaign and What To Teach on Landscapes Targets. In 1917 he assumed command as Lt-Col of the 13 bn Royal Sussex Regiment and led it in capturing St Julien. For this he was awarded the DSO. The citation for the award stated, in part, 'In the assembly before the attack, by good judgment he almost entirely avoided casualties. He launched his battalion into the attack with ability, and commanded it throughout the action with judgment, coolness, and gallantry. http://www.hellfirecorner.co.uk/snillopofficers.htm#22
good day 4jonboy m,yesterday.03:48.pm.#1 re:lt.col.joseph henry levey,dso.obe,great piece of britich army history.well reserched.i dont think it made much difference to the anti-semetic views of much of brittain and europe.but now the jew. if he or she chooses has a nation of there own.and quiet a powerfull army if one is to believe what one reads.thank you for posting regards bernard85
