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Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin Michele Callan

Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin By Michele Callan

Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin by Michele Callan


$10.00
Condition - Very Good
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Summary

In 1943, 32 Irish POWs refused a Gestapo request to work for Germany. They were sent to a labour camp, where they were starved, beaten and forced to dig the foundations for a Nazi super-structure. This is the gripping story of Harry Callan's capture, resistance and liberation and his quest to honour the forgotten heroes of Bunker Valentin.

Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin Summary

Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin: The Harry Callan Story by Michele Callan

In 1943, thirty-two Irish POWs refused a Gestapo request to work for Germany. They were sent to a labour camp, where they were starved, beaten and forced to dig the foundations for a Nazi super-structure codenamed Bunker Valentin - an immense U-boat factory. Thousands of the camp's prisoners perished, including five of the Irishmen; bodies fell into the foundations and were never recovered. The surviving Irishmen were saved by the goodwill of decent Germans.Among them was Harry Callan, a Catholic boy from Derry who went to sea at sixteen as a British Merchant Navy seaman. His ship had been captured by a German raider two years before he ended up at the labour camp. Harry was unable to speak about the brutality he experienced for decades after he was liberated. When he finally began to tell his story, his family were shocked by what they heard.In his eighties, Harry agreed to revisit the site of his incarceration. He found local historians had no evidence of the Irish prisoners: they had disappeared from official records. Determined to give his comrades recognition, he began working to preserve their memory. This is the gripping story of Harry's capture, resistance and liberation.But above all, it is the final chapter in his quest to honour the forgotten heroes of Bunker Valentin.

Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin Reviews

An excellent read.

* An Cosantoir *

Extraordinary story.

* Irish Examiner *

Gripping account.

* Evening Echo *

About Michele Callan

Michele Callan lives in County Dublin and is Harry Callan's daughter-in-law and carer. Together they attend Second World War commemoration ceremonies in Ireland and Germany. They annually visit the German graves of the five Irishmen who died while constructing Bunker Valentin.

Additional information

GOR009727995
9781848893016
1848893019
Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin: The Harry Callan Story by Michele Callan
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Gill
20170320
320
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - Forgotten Hero of Bunker Valentin