One of the GREATEST British Heros,won IC 2 and I had never Heard of Him!!!

[CampX]

I have always thought that I know some of the more oddball military History bits, I really like that kind of stuff, Ade mentioned a Book called the "Last Battle" which I had ordered, received and read.
But here at least to me is something I have never heard of..but the story first.
Last weekend it was Memorial Day in the US, and as I live close to the border we get lots of US Channels, and a couple had none stop Military Movies, sorry and no disrespect to our American Members, but I do get tired of how America won both World Wars, seems in many cases no one else was there... remember the Battle of the Bulge..no Mention of the British or Canadian Paras that were involved...but anyway, there was a film called "The Password is Courage". I had kinda had it on a flip channel...light hearted loo at British Propaganda about a POW that did nasty things to the Germans ect ect ect. Guy Burns down German works, meets with Polish resistance gets maps, gets back to camps, lots dig a tunnel and get out ect. Gets et to a KZ..it goes on, I thought it a bit of a joke
Well it was not!!!! Charles Coward was a Sgt Maj, Captured in 1940, made at least 7 escape attemps including one in which, while in Hospital pretending to be a wounded German Soldier was given an IC2, The story goes on and on, while in Auschitz, he saved many Jews from death.
He gave evidence at Nuremburg from his time there, He and his best pal escapted near the end of the war but donning German firemans uniforms and stealing a firetruck and going through the lines to the Americans

I did not see that he received any Medals for all he did, but he is Remembered on a Hospital wing in the UK and a Tree was Planted for Him. He is also a Member of "Righteous Among The Nations"

After Reading about this Soldier, I think he would be one of the most interesting people I can think of, or want to talk to from WW2

Charles Coward - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Dean Owen
Ajax Canada

[Walkwolf]

Thanks for posting Dean. I had never heard of this guy before
either. It is stories of brave, heroic men such as these that
need to be made into movies, instead of another
'Batman' or 'Godzilla'.........!

[CampX]

Sorry I like Godzilla filmes.. hell I made Pacific Rim, Robo Cop ect...just wish I could get 1/50 of what those cosed ood film..but we are in Canada..to the best of my knowledge I cannot find a running WW2 Sherman only the early 50s versiaon..then what???

DEan O

[harryamb2]

nice post dean,there where quite a few Other ranks guys like him,dixie dean etc,but it was the officers who got the accolades,Douglas Bader was considered a bloody nuisance by a lot of his fellow officer inmates because he always stirred the Germans up,causeing problems for escapers etc.