Nr. 26: Van Limburg Stirumschool
Better known as " The Red School "



Foto: September 1944
At about the time that John Frost was wounded, the bridge force lost one of its most important positions. In the substantial Van Limburg Stirum School building, halfway along the eastern side of the ramp embankment running down to the town, the combined force of Royal Engineers and 3rd Battalion men who had held this exposed position throughout the battle, with no heavier weapon than a Bren gun, were about to be overwhelmed. About thirty men remained unwounded, but ammunition was low and there was no food or water.

Either a German tank standing on the ramp only seventy yards away or a German gun further away started systematically blowing away the roof and top storey of the building, where most of the defenders were positioned. One shell set the roof ablaze; another burst where two of the 3rd Battalion officers, Major Lewis and Lieutenant Wright, were taking their turns to rest, injuring both officers and so stunning Len Wright that he has no memory of the next few hours. What did happen next became an emotive subject among the defenders. Several of them have provided contributions; the account which follows is a consolidation of these. There were no means of putting out the fire, and it was obvious that the building had to be evacuated. Captain Mackay appointed a party of sappers to remain at their positions to prevent any German attack over the surrounding ground while the evacuation took place. The wounded were brought up from the basement, the eight seriously hurt being carried on doors or mattresses. After they left the building, they had to be lifted over a low wall which was exposed to German fire. One unconscious Royal Engineer clutching a photograph of his wife and children was hit again by machinegun fire as he was being lifted over the wall, and one of the 3rd Battalion men was hit in the face and killed by a mortar bomb burst; a third rpan was hit in the head and killed as he climbed over the wall. Meanwhile, the shelling of the upper part of the building had continued, and one of the rearguard positions was hit with two men being killed and one badly crushed. One of the dead was Corporal William Simpson, who sported a large moustache which grew up the sides of his face to join his hair. Known as 'Canadian joe' because he had once lived in Canada, Simpson had been one of the stalwarts of the defence.

Captain Mackay returned to the building to fetch out the remainder of the rearguard. The intention now was for the whole party to move to a nearby building, the one evacuated by the Royal Engineers on the Sunday night. The other RE officer present, Lieutenant Dennis Simpson, started this move but was immediately wounded. More men were being hit outside the school, and Major Lewis called out from his mattress: 'Time to put up the white flag.' His second in command, Captain 'Chippy' Robinson, says: 'Being unwounded, I felt guilty about allowing myself to be captured, so I went up towards where he was and called out to ask if the fit men could attempt to get out. He shouted back that we could.' This news was passed to the REs, the phrase 'Every man for himself' perhaps being used. About ten men, including Captains Robinson and Mackay, then dashed across the road into the gardens of some houses to the east, only to be discovered later and taken prisoner, although Mackay eventually escaped and reached England. But some of the REs, particularly the senior NC0s, did not like abandoning the wounded. One of them says: Some of us felt that was the time an officer should have stayed with his men, and I was one of those who stayed with the wounded. It had reached the stage where each individual had to decide whether to stay with his wounded comrades or clear off. I suppose it can be said that Captain Mackay, in getting away to England as he did, took back vital information and that we were facing certain capture. But the majority stayed with the wounded. Major Lewis now addressed those who had stayed, complimenting them on their fine defence of the school but telling them that they must surrender.

A sapper was sent to the top of the embankment with a white towel tied to his rifle but was immediately struck on both legs by a burst of machine-gun fire. He died of those wounds five months later. The Germans closed in, and the firing ceased. Accounts say that the German who fired that last burst was shot by one of his own officers for firing on the white flag. As the wounded were being checked, this German officer inspected the sapper who was so badly wounded and unconscious, declared that there was no hope, and shot him in the head with a pistol. The man's comrades were appalled by this but later agreed that it was an act of mercy. So ended the gallant defence of the Van Limburg Stirum School.


Foto: May 1945