Photos Lüneburg Heath Memorial.

[ENGINEER]

Dr Anthony Morton by the Lüneberg Heath Memorial​

On 4 May 1945 at Lüneburg Heath, near Hamburg, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands, in north west Germany including all islands, and in Denmark and all naval ships in those areas. The surrender preceded the end of World War II in Europe and was signed in a carpeted tent at Montgomery’s headquarters on the Timeloberg hill at Wendisch Evern.
Field Marshal Montgomery selected a high point, a hill called Timeloberg. Montgomery renamed the hill ‘Victory Hill’. After the monument was vandalised, the area was subsequently passed to the German Army as a training area, restricting access to the hill. The monument was dismantled in 1958 and rebuilt at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Today the spot lies in an out-of-bounds military area and is not accessible by the public.
I was always intrigued by a small bronze plaque my father,Lt Col R R Gillespie RE had. He told me he had built the memorial. I read an anecdote that said the Royal Engineers built it, and Dad served under Montgomery at the time so I assume he was CRE.It would be fun to know if he did the designing and oversaw the building of the granite memorial. The links are part of the story as well as some references.

https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/surrender/memorial And the top picture of the wooden memorial does look like my father closest to the camera.
https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/surrender/timelo_today Interesting
https://lightwater.wordpress.com/20...als-walk-at-royal-military-academy-sandhurst/
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/German_surrender_at_Lüneburg_Heath

 

[CarolF]

View attachment 448989

Dr Anthony Morton by the Lüneberg Heath Memorial​

On 4 May 1945 at Lüneburg Heath, near Hamburg, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands, in north west Germany including all islands, and in Denmark and all naval ships in those areas. The surrender preceded the end of World War II in Europe and was signed in a carpeted tent at Montgomery’s headquarters on the Timeloberg hill at Wendisch Evern.
Field Marshal Montgomery selected a high point, a hill called Timeloberg. Montgomery renamed the hill ‘Victory Hill’. After the monument was vandalised, the area was subsequently passed to the German Army as a training area, restricting access to the hill. The monument was dismantled in 1958 and rebuilt at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Today the spot lies in an out-of-bounds military area and is not accessible by the public.
I was always intrigued by a small bronze plaque my father,Lt Col R R Gillespie RE had. He told me he had built the memorial. I read an anecdote that said the Royal Engineers built it, and Dad served under Montgomery at the time so I assume he was CRE.It would be fun to know if he did the designing and oversaw the building of the granite memorial. The links are part of the story as well as some references.

https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/surrender/memorial And the top picture of the wooden memorial does look like my father closest to the camera.
https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/surrender/timelo_today Interesting
https://lightwater.wordpress.com/20...als-walk-at-royal-military-academy-sandhurst/
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/German_surrender_at_Lüneburg_Heath

Hello. I came across this by accident and joined so I could answer you. The monument was designed by my father, Sidney Fisk, who was a sergeant in the Royal Engineers but an architect in civvy life. Apparently there was a competition which he won. The design and model have always had pride of place at home. Sadly my father never saw the finished monument but I was able to arrange for my mother to see it at Sandhurst by contacting the archivist there. (It wasn‘t in great shape. He was rather embarrassed!) My father designed it but maybe your father built it?

 

[ENGINEER]

That is really a good bit of info. I knew about the wooden inkwells in links above. Seems it was built by a major RE so maybe dad was his CO. I don't know more about this.

 

[CarolF]

That is really a good bit of info. I knew about the wooden inkwells in links above. Seems it was built by a major RE so maybe dad was his CO. I don't know more about this.

I always thought our model was a cigarette case but maybe the inkwells just disappeared. I remember Dad saying it was a surprise that an entry from a mere sergeant beat out those of officers!

 

[ENGINEER]

RE had some really skilled craftsmen among them. My Dad commissioned a miniature wooden doll's cot. It is truly beautiful with tiny turned risers and headboards/

 

[Peter Whitehead]

My father was in the RE and he brought a model of the monument home with him after the war. He ended the war in Hanover ( I think) in the army of occupation. I know he was working in factories which were producing engine parts.
The model spent years on the mantelpiece of my grandparents house, it’s one of my earliest memories.
I have it now.
I have often wondered how many copies were made, its obviously handmade so not many I would imagine.
It’s very interesting to know who designed it. I wonder if my father and yours were acquainted, my father was also a Sergeant, Bertram Whitehead.

 

[ENGINEER]

RE had very fine craftsmen. My father commissioned a doll's cot out of turned wood for my sister. It is superb.

 

[StarlightExplor]

My father was in the RE and he brought a model of the monument home with him after the war. He ended the war in Hanover ( I think) in the army of occupation. I know he was working in factories which were producing engine parts.
The model spent years on the mantelpiece of my grandparents house, it’s one of my earliest memories.
I have it now.
I have often wondered how many copies were made, its obviously handmade so not many I would imagine.
It’s very interesting to know who designed it. I wonder if my father and yours were acquainted, my father was also a Sergeant, Bertram Whitehead.

You have a cool dad!

 

[Workhouse]

My father also brought one home from Luneberg after surviving Overlord and crossing Northern Europe in 44/45. In 2015, I put it in my saddle bag and cycled from Sword beach to Luneberg Heath. Ours had no inkwell, possibly just a prototype?

 

[Workhouse]

 

[Workhouse]

My last was a picture of the model I took with me on our arrival at Wendisch Evern beside Luneberg. As it happened, 4th May 1945 was my father's birthday. He was 24 years old.

Here is one of the inkwell version of the item that I found online.

I am really delighted to learn about the contest and about Sidney Fisk the designer. I didn't turn up anything when researching for my trip in 2015.

As an aside, my father took me to see the Overlord Embroidery when it was newly displayed at the Whitbread's Brewery in London where he worked after the war. The embroidery is now in Portsmouth, celebrating its 50th anniversary. I was recently back at the Brewery, which is now a hotel and conference centre. It brought back memories.

My father died in 2000. He was badly affected by PTSD from D-Day and what we witnessed then and after it so he didn't speak much about his experiences to any of us. As so many of his generation did, he bottled it all up and soldiered on.