A night at the Town Hall: Op Blackout and the story of reuniting Doenitz' baton and pennants

In this episode we listen in to the Museum's presentation of Op Blackout, 80 years after the last operation of WW2 and the first of the rebuilding of post-war Germany in which the Herefordshire Regiment took a pivotal role.  

On 18th May 1945 The Herefordshire Regiment helped to liquidate the puppet Government headed by Hitler's nominated successor, Grand Admiral Doenitz.  This administration was suspected of harbouring a number of hard-line Nazis and Doenitz was summoned to a meeting, while troops moved in to round up his government at Flensburg Castle.  

Men of the Herefords arrested Doenitz and relieved him of his car pennants and later his baton was taken into safe custody also.  Today the baton is proudly displayed at the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum in Shrewsbury Castle and on our Op Blackout evening these items were reunited for only the third time in 50 years.

Listen in to Colonel Marius Coulon of the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum who had the unenviable task of bringing Doenitz's baton down the A49; Hugh Patterson, chair of the Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum Trust and Colonel Andy Taylor who tells the story of Op Blackout (apologies for the poor quality of this section).  Finally thanks are given by HM Lord Lieutenant for Herefordshire, Mr Edward Harley.