News

Auschwitz ‘must be experienced’

Published

10 years ago

March 15, 2016

AROUND 200 students from schools and colleges across Wales have visited the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz- Birkenau in Poland as part of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project.

Now in its seventeenth year, the project is based on the premise that ‘hearing is not like seeing’.

On the visit, students first visited Oswiecim, the town where the Nazi concentration and death camp was located and where, before the war, 58% of the population was Jewish.

Before visiting the concentration camp, students were taken to a Jewish Cemetery in the town of Oswiecim.

The Town’s last known Jewish person passed away in 2000 and a central grave was built for this person.

However, pupils learned that the gravestones did not necessarily correspond with the deceased because these were replacements after Nazis dug up the original gravestones to use them to build roads.

Students then visited Auschwitz I to see the former camp’s barracks and crematoria and witnessed the piles of belongings that were seized by the Nazis.

Among the belongings were numerous pots and pans, shoes, brushes and suitcases.

Pictures of the prisoners held at the camp were also displayed in numerous buildings.

They were given a guided tour of the facilities and also shown were the Jewish people were taken to be gassed.

The gas chamber was created at Auschwitz I in late 1941 but in 1942 killing operations largely moved to Birkenau where two gas chambers were created in specially adapted cottages near the camp.

Finally they spent time at the main killing centre of Birkenau where the day concluded with candle lighting and a period of reflection to remember the six – million Jews killed in the Holocaust and the other victims of Nazi persecution.

The visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau was preceded by a seminar in the UK where participants were introduced to Jewish life in Europe before the Second World War and heard the testimony of a Holocaust survivor.

The overall number of people murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau is estimated to be approximately 1.1 million people. They included: around 1 million Jews; around 64,000 Poles; around 21,000 Sinti and Roma; around 15,000 Soviet POWs and around 12,000 victims from other groups.

Other prisoners died from disease, starvation, exhaustion or brutal treatment by guards.

The students will now become ambassadors for the Holocaust Educational Trust and will undertake their ‘next steps’ to share their experience with their schools and their wider community.

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said: “The Lessons from Auschwitz Project is a vital part of our work, allowing young people to learn about the Holocaust in a way they cannot in the classroom.

“The visit enables young people to see for themselves where racism, prejudice and antisemitism can ultimately lead and its importance is demonstrated by the inspiring work students go on to do in their local communities.”

Pupils from Greenhill School in Tenby and Ysgol y Preseli were among the representatives from Pembrokeshire on the trip.

Students described the experience as ‘surreal’ and added that they were shocked by the number of personal belongings that were on display at the museum.

One of the students commented: “The day was extremely tiring, both physically and emotionally.

“It was highly moving to see such genuine, re-humanisation of the victims

“One of the most educational days of my life, almost too much to absorb in such a short period of time.

“The experience at Birkenau was indescribable, and different to anything I have ever experienced. The atmosphere of the camp was heavy with tragedy. The size and scale of the place cannot be justified by words, it must be experienced.

“The ceremony, hosted by the Rabbi Marcus was invaluable to the experience as it gave a chance for much needed reflection and also the chance to get a deeper insight of the thoughts and feelings of the contemporary Jewish population.”

Another student commented: “Visiting Auschwitz 1 and Auschwitz-Birkenau was such a surreal experience. Actually visiting the camps made everything more real than seeing the images on line. It was shocking to see the personal belongings in Auschwitz 1 where everything was kept behind glass.

“There were two sides of a hallway full of shoes – this made me think of how many were actually brought to these camps and had their innocent lives taken away from them for no apparent reason. Five minutes away was Birkenau, the death camp of wooden barracks – although many had been torn down by now.

“The living conditions in this camp were disgusting and brutal. To think people were made to live like this is totally beyond me and I dare even to think why something as horrible as this ever happened to begin with. 6 million murdered in the Holocaust – people with families and friends and lives, they had it all taken away from them by other human beings. It makes me wonder if humanity could go any lower.”

News

Government backs down after Reform legal challenge over postponed local elections

Published

4 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Ministers withdraw decision affecting 30 councils as court claim resolved

THE UK GOVERNMENT has withdrawn its decision to postpone local council elections in England scheduled for May 2026 after a legal challenge brought by Reform UK, according to official court correspondence seen by The Herald.

A letter from the Government Legal Department, dated Monday (Feb 16), confirms that the Secretary of State has decided to reverse the earlier postponement “in the light of recent legal advice”, meaning the elections will now proceed as planned in May.

The claim — Reform UK Party Limited v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government — had been lodged in the Administrative Court in London.

The correspondence states that the Housing Minister, who had not been involved in the original decision, was asked to reconsider the position urgently due to the tight timetable. Following that review, ministers concluded that the elections should go ahead.

The Government has also indicated it will seek to agree an order with the claimant to formally dispose of the case and will pay Reform UK’s legal costs.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed victory following the development, writing on social media that the party had “taken this Labour government to court and won”.

He added: “In collusion with the Tories, Keir Starmer tried to stop 4.6 million people voting on May 7th. Only Reform UK fights for democracy.”

The Government has not publicly commented in detail on the claim itself, but the letter makes clear that the reversal was prompted by legal advice rather than a full court judgment.

The dispute centred on the proposed postponement of elections across 30 local authorities, a move which critics argued would have delayed millions of voters from going to the polls.

With the decision now withdrawn, preparations for May’s local elections are expected to proceed as normal.

Local Government

MoD plans for Pembrokeshire site submitted to council

Published

4 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for specialist MoD air traffic radio direction finding equipment works at Pembrokeshire’s Cawdor barracks, where a ‘DARC’ deep space radar facility is proposed, have been submitted to the council.

Cawdor barracks, Brawdy, is occupied by the 14th Signal Regiment who are due to vacate the Barracks in 2028.

A formal screening opinion call, under Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council by agent Montagu Evans on behalf of the ministry of Defence (MoD) has been submitted relating to renewal works to be undertaken to the air traffic equipment at Cawdor Barracks.

A supporting statement says: “The Ministry of Defence are progressing a full planning application with associated Environmental Statement for a Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) Facility on part of the barracks site.

“ This project has yet to be submitted for approval and is being brought forward independently of the renewal works to the Radio Direction Finder.

“The Cawdor Barracks airfield includes a Directional Finder (DF) which forms part of the service operated under a requirement from the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

“It forms part of the nation-wide system automatic triangulation and distress, and diversion network regulate by the CAA on behalf of NATS. It is located towards the centre of the airfield.

“The network of DF installations is a civilian rather than military requirement, and allows bearing data to be provided to the Distress and Diversion Cell at NATS Swanwick. This is a national service which locates and supports aircraft in distress and manages the diversion of other aircraft.

“The current DF equipment comprises a 0.5m cabinet for electronics, a counterpose mounted the building which holds the ultra-high frequency antennas and a mast upon which the antenna array of 18 antennas is mounted.

“The existing DF equipment is reaching the end of its operational life and must be replaced at a manner which allows for continued operations. It is to be replaced with a High-Resolution Direction Finder (HRDF) which is being managed under the Ministry of Defence’s MARSHALL programme.

The new equipment will allow signals to be received from aircraft up to approximately 90 nautical miles (Nm) from the site, providing maximum coverage of the area through including the Bristol Channel and St Georges Channel.

“The existing DF will remain operational during installation of the new equipment. Once the HRDF is operational, the existing system will be decommissioned and removed from the site. Works are to commence in early 2026 and completed by early 2027.”

Crime

Driver admits killing dog walker whose body was found in churchyard

Published

4 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Court Reporter

Guilty plea entered at Swansea Crown Court after fatal hit-and-run days before Christmas

A MAN has admitted causing the death of a Carmarthenshire dog walker after striking him with a car and leaving the scene.

Daniel Wyke, aged 28, of Carmarthen, appeared before Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Feb 16) where he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

The victim, Aaron Jones, aged 38, from Llanpumsaint, was discovered in a churchyard near Caer Salem Baptist Chapel on December 23, 2024 — just days before Christmas.

The court heard that Mr Jones, a father of two, had suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck by a vehicle at around 7:20pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutor Ian Wright told the court there was extensive damage to the windscreen of the vehicle involved, consistent with a serious impact.

Mr Jones’ body was found after his dog was discovered wandering alone by a passer-by, who contacted his wife and raised the alarm, prompting a search of the area.

Wyke was arrested the following day.

In addition to the fatal collision, he had also faced a separate allegation of dangerous driving on Water Street in Carmarthen. That charge was denied and remains outstanding.

His Honour Judge Paul Thomas KC granted Wyke bail but imposed an immediate driving disqualification.

A provisional sentencing date has been set for March 30.