Royal Navy sailor honours grandfather who played his part in liberation of Bergen-Belsen

More than 1,000 people from across the world gathered at Bergen-Belsen Memorial on Sunday to mark 80 years since British forces liberated the concentration camp.

Among them was Petty Officer Abigail Sondack from the Royal Navy, who served as the standard bearer during the Jewish memorial service.

Reflecting on the moment, she said: "It was really emotional. Stood here as a Jewish member of the Armed Forces and also someone whose grandfather was part of the Royal Artillery Regiment."

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Her grandfather helped liberate Bergen-Belsen and she spoke of the deep personal connection she felt standing on the same ground where British troops, and her grandfather among them, once restored hope from unimaginable suffering.

For PO Sondack, the service was not only a moment of remembrance but a powerful link to both her heritage and her family's place in history.

Bergen-Belsen was liberated on 15 April 1945. Between 1941 and 1945, around 70,000 people died at the camp, including diarist Anne Frank.

During the commemoration, descendants, serving personnel and dignitaries laid wreaths and attended services across the memorial site.

UK deputy prime minister Angela Rayner paid tribute to the British forces who liberated Bergen-Belsen, speaking of the "monstrous scenes of death, suffering and disease" they encountered.

Defence Minister Lord Coaker also attended the commemorations, along with members of the Armed Forces Jewish Community and young ambassadors from Holocaust education charities.

Today, Bergen-Belsen stands as a site of remembrance, honouring the lives lost and those who witnessed the camp's horrors firsthand.