D-Day veteran receives BEM for commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education
A D-Day veteran who was featured in the King's Honours list in recognition of his services to Holocaust remembrance and education has received his prestigious medals.
Mervyn Kersh, 101, now a recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM), landed on Gold Beach in Normandy at just 19 years old, arriving three days after the initial D-Day landings in June 1944. He served as a technical clerk for the Royal Ordnance Corps, and played a vital role in organising vehicle support.
He would later be stationed near the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp when it was liberated by British soldiers in April 1945.
An ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial, Mr Kersh has dedicated much of his life to education and remembrance, particularly in Holocaust commemoration, where he has shared his personal reflections at schools around the country, ensuring that future generations understand the toils of war and the importance of stamping out intolerance and hatred.
When it was announced earlier last year that he would be receiving the medal, he said being recognised by his own country was a "wonderful thing", likening the award to France's Legion d'Honneur, an award he also received in recognition of his service during the liberation of France.
A proud Jewish D-Day Veteran, Mr Kersh wore his Jewish dog tags during WW2 and for the D-Day landings in Normandy. At a time when many Jewish soldiers concealed their identity for fear of capture, he never hid his faith.
While others had CofE (Church of England), his tags were marked "Jew", and he was proud to wear them in battle, he previously told BFBS Forces News.
However, he described Britain today as "disappointing", citing rising antisemitism, and warned the country risks repeating the mistakes that were made before the outbreak of the Second World War.
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