AJEX National Chair Dan Fox is joined by Henny Franks at Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre.

Henny was born Henriette Grünbaum in Cologne in 1927. Aged 15, she escaped to London on the Kindertransport with her 12 year old sister. Her father was to die in Sobibor but her mother went into hiding in Italy, Switzerland and Belgium.

By 1942, Henny was Pte Greenbaum of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, driving trucks and working in munitions.

They talked about her childhood, her ATS service, and her life after the war, including reuniting with her mother in Brussels. At the end of the episode, we also presented her with a reproduction of Abram Games’s famous ATS recruitment poster.

In 2023, Dan presented Henny her medals from the war, which she never claimed at the time, on the occasion of her 100th birthday: the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-45 - together with her HM Armed Forces Veteran Badge, which she now proudly wears.

In this 80th year of commemorating VE and VJ Day, this episode is especially poignant. Thank you Henny and Jewish Care for making this special interview happen.

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For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

To donate: https://www.ajex.org.uk/donate

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AJEX National Chair Dan Fox is joined by Royal Engineers veteran Jamie Cooper-Morris and his wife Amba (with a guest appearance from Cooper-Morris Junior!) at their home in Kent. They talk about Jamie's extensive operational army career, and his second calling in the Ambulance Service, a career introduced to him by Amba. They met through the Kent Army Cadet Force, in which they both serve as Adult Instructors.

We also discuss the effect of their careers on Jamie’s and Amba's mental health (with recounting that some listeners might find upsetting) and their experience of veterans' mental health pathway Op Courage. You can access more information about it here:

Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists - NHS

This is a story of the British Army in its busiest decades, as well as a family dedicated to public service. Jamie and Amba also talk about the discovery of his Jewish background, the establishment of his (and Amba's) Jewish identity, and how this is a key part of their family and community life.

Check out our socials below for more content related to this episode.

For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

To donate: https://www.ajex.org.uk/donate

Our social media accounts can be found here:

Instagram: @ajex_jma
Facebook: ajexheadoffice
YouTube: ajex_jma
For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

To donate: https://www.ajex.org.uk/donate

Our social media accounts can be found here:

• Instagram: @ajex_jma
• Facebook: ajexheadoffice
• YouTube: ajex_jma

In Part II of our second episode, AJEX National Chair Dan Fox continues the conversation with Chelsea In-Pensioner Barrie Davey. Barrie chronicles his military service - and finding, and his attachment to, Judaism.

We also get a look into life at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and we are enormously grateful to them for their support in making this episode happen.

Barrie is a regular at AJEX events and to quote Dan: 'You'll know Barrie, he's in the Red Coat.'

Don't forget to listen to Part I where you can find out more about Barrie's childhood and entry into military service.

Check out our socials below for more content related to this episode.

For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

To donate: https://www.ajex.org.uk/donate

Our social media accounts can be found here:

• Instagram: @ajex_jma
• Facebook: ajexheadoffice
• YouTube: ajex_jma

For more information on AJEX: https://www.ajex.org.uk/

To donate: https://www.ajex.org.uk/donate

Our social media accounts can be found here:

• Instagram: @ajex_jma
• Facebook: ajexheadoffice
• YouTube: ajex_jma