John Lingshaw facts for kids
John George Lingshaw (born 1909 – died 1975) was a British man who worked with the German side during World War II. He helped create Nazi propaganda in Germany. After the war, in 1946, he was found guilty of breaking special rules made during wartime. He was sent to prison for five years.
Contents
Early Life
John Lingshaw was born in 1909. His parents were George and Marie Lingshaw. They lived in Saint John, Jersey, which is an island. John was also part of the Salvation Army on Jersey Island.
Life During Wartime
German Occupation of Jersey
During World War II, the island of Jersey was taken over by German forces. This happened on June 30, 1940.
Sent Away from Home
In 1942, Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany, gave an order. He wanted everyone living in the Channel Islands who wasn't born there, or who had served in the British army, to be sent away. This was because German citizens had been held in another country.
John Lingshaw had joined the part-time local army, called the Royal Jersey Militia, in 1929. Because of this, he had to follow Hitler's order.
On August 15, 1942, the German military court decided to send him away. Then, on February 13, 1943, John Lingshaw was part of a group sent to a special camp. This camp was for people who had been held by the Germans. It was located in Laufen, Germany, in a place called Bavaria.
Working with the Germans
Helping the German Radio
While he was held at the camp, John Lingshaw made a choice. He decided to work with the Germans. On August 16, 1943, he was allowed to leave the camp. He traveled to Berlin, the capital of Germany.
In Berlin, he got a job teaching English. He taught 15 women who worked for the German propaganda service. Propaganda is information, often biased, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
John Lingshaw's job was to help the German State Radio. He worked for a unit called the New British Broadcasting Service. His tasks were small, like listening to and recording the news reports from the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) during the war.
Return to the Camp
In 1944, it seems John Lingshaw had some problems with the New British Broadcasting Service. On November 11, 1944, he was sent back to a camp. This time, he went to a camp in Biberach an der Riss, also in Bavaria.
He stayed there until April 23, 1945. On that day, the camp was freed by the French Army. John Lingshaw, along with other people from the Channel Islands, was sent back to England. He landed at RAF Hendon, an air base. It was there that people found out he had worked with the Germans during the war.
After the War
Facing Charges
On February 6, 1946, John Lingshaw had a hearing in London. He was accused of helping the enemy by listening to radio broadcasts for them.
The Trial and Sentence
His trial happened on March 1, 1946, at a famous court called the Old Bailey. He admitted that he had helped with making and recording British news reports for the German State Radio. The court sentenced him to five years in prison.
Later Life
After he was released from prison, John Lingshaw lived in Sheffield, England. He got married in 1961. He worked as a person who rented out rooms in a house. He also worked as a licensed hawker, which means he sold goods from place to place.
His businesses didn't seem to do very well. He had money problems in September 1959. These problems weren't solved until May 1969.
John Lingshaw passed away in Sheffield in 1975.
See also
- Leonard Banning
- Norah Briscoe
- Gertrude Hiscox
- Tyler Kent
- Dorothy O'Grady
- Pearl Vardon
- Anna Wolkoff
