Seven Strange-but-true Facts From World War II

By Editorial Staff in History On 21st April 2016
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World War II

Fact 1

Bernard Jordan: Before two year, in 2004, a 90-year-old British veteran named Bernard Jordan was reported missing from his nursing home. It turned out they'd said no to him going to Normandy to celebrate the D-Day 70-year anniversary. But he went anyway and left the facility wearing a grey mack concealing a jacket underneath with his war medals attached.

Bernard Jordan returns to his nursing home after his daring escape.

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Fact 2

King George VI: During World War II King George VI was at war with Germany as King of the UK, but as King of Ireland he was at peace with Germany and validated the credentials of German ambassadors. After WWII he was at war with himself as King of Pakistan and separately King of India.

Fact 3

The Mad Piper: William "Bill" Millin (14 July 1922 17 August 2010[1]), commonly known as Piper Bill, was personal piper to Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, commander of 1 Special Service Brigade at D-Day. In World War II "The Mad Piper" Bill Millin, was the only bagpiper to land on the beach in Normandy. While men fell around him, he played his pipes throughout the battle. A group of captured German snipers was asked why they hadn't shot him. They replied that they thought he'd gone insane and felt bad for him.

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Fact 4

The effect of treatment: After World War II had ended German prisoners of war in Canada were treated so nicely that they kept a great fondness for Canada and didn't want to leave Canada when released. Many stayed in Canada or moved later on from Germany to Canada.

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Fact 5

Master Interrogator: German interrogator Hanns Scharff was against using physical torture on POWs. Instead he would take them out to lunch, on nature walks and to swimming pools, where they would reveal information on their own. After the World War II ended, he moved to the US and became a mosaic artist.

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Fact 6

Dangerous animals were killed: When World War II broke out, all the venomous animals of the London zoo were killed to remove the possibility of having dangerous animals escape if the zoo were bombed.

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Fact 7

The last prisoner: The last prisoner of war from World War II to be repatriated was a Hungarian soldier named Andras Toma, who was taken prisoner by the Red Army in 1944. He was discovered living in a Russian psychiatric hospital in 2000. He died a few years later.