Willi Reissner – born in Seelow, Germany, 5 December 1919
Occupation in country of origin: skins business
Arrived in Britain as a refugee from Germany, 14 April 1939
Kitchener camp, Victoria Seelow Football Team. Willi is the tall one in the middle of the second row of boys. Their cousin, Heinz Philippsborn, referred to in the letters, is also in the photo, second row, third from left. Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner at brother Joachim’s Barmitzvah, 1936.
Left to right: brother, Willi, sister, Ruth (who was murdered in Riga), father, Louis, brother, Joachim, and mother, Martha.
Willi Reissner, Passport photograph Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Kent County Constabulary, Police registration stamp 14 April 1939 Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Kitchener camp, Willi Reissner, 1939 Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Kitchener camp, army photograph, 1939/40
Will Reissner is standing on the far left, back row
Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, army photograph, reverse, names Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
[Editor’s note: These names are not easy to decipher, but comparing them to the 1939 Register, we think they include the following: Frederich Strassman, Moses (Max) Mordko Scherzer, Erwin Kohn, Andy Rosenmeyer, Harold Rossney, Harrison (?), A. F. Howards (?), Peter Ganz, E. Garchner (?), (?) Black, Ronald (?), (?) Wolfe, Herbert (?), and a man from 246 Coy (?). Please get in touch if you can help with – or recognise – any of these names.]
If you can identify any more of the names on the back (above) with the men in the photograph below, please do get in touch. And if you know any of the names we can’t decipher, it would also be good to hear from you.
Willi Reissner and colleagues in the Auxilliary Military Pioneer Corps, Peter Ganz, Arthur Morgenthau, Arthur Isdale, Ralph Kleiman, Helmuth Rosettenstein, Moses Mordko Scherzer Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, in Pioneer Corps uniform Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, in Pioneer Corps uniform, reverse of photograph Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Pioneer Corps, Willi Reissner is on the far left Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps, second from the left, in the top row Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps uniform Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Kitchener camp, Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps, HQ II Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps, third from the right, in the top row Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Will Reissner, British Army, Hesedorf bei Bremervörde, 15 August 1945 Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Hesedorf bei Bremervörde, reverse, 15 August 1945 Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps, 1945 Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps, 1945, reverse Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, British Army, nd Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Pioneer Corps, Willi Reissner, awarded the War Medal, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the 1939-1945 Star Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner
Pioneer Corps, Willi Reissner, awarded the War Medal, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the 1939-1945 Star Submitted by Vivien Harris for her father, Willi Reissner