On April 29th, 1945, the camp was liberated by the british Guards Armoured Division and the 51. Highland Division. Heavy fights with the German 15th Armoured Grenadier Div. took place before. From today’s view one can not understand, why these, who inflicted heavy losses, also among the civilian population, had to occur. Germany was occupied to it‘s greater part. The total defeat was only a question of days. In recognising this hopeless situation, the commander of Sandbostel Camp did arrange with some POWs, led by French Colonel Albert, the transfer of the camp to the prisoners.
On April 21st, an English and a French POW brought a plea for help to the HQ of the British Guards Armd. Div. in the vicinity of Zeven. Because of this, two armoured units were sent. After occupying Selsingen, they met heavy resistance by German grenadiers to the north of the town. On the 28th, the river Oste was reached at Sandbostel. After more fighting, the camp was liberated.
The POW Audet reports:
„The Camp’s commnader did ask, on our request, the SS to retire to a distance from camp and hospital arranged in our agreement. The SS did answer, war is everywhere and if necessary, they’ll even fight in the camp proper. During these last fights, I saw SS troops hiding behind a Red Cross sign between camp and hospitel and firing from there with a machine gun on the attacking British. They also took cover close to the fence, knowing, that the British would not fire into the camp and they forced the guards on the towers, to turn their weapons on the attackers, which was forbidden strictly.
One guard on a tower in the camp’s middle rear part did refuse. From a window of the theatre’s hut, I saw an SS man entering this tower, killing the guard with his revolver and then starting to fire on the British.“