Object numberM1993/029:012
DescriptionFragment of cloth upholstery embroidered with silver thread Nazi Eagle insignia, taken from a chair in the Reichschancellory, Berlin, 6 July 1945 by Michael Sheridan who served as part of the British Liberation Army from 06/06/1944 until 02/09/1946.
Michael Sheridan (previously Shernovsky until he joined the army) was born in Whitechapel, London on 2 November 1917, to Herschel and Sarah who had emigrated from Poland. He was one of seven children. His father was a kosher butcher who worked for the London Beth Din. Michael left school at the age of 14 and went to work for a local radio firm before his father asked him to help with his newly opened business. Michael enlisted in the British Army on 22 March 1939. On 12 July 1939 he married his wife Anne. His first son David was born in 1940, and his daughter Gloria was born in 1942; after the war his youngest son Barry was born in 1954.
Michael served in the Home Service up until 3 June 1944, where he trained as a machine gunner before being transferred to the Royal Engineers where he served as a mechanical equipment operator, operating bulldozers. He landed in France on D-Day. From France, he went into Belgium where he served in Lille and Ghent. From there he moved on to the Netherlands where he stayed in a town called Tilberg for two to three days. In Tilburg he assisted in the task of cleaning up the local synagogue that had been desecrated by the withdrawing German army. At the synagogue he met two Jewish families including William and Yetta Asser. These families had managed to hide during the war and Michael supplied them with food during his stay in Tilburg. In thanks for his assistance William Asser gave Michael his yellow Star of David (M1993/029:010).
Michael’s company was then attached to the American 9th Army for a number of weeks in order to learn their methods of building roads and airfields. They entered Germany where in Rheine, Michael picked up Hitler Youth Papers (M1993/029:013) on the side of the road, and also took some medals from a dead German soldier. His company entered Bergen-Belsen mid-April 1945, and he was assigned the job of moving bodies into burial pits with a bulldozer.
His company was later transferred to Berlin where he served with the occupation forces, policing and keeping the population under control, and repairing damaged buildings for the use of the occupying army. He was with the British Army of Occupation from 1945 until he was discharged in 1946. Michael went back to London to work as a radio mechanic, eventually starting up his own electronics business. When his son David immigrated to Australia in 1965 and married, the Sheridan’s visited Australia, fell in love with the country and upon returning to Britain they decided to immigrate. In 1969 he and his family immigrated to Australia.
Michael Sheridan (previously Shernovsky until he joined the army) was born in Whitechapel, London on 2 November 1917, to Herschel and Sarah who had emigrated from Poland. He was one of seven children. His father was a kosher butcher who worked for the London Beth Din. Michael left school at the age of 14 and went to work for a local radio firm before his father asked him to help with his newly opened business. Michael enlisted in the British Army on 22 March 1939. On 12 July 1939 he married his wife Anne. His first son David was born in 1940, and his daughter Gloria was born in 1942; after the war his youngest son Barry was born in 1954.
Michael served in the Home Service up until 3 June 1944, where he trained as a machine gunner before being transferred to the Royal Engineers where he served as a mechanical equipment operator, operating bulldozers. He landed in France on D-Day. From France, he went into Belgium where he served in Lille and Ghent. From there he moved on to the Netherlands where he stayed in a town called Tilberg for two to three days. In Tilburg he assisted in the task of cleaning up the local synagogue that had been desecrated by the withdrawing German army. At the synagogue he met two Jewish families including William and Yetta Asser. These families had managed to hide during the war and Michael supplied them with food during his stay in Tilburg. In thanks for his assistance William Asser gave Michael his yellow Star of David (M1993/029:010).
Michael’s company was then attached to the American 9th Army for a number of weeks in order to learn their methods of building roads and airfields. They entered Germany where in Rheine, Michael picked up Hitler Youth Papers (M1993/029:013) on the side of the road, and also took some medals from a dead German soldier. His company entered Bergen-Belsen mid-April 1945, and he was assigned the job of moving bodies into burial pits with a bulldozer.
His company was later transferred to Berlin where he served with the occupation forces, policing and keeping the population under control, and repairing damaged buildings for the use of the occupying army. He was with the British Army of Occupation from 1945 until he was discharged in 1946. Michael went back to London to work as a radio mechanic, eventually starting up his own electronics business. When his son David immigrated to Australia in 1965 and married, the Sheridan’s visited Australia, fell in love with the country and upon returning to Britain they decided to immigrate. In 1969 he and his family immigrated to Australia.
Production periodWorld War II (1939-1945)
Object nameupholstery
Materialfibres (fabrics)
Dimensions
- width: 270.00 mm
height: 205.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Mr. Michael Sheridan