I have been lucky enough to be awarded a virtual cache as part of the 4.0 limited release. When deciding where to place my virtual, I had plenty of local options to choose from but then I watched a film, One Life, about the amazing Sir Nicholas Winton.
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"Don’t be content in your life just to do no wrong, be prepared every day to try and do some good." – Nicholas Winton
Sir Nicholas George Winton MBE (19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015) was a Maidenhead resident dubbed the ‘British Schindler’, he rescued 669 children from the hands of the Nazis.
In December 1938, a 29 year old stockbroker from Hampstead called Nicholas Winton was about to set off on a skiing holiday when a friend urged him to change his plans and visit Prague. The Nazis had invaded the Sudetenland two months earlier and the situation in Prague was becoming increasingly dangerous for Jews, many of whom were living in refugee camps. Sir Nicholas was a politically minded young man and agreed to go and witness what was happening in the country.
Mass evacuations of children from Austria and Germany were under way, but there was no such provision in Czechoslovakia. After meeting parents who were desperate to get their children to safety, Sir Nicholas began recording a list of their names before contacting as many embassies as he could to try and arrange asylum. However, most countries had closed their borders and the only positive response he had was from Britain, although there were conditions.
The first train left Prague on March 14, one day before German troops marched into Czechoslovakia. While Sir Nicholas headed back to Britain after three weeks – the most leave he could get from his job – two of his fellow volunteers, Trevor Chadwick and Doreen Warriner, stayed behind to keep the operation running in Prague.
Back in Britain, Sir Nicholas took on the enormous task of arranging what became known as the ‘Czech Kindertransport’, pleading for funds to cover the £50 guarantee the British government demanded covering the children’s eventual return. He also had to find families willing to take in the children, and secure entry and exit permits. Some children were even provided with false visas, which increased the danger of the operation, and on some occasions Sir Nicholas forged Home Office documents which had failed to arrive before the children’s departure.
In total, eight trains carrying children to Britain passed successfully through Germany and France. The children arrived at Liverpool Street Station, where they would be greeted by Sir Nicholas and his mother. While some had relatives in the UK, most went to live with strangers.
The ninth train never arrived. It was supposed to leave on September 1, carrying 250 children to safety – the largest group yet. The very same day Germany invaded Poland. Borders were closed, and the children who came to the train station are thought to have been turned away by German soldiers, most being sent to concentration camps. In some cases they were the siblings of children who had travelled on earlier trains.
A statue of Sir Nicholas Winton in Maidenhead train station.
The selfless and courageous actions of Sir Nicholas secured the future of 669 children, who came to be known as “Nicky’s Children”. It is estimated that around 6,000 people across the world are descendants of those he saved.
Today, Winton’s story serves as an shining example of the power of selfless action to bring about incredible change but, for nearly 50 years, the world knew nothing of what Winton had done – not even his wife, Grete. That all changed in 1988, when she discovered a briefcase in their attic containing documents, letters and photos referencing the daring rescues, along with a list of the children saved.
The story was passed to the press and made its way to the producers of That’s Life!, a programme hosted by Esther Rantzen. A then 78 year old Sir Nicholas was invited on to the show, aired in 1988, unknowingly seated in an audience made up of those who owed their lives to him. You can watch a video of the extraordinary moment using this link: https://youtu.be/6_nFuJAF5F0
Sir Nicholas celebrated his 105th birthday at the Czech embassy in London with around 100 guests, many of whose parents were saved by him.
A statue of Sir Nicholas Winton in Prague train station.
Among other honours, Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2003, and in 2014 he was awarded the Order of the White Lion, the highest order of the Czech Republic. The then Czech president, Milos Zeman, wrote to Sir Nicholas: “Your life is an example of humanity, selflessness, personal courage and modesty.”
This amazing story has recently been told in a 2024 film called One Life starring Sir Anthony Hopkins.
****** Logging Requirements ******
Question 1 - At the published coordinates you will see some sunken railway sleepers leading towards the pond. How many sleepers are there here?
Question 2 - Standing on the bridge looking back towards the memorial entrance you should see a small sign. What is the 11th word on the sign?
Question 3 - Please take a photo from the bridge showing you, your GPS device or something with your caching name on.
Please send your answers via the messaging function and upload the photo with your log. You do not have to wait for a response before logging but please note that any logs that do not fulfil the logging requirements will be deleted.
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Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.