George Frank McLardy MPS was a member of the British Union of Fascists, a British Nazi collaborator and an Unterscharfuhrer in the Waffen-SS British Free Corps during the Second World War.
25 Facts About Frank McLardy
2.
Frank McLardy attended St Edmund's School, Waterloo and St Mary's College, Crosby, where he was a member of the First XV rugby and First XI cricket teams.
3.
Academically bright, Frank McLardy progressed into St Mary's College Sixth Form.
4.
Frank McLardy subsequently moved with his family to live in nearby Formby, where he was articled to a chemist.
5.
Frank McLardy sold the BUF magazine Action around Crosby and Waterloo, and held his BUF meetings in a local public house, The Crosby Hotel.
6.
Frank McLardy was posted to Aldershot, and owing to his qualifications, was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
7.
Frank McLardy was sent first to Stalag XX-A at Thorn, and soon on to Stalag XXI-A at Schildberg.
8.
For three years Frank McLardy remained in Schildberg as an ordinary prisoner of war, performing medical duties for his fellow prisoners in the camp hospital.
9.
Frank McLardy's hopes were dashed in September 1943 when he was told that instead he would be moving to Stalag XXI-D at Posen, reputedly the worst camp in Poland.
10.
Frank McLardy claimed that he "would not survive another Polish winter", and recalled a conversation with a "Dutch officer" in Stalag XXI-A who stated that he had applied to join the Waffen-SS with a view to ultimately escape.
11.
Frank McLardy approached a surprised Abwehr officer at Schildberg with the request that he might join the Waffen-SS.
12.
Frank McLardy's application, written in his own hand in English was translated into German, then typed and forwarded to Berlin.
13.
Frank McLardy's only recruit was Kenneth Berry, a 17-year-old deckhand from a sunken ammunition ship, and Amery was sidelined by the Germans.
14.
Frank McLardy was given the rank of SS-Unterscharfuhrer, and put in charge of propaganda.
15.
Frank McLardy was sent first to Graz, then to Stettin to commence his training.
16.
Frank McLardy realised the end of the war was near, and had no intention of becoming part of a last-ditch effort of the SS to defend the Third Reich.
17.
Frank McLardy went to the SS Head Office and was offered work at the Rundfunkhaus and with the SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers.
18.
Frank McLardy donned civilian clothes and went to ground in Berlin, living at 33 Sachsische Strasse, while he plotted his escape from the crumbling capital.
19.
Frank McLardy declined the job of broadcaster, but instead offered to "monitor" Allied broadcasts.
20.
Frank McLardy was handed into British custody on 19 April 1945 and repatriated to the UK on 13 May 1945.
21.
Frank McLardy was charged with voluntarily aiding the enemy whilst a prisoner of war.
22.
Frank McLardy was court-martialled at Blacon Camp, near Chester and sentenced to life imprisonment on 1 January 1946.
23.
Frank McLardy received the heaviest sentence of those convicted of membership of the British Free Corps.
24.
Frank McLardy served his sentence first at HM Prison Parkhurst, then in open prisons.
25.
Frank McLardy worked as a pharmacist and died in 1981 at Ingelheim am Rhein, near Mainz, aged 66.