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British Army dentists and Colditz during World War II

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Abstract

This article provides insights into the life and experiences of two British Army dental officers who were both imprisoned at Colditz during World War II. Eric Cooper and Julius Green were in the early years of their careers as dentists when World War II began. They joined the Army Dental Corps and both were captured by Germans and held as prisoners of war at various locations. The last place they were imprisoned until the end of the war was Colditz. They both survived to share their stories which are summarised here.

Key points

  • Provides a summary of the life and careers of two British Army dental officers.

  • Eric Cooper and Julius Green are the only known British Army dental officers to have been held as prisoners of war (POWs) at Oflag IV-C (Colditz Castle).

  • Eric Cooper and Julius Green continued to practise dentistry during their time as POWs and beyond.

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References

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  6. The Newsroom. Celebrating Eric Cooper - Inspirational dentist and Colditz survivor. Lancaster Guardian (Lancaster) 2019 May 9.

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Acknowledgements

Thank you to Quentin Anderson for his guidance and assistance in the preparation of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Captain, Royal Army Dental Corps; Senior Dental Officer, Dental Centre BATUS, Canada

    Oliver Jest

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  1. Oliver Jest
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Correspondence to Oliver Jest.

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Jest, O. British Army dentists and Colditz during World War II. Br Dent J 230, 461–465 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2729-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2729-1

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