A HOLOCAUST survivor who lives in Bournemouth has paid an emotional trip back to a farm where he was given refuge.

In 1938 Walter Kammerling was a happy 15-year-old living with his two older sisters and parents in Vienna. Then the Night of Broken Glass, or Kristallnacht, in November 1938 changed the course of history for Jewish people in Europe forever.

The coordinated attack resulted in 95 synagogoues being destroyed in Vienna alone and thousands of Jewish people being arrested and sent to concentration camps.

Ten days later Britain organised the Kinderstransport – where children were sent to the UK for sanctuary.

Walter was among those, and after a heartbreaking goodbye he never saw his parents or 17-year-old sister Ruthi again.

Ruthi, at 17, was too old for Kinderstransport and too young for a domestic permit to enter the UK.

He later learned she, along with his parents, was murderered by the Nazis. Walter’s other sister, Erika, then 18, was given a domestic permit to live in the UK.

Meanwhile he was sent to Millisle in County Down where he lived on a tiny farm with hundreds of other refugees.

In September Walter, now 91, returned to revive old memories and share his life experiences with some of the young people who will be learning about Millisle Farm as part of their school studies.

“It was very emotional experience to be back,” said Walter. “The people there were so generous and kind – they saved my life and it was a lovely opportunity to pass on the story to children at the school.”

Walter has been living in Bournemouth for 70 years with his wife Herta, another Kindertransport child.

He said he now plans to continue giving talks at schools in Bournemouth to keep the memories of what war-time refugees went through alive.