In this episode of Half-Arsed History, be amazed by the story of Leo Major, a Canadian soldier who single-handedly (and single-eyededly) liberated a Dutch town.
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Image: Unknown Photographer. Léo Major. Circa 1945. Photograph. Via Owlcation.
Half-Arsed History 
Enjoyed the episode very much!
I like stories that seem too fantastic to be true!
Alas.. it is.
The curator from the Dutch National Military Museum has published a book on Léo Major, after two years of research. And not much of the Rambo movie performance is left. He certainly was alone that night in Zwolle, but it is unlikely that he went on a shooting spree. No sources confirm this. No evidence has been found of the conversation with the Alsatian-German, and German military sources suggest that they were leaving Zwolle that night anyway. The Gestapo HQ did burn down, but it is possible that the Germans did it themselves. Allied forces, capturing HQ’s would rather spare such a building to search for intel, so it does not make sense to burn it. There is no official mention of the taking of POW’s by his unit. Something that would alway be recorded. Also there is no record of him refusing a medal for his conduct in the battle of the Schelde. What remains is that he did save the town from an artillery barrage that would have reduced the town to rubble.
Still, the episode is highly enjoyable ! Thank you!
regards,
Frits Smid
https://www.destentor.nl/dossier-bevrijding-van-zwolle/leo-major-en-de-bevrijding-van-zwolle-feit-en-verzinsel-van-elkaar-gescheiden~af9458b7/
(Sorry, in Dutch)
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