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Published:
November 27, 2008
Highbridge's
Frank Foley Committee join Foreign Secretary at VIP event
 Members
of Highbridge's Frank Foley Committee have attended a special
ceremony at London's Foreign and Commonwealth Office where Foreign
Secretary David Miliband unveiled a plaque commemorating the British
Diplomats who helped Jews escape from Nazi oppression during World
War Two.
Five
members of the Highbridge group received invitations to the function
from David Miliband MP, who is pictured above with Sir Sigmund
Sternberg, the President of the Movement for Reform Judaism, in
front of the new plaque.
The
plaque honours Highbridge-born Frank Foley, who was employed as
a Passport Control Officer in Berlin from 1920 until 1939. In
his role, he was able to help hundreds of Jews escape from Nazi
Germany before the outbreak of World War Two. He had no diplomatic
immunity and put himself at great risk by helping others.
 Foreign
Secretary David Miliband said at the unveiling: "We
are here today to pay tribute to the men and women who understood
more than most the depths of the phrase 'he who saves just one
life is considered as if he has saved an entire world'. It seems
so simple, but in the 20th century it was sometimes deemed impossible".
The
group of Frank Foley Committee members at the event (pictured)
included Chairman Joyce Curtis; Secretary and Treasurer Pam and
Phil Lyes, Shirley Adams and Ray Reddish, plus Cllr Derick Cooper
and Highbridge Vicar Reverend Robin Lodge.
The
group met the author of the book "Foley", Michael Smith,
along with Frank Foley's niece, Patricia Dunstan, and her son
Richard, and Mr and Mrs John Curtis.
"When
talking to Michael, he told us that before he began writing the
Foley book he had intended to research MI6, but someone suggested
to him that he try to research Foley," Pam Lyes told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
"On
doing so he became amazed at what Foley had done, and it is still
his belief today that Foley saved at least 10,000 lives and was
' almost a saint'."
"The ceremony was introduced by Sir Sigmund Sternberg and
there was a personal message from the Prince of Wales."
"A
speech was given by Mr Martin Gilbert, the author of a special
booklet called 'Beyond the Call of Duty' and this was followed
by a speech by Mr Milliband, who unveiled the plaque."
RELATED
LINKS:
Highbridge's Mayor
backs calls for knighthood for Frank Foley
Commemorative
statue for Frank Foley unveiled in Higbridge
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