In November 2023, using Old Berkhamstedian, School and Acacia tree funds, the medals of John Eric Maclean Carvell (Uppers 1903- 1912) were secured at auction. The story of John Carvell and the medals are on display in the Exhibition room at Castle Campus.

During his time as Consul General in Munich, Carvell used his position to issue certificates to 300 Jewish men imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp for ‘race defilement’ (marrying or having relationships with non-Jewish German women). These certificates enabled the men to leave camp and travel to British Mandated Palestine in 1937. As a result of his and his colleagues’ efforts to aid the escape of Jews from Germany, a memorial plaque was unveiled at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

The plaque reads –

‘To commemorate those British diplomats who by their personal endeavours helped to rescue victims of Nazi oppression’.

Carvell was posthumously awarded the title ‘British Hero of the Holocaust’ in 2018, along with his counterpart in Lithuania, Sir Thomas Preston. The title is a special award given by the British Government to people who helped or rescued Jews and others facing Nazi persecution before and during the Second World War. It was created in 2009, following a campaign by the Holocaust Educational Trust to ensure that their actions were properly recognised.  The first awards were given in 2010.

John Eric Maclean Carvell

J E M Carvell was born on 12th August 1894 and was educated at Berkhamsted school; Uppers 1903-1912. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 9th September 1914 and was posted to the 16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), London Regiment as temporary Lieutenant on 30th November 1914. He served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 23rd January 1915 and was promoted Captain on 28th April 1917. 

Twice wounded at Houpline and Ypres (on the second occasion a bullet lodged between his heart and his lung). The following extract tells of his injuries - "G.S.W. Thorax; X-rays show the rifle bullet lying obliquely in immediate proximity to posterior pericardium. Still diminshed expansion of base of left lung and he gets “blown” going up a steep hill but this is improving. It should be noted that the bullet is slightly moved with each heartbeat."  

Rather than take a discharge he took a posting as an Instructor to the Portuguese Army from 1917-18 and then as a Staff Captain, HQ London District, 1918-19. He transferred to the Territorial Force Reserve on 30th July 1919. 

A career diplomat, Carvell had various postings. Firstly, as British Consul to the Republic of Haiti, at Port au Prince in 1920. This was followed by postings to Finisterre, France, Munich, Bavaria, State of Rio Grande do Sul at Porto Alegre, Brazil and again at Munich, Bavaria in the late 1930s. He was appointed British Consul General at Algiers in 1942, Arizona in 1946, Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Quito, Equador in 1948 and Sofia, Bulgaria in 1951.

He retired from the Foreign Service in 1954. He died at Bungay in Suffolk on 29th April 1978.