Fears 'far-right' could be behind theft of Nazi artefacts from Norfolk military museum

  • ITV News Anglia's Andy Ward reports on the break-in at the museum.

A volunteer at a military museum said he feared "far-right" activists could have been behind a raid which saw valuable Nazi artefacts stolen.

The Desert Rats museum near Thetford in Norfolk was broken into on Friday evening.

Volunteer Paul Smith, 55, said he and the team were devastated by the theft, which saw a baton belonging to German Field Marshall Rommel stolen, along with two SS knives.

Other items taken included patches, badges and helmets, brass shells and a baby gas mask.

The thieves broke the lock off the Nissan huts used to house the items on Swaffham Road at Ickburgh, before smashing display cases.

Police are investigating the burglary.

The lock to the museum was smashed before thieves entered Credit: Paul Smith

Mr Smith said he and his friend Rod Smith had built up the museum from scratch and most of the contents had been donated by people connected with the Desert Rats.

He said: "My heart just dropped when I found out about the break-in.

"I thought oh my God those far-right activists have been in here. I said as soon as I walked in the door I bet they've gone for the German stuff.

"There are some sick people about."

A baton belonging to Field Marshall Erwin Rommel is among the items taken. Credit: Paul Smith

Mr Smith said the baton belonging to high ranking German officer Rommel had been given to his friend Rod Smith by Rommel's son.

He said he had put his "heart and soul" into the museum and had hoped it would be his legacy to younger generations.

The museum team have listed the stolen items on their Facebook page and say they hope to recover them.

Broken glass on the floor of the museum near Thetford Credit: Paul Smith

The Desert Rats museum celebrates the exploits of the famous British fighting force which who took on the Germans in the desert of North Africa during the early part of the Second World War.

The museum is based near Thetford because the Desert Rats, otherwise known as the 7th Armoured Division, were stationed in Thetford Forest between January and May 1944 while they prepared for the invasion of Normandy.

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