True story of the British WW2 hero Nicholas Winton who saved children from the Nazis

  • A video report by Granada Reports Reporter Mike Hall


The story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 children from the Nazis, is set to hit the big screen.

'One Life' is a true story showing how hundreds of youngsters were rescued from almost certain death in the Holocaust.

Sir Nicholas is a hero, who in 1939 oversaw the Czech Kindertransport, which brought children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia to safety in the UK.

He worked tirelessly to ensure money was raised and homes were found for the young refugees here to the UK.

One Life is the true story of Sir Nicholas Winton who led the rescue of 669 children from almost certain death in the Holocaust.

One child saved is Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines, who is now based in Lancashire.

She was on the last train to make it out of Prague successfully in 1939.

After being reunited with Sir Nicholas in later years, she became close to him and recalls his philosophy in life.

She still has some memorabilia including her identification form.

Lady Milena Grendell-Baines based in Lancashire is one of the surviving Kinder (children) saved by Sir Nicholas Winton

It wasn’t until a BBC television show, ‘That’s Life!’, surprised him in 1988 by introducing him to dozens of the rescued children – by then adults – that the full story of his heroic efforts became public knowledge.

Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2003, and died in 2015 at the age of 106.

Two-time Oscar winner Sir Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn - are playing Sir Nicholas in the movie.

One Life hits UK cinemas on 1 January.


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