Editing British Free Corps (section)

==Preparation for active service==
In March 1945, a BFC detachment was deployed with the [[11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland]] under {{lang|de|[[Brigadeführer]]}} [[Joachim Ziegler]], which was composed largely of Scandinavian volunteers and attached to the [[III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps]] under {{lang|de|[[Obergruppenführer]]}} [[Felix Steiner]]. They were first sent from [[Stettin]] to the division's headquarters at [[Angermünde]]. "From there they were sent to join the divisional armoured reconnaissance battalion ({{lang|de|11. SS-Panzer-Aufklärunsabteilung}}) located in Grüssow [on the island of [[Usedom]]]. The battalion commander was {{lang|de|Sturmbannführer}} [[Rudolf Saalbach]] ... [The BFC were allocated] to the 3rd Company, under the command of the Swedish {{lang|de|Obersturmführer}} Hans-Gösta Pehrson."<ref>Weale (2014), Kindle Locations 3028–3032.</ref> The BFC contingent was commanded by {{lang|de|[[SS-Scharführer]]}} (squad leader) Douglas Mardon, who used the alias "Hodge". [[Richard Landwehr|Richard W. Landwehr Jr.]] states "The Britons were sent to a company in the detachment that was situated in the small village of [[Schöneberg, Brandenburg|Schoenburg]] near the west bank of the Oder River".<ref>{{cite book |last=Landwehr |first=Richard |date=2012 |title=Britisches Freikorps: British Volunteers of the Waffen-SS 1943–1945 |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |page=83 |isbn=978-1-47505-924-3}}</ref>{{sps|date=November 2024}}

On 16 April 1945, the Corps was moved to [[Templin]], where they were to join the transport company of Steiner's HQ staff ({{lang|de|Kraftfahrstaffel Stab}} Steiner).<ref>Weale (2014), Kindle Locations 3077–3078.</ref> When the Nordland Division left for Berlin, "the transport company followed Steiner's Headquarters to [[Neustrelitz]] and the BFC went with it."<ref>Weale (2014), Kindle Location 3132.</ref> On 29 April, Steiner decided "to break contact with the Russians and order his forces to head west into Anglo-American captivity."<ref>Weale (2014), Kindle Locations 3140–3141.</ref> Thomas Haller Cooper and Fred Croft, the last two members of the Corps, surrendered on 2 May to the [[121st Infantry Regiment (United States)]] in Schwerin, and were placed in the loose custody of the [[GHQ Liaison Regiment]] (known as Phantom).<ref>Weale (2014), Kindle Locations 3162–3170.</ref>