Walter Kammerling lights a candle in Salisbury Cathedral to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Holocaust. 3.2.5 SALISBURY Cathedral and the district council once again joined forces to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Last Thursday's ceremony was held in the cathedral and was themed 'Survivors, Liberation and Rebuilding Lives'.

It was especially poignant this year, as it marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the infamous Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

More than a million people were killed there, mainly from Jewish communities.

One person who lost four members of his family was Walter Kammerling, life president of the Reform Synagogue, in Bournemouth, and guest of honour at the service.

He lost his mother, father, sister and brother-in-law.

His father and brother-in-law were shipped to Auschwitz on September 29, 1944, and his mother and sister on October 23.

Mr Kammerling said that what made his loss even harder to bear was the fact that his family were on some of the last trains before liberation to leave Vienna for the camp in Poland.

If it had just been a few months later, he said, the camp would have been liberated.

Now, Mr Kammerling is determined that everyone should know what happened at Auschwitz, so that the same mistakes are never repeated.

"Unfortunately, things like this still go on," he said. "This is why it is so important to keep the memories alive.

"It is the greatest example of what not to do."

Other guests at the service included mayor and mayoress of Salisbury Jeremy and Sue Nettle, mayor of Amesbury Jan Swindlehurst and vice-chairman of Salisbury district council Edward Draper.

Mr Draper said: "It is imperative that we never forget the horrors of the Holocaust, in order to make the world a safer place to live in today."

Members of the congregation had poured into the choir stalls for the 5.30pm service, led by dean of Salisbury the Right Reverend June Osborne.

She also lit a candle to commemorate the Holocaust.

Mr Kammerling read from the prophet Amos, and the Archdeacon of Surrey, the Venerable Bob Reiss, gave the address.