The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association
Autumn 2009 Newsletter
RETURN TO STALAG XXA THORN SPECIAL
ASSOCIATION NEWS by Les Allan, President
Contact details 99 Parlaunt Road, Langley, Berkshire SL3 8BE. Tel/Fax 01753-818308.
Doris and I were lucky enough to receive an invitation to attend the Not Forgotten Association Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 22nd July. The charity was established at the end of the First World War to provide leisure and entertainment across the UK for wounded serving and ex-servicemen and women with disabilities. In the photos below you can see Prince Edward and the Duke of Kent meeting ex-servicemen. We also met Bruce Forsyth and saw Esther Rantzen and Rolf Harris, who entertained us with his singing.
As this newsletter goes to the printers we are about to take a party over to Belgium for our annual pilgrimage and on our return will visit the United States Air Force at Lakenheath, Suffolk to take part in their POW Memorial ceremony. Watch this space!
Visit to Stalag XXA Fort 13 by David Garnett
On 27th May 2008 my wife Jackie and I visited Torun hoping to see some of the remains of Stalag XXA. My father Frank Garnett was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery 51st Anti-Tank Regiment with the 51st Highland Division. He was captured at St Valery with the rest of the division and taken initially to Stalag XXB Marienburg. He was transferred to Stalag XXA on 24th June 1941 and remained there and on various working parties until the Russians came. Somehow he missed the long march and was lucky to be repatriated by the Russians. We had arranged a guide to show us the city of Torun and take us round the forts which comprised the Stalag. Michal is a PhD student at the Copernicus University of Torun and is studying the medieval history of the area, he is also interested in more recent history and had managed to arrange a special visit for us.
Fort 13 where many British POWs were held is still part of a Polish Military installation and is strictly off limits to unauthorized personnel (according to all the signs). One of the soldiers however has created a small museum dedicated to the fort’s use as part of Stalag XXA and is prepared to take visitors round by prior arrangement. Michal had managed to make these arrangements only the day before we arrived.
We approached the camp up a long straight road with the camp gates barring our way. As we parked the car our guide came out to greet us and took us into the camp. He spoke very little English and Michal acted as our interpreter. We walked up the main roadway passing on our left and slightly below us the sports field where we were told the PoWs played football, rugby and cricket and even held international matches. On either side of the road were pastel coloured communist era barrack blocks where we were told that during the war there had been rows of wooden huts. The road rose slightly and bent to the right and we passed between two massive gateposts to see the fort in front of us. The fort is brick built and is set into the hillside. We approached over a raised walkway to the main entrance which was closed by two large steel arched doors. Our guide unlocked the doors and swung them open and we went into the fort. The drop in temperature was immediately apparent and there was a damp and musty atmosphere. Three vaulted passageways ran off from the entrance left, right and straight ahead, we would explore these later.
We were taken into the first of the two rooms opening off the left passageway which together form the museum. It was explained that prisoners would have lived in this room which was large but bare. In the room there is an exhibition of paintings and drawings done by a New Zealand PoW during his time at the camp. They had been donated by his relatives and took pride of place in the museum. Each picture was explained to us and the area depicted pointed out.
In the second, much larger room there is a display of artifacts including prisoners’ belongings some of which had been dug up over the years together with English, German and Polish weapons and maps pictures and uniforms. The soldiers who were showing us round took great pride in their collection and were delighted to be able to show it to us.
We were then taken round the fort through some of the subterranean passages and then over the top where the original gun emplacements had been. These days the top of the fort is pretty overgrown with long grass and substantial trees. I am sure it was not always like this. Finally we re-entered the museum to sign the visitors’ book and have our pictures taken. They were very keen for us to write in their book and asked us to leave space so that our picture could be included. Ours was the first English entry in the book there being only six previous entries all in Polish. We were allowed to take a couple of pictures outside the fort and were then escorted off the premises.
If anybody is thinking of visiting Torun I can thoroughly recommend it. The city itself lies on the east bank of the Vistula River whilst the forts comprising Stalag XXA are all situated on the west bank. Torun is a beautiful medieval city and has many places of interest. Our hotel was beautiful and overlooked the river over the city walls. We came by train from Warsaw which took under 3 hours. Torun Station can’t have changed much apart from electrification since the war years. From the platform you can see the walls of Fort 16. I cannot publish the details of admission to the camp but if anyone is interested in paying a visit I will pass on the contact information I have.
David Garnett
30th May 2008
ABOVE DISPLAY OF PAINTINGS IN ROOM 1.
A PASSAGEWAY INSIDE THE FORT
CANADIAN RED CROSS PARCEL AND PLASTIC LEMON CONTAINING A COMPASS.
BELOW; VIEW FROM THE FRONT ACROSS THE FORT.
OBITUARY - SAPPER ROY SPENCER NATUSCH, MM.
It is with deep regret that I advise you and members of your association of the passing of former New Zealand POW, Sapper Roy Spencer Natusch MM on March 24, 2009 at his son’s farm in the Hawkes Bay. As an amateur historian, I have for the past 20 years been engaged in researching and recording the wartime activities of a number of New Zealander’s associated with the Eastern Mediterranean operations of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and MI9, the escape and evasion arm of British Intelligence, principally in enemy occupied Greece, Crete and the Balkans. During that time not only I have been Mr Natusch’s historical researcher, but also his defacto biographer and during that time I recall him saying he had made contact with your organisation.
Rather interestingly my recent review of your Summer 2003 newsletter identifies Mr Natusch as one of the 19 POW’s who escaped from the Italian camp PG57. To the best of my knowledge I do believe the sole survivor of that escape is former RAAF airman, Mr Eric Canning of Tasmania. It had been the intention of both men to get together this ANZAC Day (25th April), with Mr Canning flying over to attend the Hawkes Bay memorial service in Hastings, New Zealand. Sadly this will not happen.
As a footnote to that article you have invited anyone with any knowledge of escaping to contact you. Rather fortuitously (although sadly with Roy’s passing) and the fact this Saturday marks our ANZAC Day, a number of news journalists have encouraged me to prepare for their respective editorial department, a ruthlessly abbreviated obituary based on my 9 page tribute to him. I’ve taken the liberty of attaching this item for your perusal, which should you deem suitable for inclusion in your next newsletter, I’m more than happy to forward the longer version for the association’s archive.
I also have an experimental website: URL http://crete.angnz.com The contents of those draft pages may also prove of interest to readers of the WWII campaign in Greece and Crete. With kind regards, Paul London, 254 Ngaumutawa Road Solway] Masterton 5810 New Zealand.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
"My father Terry Prendergast was interned in Stalag 4C (POW number 258643) from November 1943 to May 1945. He died two years ago and I'm now trying to find out more about his journey through the war. I am quite certain that he was attached to work detachment Lager 22a at Brux. Does anyone know this camp's exact location: town name, coordinates (anything really)? Also does anyone have any maps with its location or even photographs? I'd really appreciate any help on this. Could you reply to me at jprendy@btinternet.com Kind regards, John Prendergast"
WERE YOU IN STALAG 4F? My mother passed away in February and of course sorting her papers out we came across bits to do with our Dad Lance-Corporal Frank Louis Williams, King's Royal Rifle Corps and his time in Stalag 4F. As I am doing the family history this is all very exciting for me. Our father never spoke about the experiences he had during the war. I was born in 1942 after he went to North Africa and so didn't meet him until 1946 I believe. There are photo's of him in camp and also I believe some taken after capture but before reaching Germany. It would be wonderful to know some details of his journey and camps. I would be pleased with anything. Patricia Lovett, 2 Elm Cottages, Hooe, Battle, East Sussex. TN33 9ES.
Good Afternoon Sir, I am trying to trace The POW history of my late father: 1339840 FSGT D S Jeffery (may be spelt Jeffrey), of 550 Squadron RAF, shot down on the night of 30 March 1944 on a raid to Nurnberg, in Lancaster LM425. He was POW Number 3447 and interned in Stalag Luft 6 at first. I have tried to get a copy of his POW Card from the War Pensions Agency, as per your advice, by writing direct, but received a response from "Service Personnel & Veterans Agency" advising me to contact the Army Personnel Centre, MS Support Division at Glasgow. So I am a little at a loss. Many thanks for your time Ray Jeffery, 358 Coniscliffe Road, Darlington, DL3 8AG.
My father grew up in Chertsey in Surrey. He joined up in Guildford and was a private in the 5th Bn Queens Regiment. He was captured in France and ended up in Poland at Stalag 20A Thorn. I believe he was actually in a work camp in Stalag 20B at Marienburg. He did a bit of boxing in the Army I believe and he also was probably known for being a good singer and pianist when he got the chance. I would love to know what life in this particular camp was like and of course to speak to somebody who knew him would be incredibly precious so I do hope I am able to make contact with someone. My contact details are:Jackie Kimbell Email j.kimbell@talktalk.net Telephone: 0208 871 3699 See photos below;
I am looking for anyone who knew my father, Albert Leslie Kimbell, known as Tony or Tunny Kimbell. The working party photo above is dated 1943 and Tony Kimbell is front row on the right with some sort of badge on his chest. Is the badge significant?
Click on thumbnail below for High Resolution Version
Recognise anyone?
Hi, My Dad has this picture (below) taken in Munich (Stalag 7A) shortly after his arrival. He thinks most if not all were captured in Crete. The picture was taken when the commandant was away for the day. A guard produced a camera and asked who would be interested in having their photo taken and buying a picture. He says the guard was nicknamed Gangster by the prisoners and was an Arthur Daly type of character. Apparently due to his petty criminal behavior the German army didn't want him so he was made a guard in a POW camp. Dad says the POW's got paid, not very much, for manual labour but had nowhere to spend the money, so they accumulated a small amount. Gangster had seen this and decided he would like some of the money and could be bribed but the POW's would have to pay high prices, he even said he could get them a tank or battle ship if they had the money. He acquired a camera and a radio for the POW's. The radio he smuggled into the camp in parts and the wires had all been cut. A couple of the POW's, with expertise in radios, put it back together and it was installed under a floor board and operated with knitting needles. At a price Gangster could get their photo's developed and back within a week where the German personnel found it took them 1 to 2 months, something those in charge had noticed. One day an officer approached a POW and asked if he could get his photo's developed, as he was going on leave the next week and wanted them for his wife. The man denied he could do this as he was only a POW. The officer said they knew the POW's could get photo's developed fast, although not how and he would pay whatever was asked. The POW said he would ask around and see what he could do. He told his mates he didn't know if the officer was being honest or if it was a set up to find out how the POW's did it. In the end the officer got his photo's developed before he went on leave and the Germans still didn't know how it was done. Dad reckons if Gangster was still alive during the Munich Olympics he was probably selling forged tickets to the Visitors. My dad Bill (William Morrey) from Liverpool is in the front row in the middle. Tim Gaghan (Queenland Australia) front row far right. Desi (from the KRR) back row 4th from the right, between the sergeant and the man in glasses. Regards Peter Morrey
John Jay wrote in to say; “I trust you are well. My research into my late father, Rifleman Alec Jay continue via National Archives, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Historical Disclosures department of the Army Personnel Office, the QVR veterans association and various online sources. I have come across a further photo (below) that includes my father and I wondered if you might consider putting it on your site or in your newsletter along with a request to viewers/readers asking them if they can identify any of the other POWs in the photo. I think the photo was taken at Lamsdorf but it could possibly have been at the Setzdorf quarry. You might also recognize some of them yourself from your research.
I am also hunting for information about Private Sidney Norman Reed of the 1st battalion, the Kensington Regiment, who was captured at St Valery on 12th June 1940 and who ended up with my father at a punishment quarry for escapers and other troublesome POWs called Gurschdorf. Together they witnessed a war crime in October 1940 when a guard called Johann Strauss bayoneted a merchant seaman called Philo in cold blood because he would not get out of bed claiming that as a boatswain he was not required to work in working parties.”
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Photo of Stalag 8B band, via John Jay. Recognise anyone?
HISTORIANS NEWS by Philip Chinnery.
Contact details 59 Pinkwell Lane, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1PJ. Email NEXPOWA@fsmail.net
I would like to include again the details of where to find POW records; The Army Personnel Centre holds the service records for men whose service ended between 1921 and 1997. They will charge you £30 for family interest enquiries related to deceased former service personnel. These records used to be held by the War Pensions Agency which then became the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency at Norcross in Lancashire. They inherited the former German POW Record Cards and they were used to substantiate claims for war pensions. A few years ago you could write to the relevant department at Norcross and they would kindly send you a photocopy of the Record Card free of charge. Since then the records have been moved to Glasgow and the Army has realized they can make a few bob from family members, so they now charge you £30 for the details.
Army Personnel Centre, MS Support Division, Parliamentary and Disclosure Branch, Historical Disclosures, Mailpoint 555, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow G2 8EX. They will send you a Kinship form to fill out and return with their fee.
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) have lists and record cards of all WW1 and WW2 prisoners of war. They used to charge a fee and make you wait months for a response, but I now understand that the research is free of charge when it has been requested by the individual concerned or by his family. Address is ICRC, Archives Division, 19 Avenue de la Paix, CH-1202, Geneva, Switzerland.
Returning prisoners of war were required to fill out Liberation/Interrogation questionnaires on their return to England. They have now been released to the public by the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU. Tel 0208-876-3444. You will probably have to visit in person to look for the relevant record. I believe an index is not available at present.
I would appreciate some feedback from members as to how much success they have had with the various organizations and whether or not they have found what they were looking for.
Many thanks to Steven Crowhurst for the copy of his fathers ‘Wartime Memories’ covering his time with the Queen Victoria Rifles, the Battle of Calais and the years as a prisoner of war. Including details of his time in Arbeits Kommando 337 at Berent. We are always looking for material for the newsletter and for our archives. If you have not yet written your memoirs, it is never too late to start!
Sam Culpin is trying to trace any survivors of 137th Field Regiment Royal Artillery who were mostly captured in Malaya in 1942. He is hoping to find some information
about his Great Uncle who was killed as a POW and was a member of this
unit. If you can help please contact Phil Chinnery at the Historians address above.Bryan Chanel has sent in a photograph of his father-in-law Mr Stan Constable who was on the march from Stalag 20B Marienburg to the west. Stan sent the photo (overleaf) to his brother on 18th January 1944. The photograph was taken after the prisoners were issued with new uniforms and boots. Stan is second from left in the front row, sitting. If you knew Stan or recognize anyone in the photo please contact Phil Chinnery at the Historians address above.
Click on thumbnail below for High Resolution Version
NOT FORGOTTEN ASSOCIATION - NEW YORK CITY MARATHON 1st NOVEMBER.
The generosity of our members is well known and for that reason we would like to mention a fund-raising Marathon being run in New York for our fellow charity The Not Forgotten Association. Rosie Thompson will be taking part with Neil, a Royal Marines WO2 and Stu (Royal Anglians) and Yatesy (Royal Marines). Both Stu and Yatesy were seriously injured during combat operations in Afghanistan. The association has been doing good work for injured ex-servicemen and women for 90 years so please give them some support. If you would care to sponsor the runners or make a donation to a good cause, please send a cheque to The Not Forgotten Association, 2 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W ODH. Telephone 020 7730 2400 or by email www.justgiving.com/Rosie-Thompson or www.nfassociation.org Good luck to the stalwarts below!
Copyright 2009. The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association.
