The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association
Winter 2008 Newsletter
WINTER 2008 NEWSLETTER
ASSOCIATION NEWS by Les Allan, President
Contact details; 99 Parlaunt Road, Langley, Berkshire SL3 8BE.
Tel/Fax 01753-818308.
Well another year has come to an end and what a year it was. Apart from a brief spell in hospital – and thank you all for your cards and good wishes, I have been on my travels up and down the country, over to Belgium for our Annual Pilgrimage and down to Hayling Island for the Annual Reunion. I would like to thank you, the members, for supporting our Association as well as the committee who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Thanks also to the REME for joining us in Belgium and to Richard and his staff at Vario Press for their help with the publication of this newsletter. May I wish you all good luck and good health in 2009. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all! Les.
Front cover photo shows from left to right Doris and Les Allan, Betty Hershel and the ladies of the North East branch at the Annual Reunion at Hayling Island.
OBITUARIES. We regret to report that our former RAMC POW member Graham King passed away in Torquay on 18th September at 89 years. For many years Graham was our Public Relations Officer and fought tirelessly for the back pay owed to the protected personnel who were kept in Germany contrary to the Geneva Convention.
Frederick (Fred) Charles Dillnutt passed away in Rainham, Essex and his funeral service took place on Wednesday 8th October. Fred was RAFA 77 Squadron and a former resident of Stalag 4B.
Mrs Margaret Hatchett tells us that her husband Ted passed away on 7th October. He is part of the group in the photo below, but unfortunately we do not know where. Taken at Stalag 18A arbeits commando A10030/GW.
Mr John T Lees of Sutton Coldfield passed away on 29th April. He was a former Far East Prisoner of war.
Mr Charles William Worth was a former prisoner of war and, although not a member of the Association he kindly left a generous amount to us in his Will. After deliberation it was decided to use this to allow us to refund the cost of attending the reunion to the members. Charles, as well as the other former prisoners of war who have passed away this year, will not be forgotten.
John Fancy, left, a captured RAF navigator nicknamed ‘the mole’ died recently aged 95 years. He earned his nickname because of his 16 escape attempts. He employed various means of escape from tunnelling, absconding from outside working parties, cutting through the camps perimeter wire and jumping from moving trains. He was involved in digging eight tunnels and escaped through three of them. His principal digging tool was a steel table knife, issued to him by the Germans. He later estimated that he had tunnelled some 1,000 feet with the knife, which remained a prized possession for the rest of his life. On his final escape he reached the Baltic coast with two companions, where they stole a boat and were well out to sea when they were recaptured. During his five years as a prisoner he spent a total of 34 weeks in solitary confinement.
NEW MEMBERS. We would like to welcome Charles Waite of 2/7th Queens Royal Regiment and a former resident of Stalag XXB.
Photo above, new member Charles Waite taken by Allan Jones.
The photograph shows Charles holding two items, the one is obviously his German issue POW tag. The other is a leather belt which he acquired from another POW probably in 1942. He doesn't recall the name of that prisoner but you can see he had made the belt by fashioning the tops of army boots as the soles wore out. Charles said he gave some cigarettes for the belt. He wore it on the Death March and explained it must have been in use because everything of no use was thrown away. You can still see that for most of it's wear Charles had a waist measurement of 26 inches, that is clear evidence of malnourishment.
DONATIONS. We would like to thank the following for their kind donations to the welfare fund; Col D H Bristow £5, B R D Jones £5, F Stapleton £20, V J W Smith £10, E Skipper £5, W E Speak £5, R N Clark £30, S R Baker £45, G Kent £5, B Warren £10, Miss B J Watson £30, W Crighton £15, R Dowding £5, Tom Burling £100, P A F Liddle £5, Adrian Gilbert £100, S Miskimmin £15, V Welborn £15, L Turner £10, G Moor £20, B E M Raworth £25, G Robb £35, Ms G Hatch £5, F Turner £10, Georgine Whiting £60, J Essom £20, Janet Gosling £15, John Banfield £20, J P Jeffries £10, Harry Gleddon Jr, £5, Sid Seal £80 from framed pictures of the Arboretum that he kindly donated, Charles Waite £10. Special thanks to the Welsh Branch for their kind donation of £100.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL. The annual subscription is due on 1st January, and as in previous years we have kept it at £5 for former prisoners of war living in the UK, or £10 if living overseas. Associate membership is open to family and friends and other interested parties at £10 per year. In the past we have given members the benefit of the doubt if the renewal does not reach us before the spring newsletter goes out, but occasionally a member may not renew and sending out these ‘gratis’ copies is costing us money that we can use elsewhere. To avoid this in future, if any membership fees do not arrive by the end of February the members details will be removed from our mailing list. Anyone joining or renewing their membership after the end of February will receive the appropriate back issues of the newsletter. To make sure that you receive your newsletters for 2009 please send your subs in to Les Allan, at the address shown on the first page.
REUNION UPDATE. The annual reunion was once again held at Lakeside, Hayling Island in October. This year we had 120 members attend and the Evacuee Association held their reunion at the same time. This year the Parade was led by the band of T.S. Jaguar High Wycombe who really did us proud, a big thank you to Nick and the band for their support.
Unfortunately Mr Eric Reeves (our Chairman and Parade Marshal) was not able to attend this year as his wife May was ill in hospital, though we are glad to report she is improving daily. Mr Peter Rolt (Slough branch) stepped into the breach at the 11th hour to take over as Parade Marshal and did a brilliant job. The Parade was well attended by members from both our Association and the Evacuee Association and the rain held off for the whole of the parade. The raffle was once again well supported and we made a clear profit of just over £500.00 thanks to every one who purchased tickets and also donated prizes. Next year the reunion will once again be held at Lakeside but it might have to be held a week later (Oct 9th – Oct 12th 2009) due to a problem at Warner’s. Booking forms will be available from January 2009 and the date will be confirmed by then. For booking forms please phone Freda Moores on 01628 473832. Look forward to seeing you all again next year.
BENCH DEDICATION. On Easter Sunday (March 23rd 2008) a service was held at the Arboretum for the dedication of a bench presented by Slough branch. Members of both Headquarters and Slough branch travelled by coach to participate in the dedication. The Revd. Cathy Smith officiated and Mr Eric Reeves was Parade Marshal. After the service the band from T.S.Jaguar High Wycombe fronted the parade of standards led by Mr Peter Rolt carrying the Union Flag. There were around fourteen standards including two carried by County standard bearers. Though the day was very cold and windy the dedication was well attended. I have heard since that many people who have gone to view our memorial gates have used the bench. A big vote of thanks must go to the Committee and members of Slough branch who were generous enough to make this donation.
Photo above, from left to right Peter Rolt, Peter Constable, Secretary of Slough Branch, George Purton, Vic Bartlett with Slough Branch Standard. Photograph by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Bartlett.
Photo above; on parade at Koxyde in Belgium, from left to right Eric Reeves, Carla with Belgian Standard, Peter Rolt, Gary Moores, Vic Bartlett, Les Allan.
Photo above; prior to the start of the memorial service, serving members of 2nd Bn REME and the Royal Logistic Corps Stand Easy. Standard bearers from the Belgian veterans organisations wait in the background.
Photo above; the Standards are lowered while The Fallen are remembered.
Les Allan and 2nd Lieutenant Paul Issit REME relax after the service.
The Old Soldiers (and their better half’s) meet up in a local hostelry to exchange war stories with Young Soldiers Private Swift, L/Cpl Nhamoinesu, Sgt McMutrie (event organiser), Cpl Bott, Cfn Billington, Sgt McArthur and Sgt Reece.
HISTORIANS NEWS by Phil Chinnery.
Contact details – 59 Pinkwell Lane, Hayes, Middesex UB3 1PJ. Email NEXPOWA@fsmail.net
GERMAN PRISONER OF WAR RECORD CARDS. For the benefit of new readers we will explain where the original German POW record cards can be found. Captured at the end of the war they were given to the War Pensions Agency which then became the Veterans Agency. When we discovered this a few years ago the kind folks at the VA were willing to provide photocopies of these cards for former prisoners or family members. More recently the VA has become the SPVA – Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, following its merger with the Armed Force Personnel Administration Agency.
The new Agency will provide for the first time, a range of 'through life' support functions direct to around 900,000 serving and ex-Service personnel. The key contact information is phone number 0800 169 2277 Freephone or 0800 169 3458 Textphone. Email: veterans.help@spva.gsi.gov.uk. Website: www.veterans-uk.info
The bad news is that the SPVA will no longer provide photocopies of these cards. If you want them you will have to apply to the MOD for a copy of the persons service record which will then include his POW record card (which the MOD will obtain from the SPVA). There will be a wait of a few weeks and your pocket will be lighter by about thirty quid. Now that’s progress. If you wish to do this you need to apply to - Army Personnel Centre, MS Support Division, Parliamentary and Disclosures Branch, Historical Disclosures, Mail Point 555, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow G2 8EX. Tel 0141-224-2670. Main switchboard 0141-224-3303. Please let us know how you get on.
OBERMASSFELD/STALAG 9C BAD SULZA.
Bert Martin has recently read some reports written by the Swiss Red Cross on Obermassfeld hospital in 1942 as well as some on Stalag 9C Bad Sulza from 1944. He was a medic at Obermassfeld and has sent in his comments on the reports; “Those relating to Stalag 9C referred to the headquarters camp for the 9C area and make harrowing reading. They had taken in many of those on the wretched marches west in the depths of winter at the back end of 1944 into 1945. At Obermassfeld we were inundated with American airmen and survivors from the Battle of the Bulge, many of whom suffered severe frost bite, losing both feet and requiring sustained and fairly intensive caring. Most were still patients until liberation, so any transfers from Bad Sulza, even had transport been a possibility which was unlikely by then, was impracticable.
“The 1942 reports show a distinct lack of appreciation for the true position in the Lazaret. The Senior British Officer named was a relatively elderly officer patient whom I never recall even having seen on any of the wards where I worked apart from a brief spell in the room where he was a patient. I spent one month isolated there with the officers when a colleague went sick with a suspected contagion and we were treated almost as lepers. In the midst of it I had a young Canadian Spitfire pilot who had had one leg destroyed by a cannon shell and the rest of his side peppered with splinters. He required much of my time whilst some tried to use me as a batman. The Colonel did not intervene though I found him a very gentle and considerate man himself. That was an unforgettable experience and when relieved from my double imprisonment I was replaced by five men including a Staff Sergeant. I was a lone private! I went straight back onto another ward without respite. There was no where to go….
“In my memory I cannot recall the name of any ChefArtz (Head German Doctor) except Falke who reigned supreme in the place for far too long. None of them apart from one who was a temporary substitute, ever to my knowledge took an active interest in the treatment of any patient, though they were involved in the decisions about those deemed unfit for further military service and thus qualified for repatriation. None took place until 1943. Most seemed to take their position more as Gaoler than Medical Officer and Falke most positively so, later backed up by a team of perfect English speaking Abwehr (Military Police) personnel as the British and American Air Force numbers increased amongst the casualties. That amounted to an atmosphere of oppression which had to be ridden with resilience and assumed indifference by us all, though hardly pertained in 1942.
“Reference to the bathing and washing facilities are certainly inaccurate and seem to relate to our medical officers conditions. For those able to use the given ablutions at the end of the big stations (wards) there was cold running water. Well on into the place being set up, showers were made available down very steep and narrow concrete steps to a cheerless basement room with crude lines of piping holed to give a spray. Quite impossible for any disabled person to use – they had only a wash down with cold water. Hardly adequate for sick men. The toilets were a real benefit, being proper flush systems when water was freely available, but devoid of any privacy. Our doctors had two full sized baths with hot water fed from the adjacent molkeri and probably a limited number of wash basins.
“The ‘nurses’ referred were, it eventually was established, civilian internees who had been captured whilst running a mobile canteen serving the French Army. For most of us working in the place the two older ladies were non-entities, but the young one, Cynthia Elliot was acclaimed for doing a useful job in the operating room and showed up at the entertainments when they flourished for a while in the Village Hall across the road, but died when most of the active performers were repatriated and the hall burned down in a dramatic fire. Cynthia became looked upon rather like ‘one of the lads’ in submitting herself to the raucous type of all male skits and actions. All three of them went back to an internment camp and were repatriated in 1943. Cynthia married Lord Hore-Belisha after returning home and her story a little lauded in consequence.
“Laundry was not changed monthly. It was every six weeks and there was absolutely no provision for accidental soiling in between times; often it had to be rinsed through in the river race at the rear of the building and dried however it was found possible.
“The role of Major Chapel during his time in the building was, in my view, nondescript. He would occasionally appear to flit in and out of a ward, but did not involve himself, as far as I ever saw in treatments on the wards or in surgery. He and the Patient Officer were repatriated in 1943 and neither was missed at ground level.”
Photo above; patients including amputees at Stalag 9C.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
If you can assist with information please contact the advertiser direct or via Phil Chinnery, address in Historians section.
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I am the founder of a committee that has been doing a lot of research into the planes that crashed in our area of the Netherlands. See our website (www.broken-wings.nl). On 22nd June 1944, an aircraft from 50 Squadron, RAF Skellingthorpe (target was Gelsenkirchen) was shot down at 02.20am. The serial number was LL 840. The crew were: |
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S/L T.B.Cole. Taken prisoner and interned in Stalag Luft III. |
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F/S Kenneth H.C.Ingram. Flight engineer, initially evaded, but fell into the hands of |
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the Gestapo and was shot on the 2nd of October 1944. He is buried in Apeldoorn |
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(Ugchelen-Heidehof) General Cemetery. |
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F/O J.Craven. Evaded capture. |
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F/S A.G.Beresford. Taken prisoner. |
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P/O E.J.Blakemore. Evaded capture. |
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W/O J.F.Lane. second Wireless Operator was killed |
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Sgt Frederick Henry Shorter, air gunner was killed and is buried at Epe. |
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Sgt D.Copson. Was killed and is buried at Epe. |
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Sgt Paul (P.F.J.) Hayes, POW, Stalag Luft 7. |
The story of this plane is now being investigated by two local residents of the town Oene, the place where it came down. The intention is to unveil a memorial next year. If the POWs are still alive we would like to invite them over. Or maybe their next-of-kin? Could you perhaps help us find them? Yours sincerely, Karel Schuurman. [If anyone can help please contact Phil Chinnery, Newsletter Editor.]
I am sorry to bother you but I hope you can help me with this
query. I have recently obtained my Great Uncle's WW2 records. Edward
Richard Bennett (signed up in Birmingham) was a Gunner in the Royal
Artillery 13th Anti-tank Regiment Army number 938982. On
31/8/1942 is reported missing believed to be POW W.D Egypt. It then
says
card from soldier to NOK and says POW in Italian hands in Camp 154 P.M
220 and that he was captured in the zone of El Alamein. He later
reverts back to missing (no date given). It is added later that he is
presumed dead while a POW between 31/10/42 and 14/11/42. At the moment I
cannot find mention of the 13th Anti-tank in Egypt at that
time and certainly no reference to this 'camp'. I would be very grateful
if you could help me to find out which camp he might have been in. Best
wishes Karen Ricci.
[If anyone can help please contact Phil Chinnery, Newsletter
Editor.]
Munster POW Camp Germany 1918. Photo above includes Pte Harry Gleddon, fourth from left in bottom row. Originally with the 7th Hussars but transferred to RAMC.
Copyright 2008. The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association.
