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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: JeannieTel on Friday 31 July 09 09:03 BST (UK)
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I would appreciate any guidance regarding POW repatriation logs. My grandfather RSM William Thornborough was a prisoner of war, I think in Stalag XX-A in western Poland. He was definitely in one of the camps with Airey Neave but I am pretty sure it was not Colditz. Can anyone please direct me to where I could find any information?
kind regards
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Airey Middleton Neave was held for a relatively short period at Stalag XX-A from Feburary 1941 to the April '41 when, with Norman Forbes, he escaped. Re-captured by the German's as they headed for the Russian held lines near Itow in Poland, Neave and Forbes were returned to Stalag XX-A and were then moved to Oflag - 1V - C otherwise known as Colditz in the May of '41. If you are interested you can find out more about Neave's escapes in his book "They have their exits" which you should still be able to obtain from your local library. The book may not mention William but it may give you an idea of what it was like for him at Stalag XX-A.
old rowley
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1981723 ( this number was issue out to the R.E.) P.S.M. W.Thornborough. Gn.How. PoW Number 13174. PoW Camp 383 (Hohen Fels).
If you look at the link it will show you a map, Hohenfels is in B3:
http://./forum/index.php?topic=1002.0
This link will give you some info on how to find info on PoWs at the NA, Kew:
http://./forum/index.php?topic=1118.0
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How fabulous! thank you very much indeed. I am amazed at the speed of your responses. My grandfather was mentioned in Airey Neave's book apparently although I havnt read it myself.
I will check out the references to Hohenfels. thank you again.
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"My grandfather was mentioned in Airey Neave's book apparently....." and most certainly he is. He is mentioned on page 35 twice and on page 36 once. Neave describes him as "....Company Sergeant-Major Thornborough of the Green Howards, clean uniform and shinning boots...." and "........under the command of the genial Sergeant-Major Thornborough all was order, smartness and light..."
A book well worth getting even if only to read and re-read the pages that has your grandfather mentioned on.
Old Rowley
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a few words quoted by someone I have never met from a book I have never read - and I am in tears!! thank you so much Old Rowley, I am soooo buying that book! I have read and re-read those few words in your email a dozen times already! This was the Grandad I knew - his shoes were always polished to a mirror-shine (and therefore so were ours) and he wouldnt stand any nonsense even from us little girls looking up at him in awe and wonder.......
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Rootschat working at its best....
Well done lads...
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There is a saying "That information Shared is information never lost"
Savannah Publications have recently re-published Prisoners Of War. Naval and Air Forces of Great Britain and the Empire 1939 - 1945. This has been out of print for quite some time and almost impossible to find second hand.
All three original Volumes are now available.
These are printed from the original Files at T.N.A. WO392/11 to WO392/19 which gives P.O.W. Lists as of 1945.
The lists as they stood in 1944 start at WO392/1 to WO392/10
The same series also gives lists of P.O.W. Italy as of 1943.
These seem never to have been Published commercially.
The Best lists of P.O.W. Japan come from the same series- WO392/23 - WO392/26.
These four Files contain lists as of 1945 and include the Last Camp where held, date of capture and date of demise if died in captivity.
All the information required to find a P.O.W. are in these sources. Sometimes a Local Library will have, or be able to obtain the Printed Volumes if it is not convenient to visit Kew.
There are no such catalogues of Escapers and Evaders although the 1939 - 1945 Reports are Filed by year.
Those who Escaped into Switzerland from Italy Post Armistace are Catalogued Alphabetically which makes finding a Report much easier.
Perhaps you know that someone did Escape and no Report seems to be available. If this is the case it is always worth looking in the Liberation Reports in WO344 which are Listed Alphabetically as some Escapers appear to classed as being Liberated.
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Hi,
My grandfather was RSM William Thornborough who was in stalag - 3 during WWII. My mother had the book which spoke of him. He was married to a Jessie Thornborough nee Slater before being missing presumed dead during wwII. I understand he was captured at dunkirk. After returning from the war he and my grandmother separated as she had remarried as he was presumed dead.
To my knowledge he had 3 surviving children, Barbara, Geoff and Peter.
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Hi,
My grandfather was RSM William Thornborough who was in stalag - 3 during WWII. My mother had the book which spoke of him. He was married to a Jessie Thornborough nee Slater before being missing presumed dead during wwII. I understand he was captured at dunkirk. After returning from the war he and my grandmother separated as she had remarried as he was presumed dead.
To my knowledge he had 3 surviving children, Barbara, Geoff and Peter.
Unfortunately there were many sad stories like yours
Your Grandfather P.S.M. Thornborough 1981723 Green Howards was a prisoner in Stalag 383 Hohen Fels. P.O.W. No.13174
What I would do if you haven't already got it is to apply for his Service Record. You will find an application form on the Veterans Agency Web Site.
Firstly though you have to be Next Of Kin or have N.O.Ks written permission.
Good Luck
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Hi
Thank you for that information, although I was more interested in contacting the first post, 'Jeannie Tel' as it appears we may well be related. It is likely my grandfather went on to remarry and have children of which I am unaware. That being the case Jeannie and I would be half cousins...I think
My parents moved to Australia in the mid 60's and other than some work trips to the UK my exposure to extended family has been limited
My uncles kept in touch with their father over the years but never mentioned any other family. If you are out there Jeannie please contact me.
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Hi MBarlow,
A belated warm welcome to rootschat.
If you type on Jeannie Tel,s name you will be able to send her a personnel message.
Good luck,
Billy.
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Hi, I to am trying to get information on a WW2 POW, John Charles Watling,b 1914 & d 1969 @ South Shields. Family hearsay is he was in the TA in 1938 & volunteered 1939 & was in the Royal Artillery, & badly wounded @ Dunkirk with the BEF,captured & operated on by German Surgeon for removal of a lung & POW in Stalag 8b & repatriated to the UK in c1943-1944.As he is my late Brother in Law, i can't get permission to get his Army Records, And i don't have his Army No or POW No? Any ideas or advice how to get information on him, would be appreciated.Jeff
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Hello
If anyone has time could they check whether this officer was interviewed following his 'liberation' from POW camp in Germany. He was captured during Operation Market Garden.
Many thanks
Asher
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Hi, I to am trying to get information on a WW2 POW, John Charles Watling,b 1914 & d 1969 @ South Shields. Family hearsay is he was in the TA in 1938 & volunteered 1939 & was in the Royal Artillery, & badly wounded @ Dunkirk with the BEF,captured & operated on by German Surgeon for removal of a lung & POW in Stalag 8b & repatriated to the UK in c1943-1944.As he is my late Brother in Law, i can't get permission to get his Army Records, And i don't have his Army No or POW No? Any ideas or advice how to get information on him, would be appreciated.Jeff
Hi Jeff ,
a warm welcome to rootschat.
I typed into Google 'stalag 8b and up came several websites
one of them is
www.lamsdorf.webs.com
good luck,
Billy.
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Hi Billy, thank you for responding & i have tried the Lansdorf museum & web page you suggested, unfortunatley no luck there, As John was repatriated before the War ended, details are hard to find, but i will keep searching, Regards,Jeff
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Hi Billy, thank you for responding & i have tried the Lansdorf museum & web page you suggested, unfortunatley no luck there, As John was repatriated before the War ended, details are hard to find, but i will keep searching, Regards,Jeff
I have been able to locate lists of repatriated Canadians through the Canadian newspapers of the time.
Perhaps his name appears in the UK papers of the time?
DTD
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Thanks DTD, i never thought of that connection! will check it out, Cheers,Jeff
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I've noticed a couple of posts saying you can't get service records unless you are next of kin. Sometimes you can. For deceased service personnel, provided they died at least 25 years ago you can get the full record, but minimal details only if they have been dead for a shorter time. There is a different form to fill in, but it's clearly labelled as "general enquiry" rather than "next-of-kin" enquiry on the records website. I've done it and it works.
Hope this helps someone.
Since I'm here, I don't suppose anyone remembers anything about two Royal Welch Fusiliers captured at St Venant in May 1940 and taken to Stalag XXA? They were John Hugh Edwards and Llewelyn Lewis, cousins from Merionethshire. Both were Welsh speaking, and Llewelyn Lewis wrote poetry in Welsh in the camp. He died in Stalag XXA in September 1941.
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Hi Lyn E57
Welcome to rootschat.
Thanks for the info on war records i will give it a go.
I have just typed Stalag xxa into Google and a heap of websites appeared,
one is
www.wartimememories.co.uk/pow/stalag20a-2.html.
good luck,Billy.
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Regarding Service Records, these are available from Kentigern House, Glasgow, Next of kin charge is £30 & a few years ago, i waited over 1 year for my late Dad's, But we have just applied for my late Brother in Laws & been notifed it could take approx 6 months wait now.
Re, WW2, POW's, we applied to the ICRed Cross @ Geneva, {they have a website} & filled in the online form with what we knew about my Br in Law & they replied, because my Wife was seeking info on her Brother, the search was free, & they told us it could be a long wait! We got a letter back within 1 week, with his POW info & where he was captured, treated, Stalag Camps & when he was repatriated. Well worth a try & no charge, but i felt a small donation to them very worthy. Mixerman
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Glasgow are slow aren't they. And I do agree about the Red Cross. Apart from their work now I'm sure my father and others would have starved at the rate the Russian prisoners did without them.
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Regarding Service Records, these are available from Kentigern House, Glasgow, Next of kin charge is £30 & a few years ago, i waited over 1 year for my late Dad's, But we have just applied for my late Brother in Laws & been notifed it could take approx 6 months wait now.
Re, WW2, POW's, we applied to the ICRed Cross @ Geneva, {they have a website} & filled in the online form with what we knew about my Br in Law & they replied, because my Wife was seeking info on her Brother, the search was free, & they told us it could be a long wait! We got a letter back within 1 week, with his POW info & where he was captured, treated, Stalag Camps & when he was repatriated. Well worth a try & no charge, but i felt a small donation to them very worthy. Mixerman
The website is www.icrc.org
cheers,Billy.