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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: 1lucybella2 on Monday 19 September 11 15:39 BST (UK)
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Please can anyone help me?!
I'm researching the sad WW2 experience of my Nana's first husband Sam Pickering. He was a Guardsman (2617207) in the Grenadier Guards (Foot Guards) and he went missing at Anzio sometime in 1942. He was captured as a POW and on the UK British Army Prisoner lists went to Stalag Viiic at Konin Zaganski in Poland (POW 86654). He died on 22nd March 1945 and I heard something about him going on a 'Death March' westwards as so many did towards the end of the war and liberation of camps.
I'm quite confused as I read on the camp's museum website that the Konin Zaganski camp was used primarily for Polish POWs and was 'broken' in 1940 and prisoners transferred to Stalag VIIIA in Zgorzelec or to Stalag VIIIC in Zagan. (www.muzeum.eline2.serwery.pl/index.php?id=21&lng=eng). Can anyone please shed light on this as Stalag ViiiC at KZ clearly was being used as an allied POW camp throughout the war.
I believe there was a death march from Stalag Viiic Zagan from 8th Feb-10th Mar 1945 to Stalag XIB but Viiic Konin Zaganski may have been different.
If anyone has any links/info specifically relating to a Death March from Konin Zaganski on/after which he may have died I'd love to hear from you on here or by private message as any help would be gratefully received. Also anything about the Guards leading up to and during Anzio - I want to piece together his experiences but not sure where to start!
Thanks!
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I have had a browse through The National Archives War Crimes files and if looking myself would start at WO 311/1095.
Brian
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Thanks Brian. This could be really useful (if rather harrowing) reading.
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I am afraid that many files in this series make very harrowing reading, as with other war crimes series of files. More so when you read about a relative.
Thanks Brian. This could be really useful (if rather harrowing) reading.
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Dear Lucy and Brian,
I am also interested in Konin Zaganski and what I assume was another camp in the complex Kunau Kz Sprottau/Sagan. I am researching a man who I believe was imprisoned there. I think he survived (so assume took part in the death march) but was very damaged by the experience and never made contact with his family in Kent again after the war.
I have looked at the camp website and have also ordered the records you mention from the NA. Are there any general histories of the camp that I can read?
Do you know generally how British POWs came to be at Zagan?
Do you know where I can find the prisoner records. Ancestry and Find My Past indicate that the 'Exeter Infantry Record Office' hold them but I can find no record of this office anywhere.
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.
Best wishes, Naomi Leon
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What was the mans name Naomi. Send it by P.M. if you don't want to post it.
WO 224/28 Holds reports on inspections made by the I.C.R.C. on St. 8C from 1942 to 1945 and should give information regarding any sub-camps attached.
Brian
Dear Lucy and Brian,
I am also interested in Konin Zaganski and what I assume was another camp in the complex Kunau Kz Sprottau/Sagan. I am researching a man who I believe was imprisoned there. I think he survived (so assume took part in the death march) but was very damaged by the experience and never made contact with his family in Kent again after the war.
I have looked at the camp website and have also ordered the records you mention from the NA. Are there any general histories of the camp that I can read?
Do you know generally how British POWs came to be at Zagan?
Do you know where I can find the prisoner records. Ancestry and Find My Past indicate that the 'Exeter Infantry Record Office' hold them but I can find no record of this office anywhere.
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.
Best wishes, Naomi Leon
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Thanks Brian. The man's name was Howard Sloane and if I am right, he was born in Gravesend in May 1924. He is listed as a private in the Welch Regiment.
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Thanks Brian. The man's name was Howard Sloane and if I am right, he was born in Gravesend in May 1924. He is listed as a private in the Welch Regiment.
I haven't done those with the letter S yet but will be at Kew next week and will look at WO 344/291/1.
I have to tell you that there is a higher percentage of Airforce POW than those from the Army that made a report when Liberated.
He may have been made a prisoner in Libya as there were quite a lot from the Regiment taken around January 1942.
He is listed as a POW in P.G. 35 Italy.
Brian
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Checked File today Naomi and unfortunately there was none.
I did give it a good browse in case it had been mis-filed.
Brian
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Dear Brian
Thank you for looking - it's incredibly kind of you to take the time.
Very best wishes,
Naomi
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Dear all,
I have just found out that my late uncle was held at Konin Zaganski, Poland. I have an original army letter confirming that he was reported missing in 1944 and presumed dead but was actually a POW at this camp. My understanding from my late mother was that he suffered dreadful beatings and was starved as were all inmates. He never spoke about the experience there when he came home - they had no idea what had happened to him until his aunt recognised the signs of trauma he was displaying (having seen her own husband survive WWI) and she encouraged him to talk. I believe he was on the death march but cannot verify this now as there is nobody in the family left to confirm this but I do know that one of the duties he had to perform was to clear the gas chambers. My understanding from my mother is that the liberation of the camp was shown on a BBC newsreel in the cinema in 1945 as my mother saw her brother at the gates as the allies opened them and ran home to tell her mother that her brother was still alive. I would love to see the footage if this still survives.
This may not be of any help or interest to any of you but having seen the group chat I thought I might as well pass this on just incase as there is nobody else I know of who could use this information now and he never had a family of his own. I am however, interested in any details anyone is able to share particularly around liberation of the camp as my uncle obviously did come home to the family but I know his mental and physical health suffered as a consequence of such an appalling experience.
Lisa
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Thanks Brian. The man's name was Howard Sloane and if I am right, he was born in Gravesend in May 1924. He is listed as a private in the Welch Regiment.
Hi Naomi,
I've been researching a cousin of mine who was also in the Welsh Regt and imprisoned at STALAG VIII-C.
My cousin was Francis (Frank) Lee. He was a casualty reinforcement into the Welsh Regt having initially served with the King's Regt, going ashore on Sword Beach on D-Day. He was captured at s'Hertogenbosch, Holland, in October 1944.
Happy to share discoveries if you're interested.
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Much of the information on the camp plus what it looks like today. Google the address below
Stalag Viiic at Konin Zaganski