WWII Memories
 

'Information for veterans and families'

Home

Family

Personal Accounts

Requests for Help

Other Information

 

Sunday, 28 August, 2011 22:58    |   Contact

 

Alan Forster's March to Freedom

The route of the Trek

The place names mentioned in the diary are the German names in use at the time and are often abbreviated or spelled incorrectly in the diary. Where known the correct versions are given in square brackets along with the name currently used (Polish or Czech according to present frontiers) but some names are either illegible, not given or as yet have not been identified. I would appreciate help in identifying these places names and to hear from others who followed this route.

Date Distance Place
19 Jan ? Dombrowo [Dabrowa Gornicza]
20 Jan 40km Beuton [i.e. Beuthen, Polish Bytom]
21 Jan 20km Gleiwitz [Gliwice]
22 Jan 20km Heidrechtstadt
23 Jan 40km ?
24 Jan 20km Guad ..f?
25 Jan 34km Neudorf [Nowa Wies]
26 Jan 15km Posnitz? (a barn off the Jugensdorf road)
27 Jan - Wechen
28 Jan 0 Rest at Wechen
29 Jan 20km To Don..er farm
30 Jan 24km ?
31 Jan ? ?
1 Feb ? ?
2 Feb 24km ?
3 Feb 25km Rabendorf [Rabov Zanikl]
4 Feb 20km Blauda
5 Feb (Total 328 km) Celleschan
6 Feb ? Nieder Hermanitz [Hor Hermanice]
7 Feb 25km Rathsdorf
8 Feb 12km Wilderschaut [Wildenschwert, Czech Usti nad Orlici]; entered Czech Protectorate.
9 Feb 0 Rest day (at Wilderschaut)
10 Feb - -
11 Feb 16km Chotzen [Chocen]
12 Feb 17km Ceberjellen
13 Feb 0 Rest day (at Ceberjellen)
14 Feb 14km (Total 432 km) Bycsta (?)
15 Feb 13km Crossed Elbe at Patowitz-an-die Elbe [i.e. Pardubitz, Czech Pardubice], stayed village 2k from Elbe & 11k from Konigsgratz.
16 Feb 0 Rest day
17 Feb 16km Leibca
18 Feb 14km Unter Gutwasser [Dobra Voida]
19 Feb 0 Rest day
20 Feb 18km Aulibitz [Ulibice]
21 Feb 35km Uber Bousow [Dol. Bousov]
22 Feb 0 Rest day
23 Feb 14km A village, Rep, by a town, Jung Bunzlau
[Mlada Boleslav]
24 Feb 29km (Total 571 km) Kropatsch Urutitz [Kropacova Vrutice]
25 Feb 0 Rest day
26 Feb 20km Tunsein
27 Feb 14km Ilosein
28 Feb 0 rest day
1 Mar 24km Dallen
2 Mar 14km (Total 643 km) Jetschin [Jesin]
3 Mar 0 Rest day
4 Mar 24km Kirchen
5 Mar 20km Peterburg? [near Saaz [Zatec], see map in diary]
6 Mar 0 Rest day
7 Mar 16km Grossfarwitz
8 Mar 20km Deutschkmeit (“turned off Karlsbad [Karlovy Vary]road at Buchau. Now heading for Marienbad [Marianske Lazne] it’s said 14 days approx to a Stalag”)
9 Mar 0 Rest day
10 Mar 0 Rest day
11 Mar 25km (Total 743 km) Neudorf by Potchau
12 Mar 0 Rest day
13 Mar ? Abaschau (4 km from Marienbad [Marianske Lazne]).
14 Mar 20km Waschengrian, 4 km from Plan [Plana] via Tachau [Tachov]
15 Mar 0 Rest day
16 Mar 26km Haid
17 Mar 17km Rosshaupt [Rozvadov]
18 Mar 0 Rest day
19 Mar 18km Moosbach, “a village 5 k off main road”
20 Mar 17km Shamenreith (“a village 3 K off the main road 7 K from Weiden”)
21 Mar 0 Rest day
22 Mar 11km (Total 877 km) Weiden (“an outlying part, we bypassed it & are in a barn about 3 K out”)
23 Mar 0 Rest day
24 Mar 0 Rest day (awaiting transport)
25 Mar ? Schwatzenfeld (by train)
26 Mar ? Nieder Fraubling (outside Regensburg)
27 Mar to 22 April Nieder Fraubling
23 Apr 30km Tiefenbau
25 Apr ? Village, name left blank
26 Apr 0 Remain here until...
30 Apr  “I shall remember this anniversary all the rest of my life for this morning the Americans arrived to free us.”
1 May ? Rottenburg, then to isolated farm
2 May ? Regensburg
11 May  Landed in England!


Please be aware that information and images on this page are © Bill Forster. Please do not reproduce or download any information or images without first seeking permission from the contributor.
 

 

Copyright wwiimemories.com. All Rights Reserved.