Monday, 23 November, 2009 17:07    |   Contact

Requests for Help - C

Select the letter of the alphabet from the list below to view requests for help concerning that surname, location or camp.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Numerics

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Frank Crockford

Can you help with further information on Frank?  He was a driver with 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Queen Victorias Rifles (QVR) stationed at Whitbread Hop Farm, Beltring, Paddock Wood, Kent from September 1939 - May 1940.  He was a friend of my father, Lewis Edwards, and I would like to find out what happened to him and the other men who were stationed there.

Johnny Johnson (RPs), Jack Smith (Signals) and Ron Harwood (Signals)

Below is a picture of them all (click to enlarge).

Back Row (L-R) Johnny Johnson (RPs), Jack Smith (Signals), Frank Crockford (Driver) Front Row (L-R) Ron Harwood (Signals), Dad: Lewis Edwards (Signals) 'B' Company - 1st Bn QVR Whitbread Hop Farm, Beltring, Paddock Wood, Kent September 1939 - May 1940

I have heard from Frank's grand-daughter (Clare Fay) and her father is compiling some information for me.  As soon as I have it, I will put it up on the site.  I am really looking forward to reading it and seeing the photographs that John has from his father. 

Clare wrote:

"Amazingly I was searching through the internet for any information on my family's surname Crockford, when I found your website looking for information on my grandad, Frank Crockford.

Sadly my grandad passed away in 1987, however my dad (his son John Crockford) and his wife Phyllis are still alive, greeted this news with some excitement. Both my nan and Dad remember your father and offered me loads of memories. I have printed all of the info off for my dad to read and he will be getting back to you. He also has many photos from the war including some of Lew as well as some of the ones you have.

We will be in touch very soon, however in the meantime you have my address."

If you can help with any information, please contact Clare

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Ernest Clark

This is a tricky one as I have no information on Ernest at all.  Elliott Farrell is trying to find out about him and would like to know if he was a PoW, what batallion he served with and whether he is still alive.  If you know anything about Ernest, please contact me.

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Frank Curtis

Ria (sig.) is looking for information on an uncle - Australian Pte Frank Curtis who died 6/9/43 while a PoW at Stalag XXA.

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Carleton York Regiment

David's uncle, Derek Symonds, lives in Albany Road, Hersham. David's mother, his sister, married a Canadian soldier, Andrew Bryam, his father. David is interested in finding out any information on the Carleton York Regiment. His mother came from Cobham, Surrey. Her father was Walter Symonds and her mother's name was Lily Overton. David would like very much to get in contact with Derek. He has been working on his family tree for 10 years and has hit a brick wall. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact David if you can help.

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Boyd Crawford

Robin Love is looking for his grandfather, Boyd Crawford. Robin doesn't know if he is alive or dead.

Please contact Robin if you have any information.

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Alexander Carnochan

Alexander Carnochan was with Black Watch and believed captured in 1941 or 1942.

He may have been employed in a mine in Poland after his capture.

If you can help, please email.

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John Cabbin

Tricia is looking for information on her father, Lance Corporal John Cabbin (10576216). He was in the Lancashire Kings, she believes, and he landed at Normandy. Tricia has a medal to say he was at Normandy.

John died in 1998.

If you can help at all, please contact Tricia

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Veldon T. Clem

Rebecca's father, Veldon T. Clem, is a World War II vetaran that never received his Purple Heart. Veldon's Army Service Number was 37244934 and he was a Sergeant HQ Co 2nd BN 376th INF 94th Div. He has received all his metals bar the Purple Heart and Recebba has been told there are no records available.

Rebecca was wondering if anyone could be of help in finding the records that would show where he was wounded. So far she hasn't been able to find any.

Her father was in Germany when he was wounded. He thought the name of the town was Burg but didn't remember for sure. It is also assumed it was in 1943 or 1944, possibly winter as Veldon remember's it being cold.

From the time he was wounded until he woke up in the hospital in Wales, he doesn't remember anything or how he got there.

As a little background, Veldon was born and still lives in Harris, Missouri.

Veldon remembers the details of a few of the men he was with (apologies if spellings incorrect):

Captain Whitman - Company Commander
Colonel Martin - Regiment Leader (from Georgia)
Major Brittiman
Lieutenant Kelly (in charge of the motor pool)
Lieutenant Star (English nurse - who also helped Veldon get some photographs developed)

The ship he went over on was the Queen Elizabeth but they did not have an escort.

If you can help, please contact Rebecca

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Canadian Black Watch, 1940s

Julie is looking for a man who served in the Canadian Black Watch in the 1940's.

He was either on leave or stationed in Brighton, England in 1942.

Julie would like to hear from anyone who may have a list of people who served in the Black Watch during those years or anyone who met a lady called Dora.

If you can help, please contact Julie

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Harry Charlton

Deb is trying to find any information on Harry Charlton. She believes he was in the Royal Fusiliers as a Corporal. In 1941 he married a Mary Goodall.

If anyone has any information or remembers him, please email Deb

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Thomas Cunningham

Lana is looking for information on her uncle, Thomas Cunningham, who was born in Northern Ireland in 1916/17. When he was in his 20s he joined the Irish Guards in England, was drafted abroad on the outbreak of war, and took part in the early fighting in Libya.

After Tobruk, where he was captured, he and his fellow captives were taken to Italy to a concentration camp (Lana doesn't know the name of the camp), from where he escaped across the country and climbed the Alps to safety. He spent some time in hospital in Zurich.

If anyone has any information or remembers him, please email Lana

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William H. Campbell

Jeanne is trying to find anybody who may have known 2nd Lt. Bernard Froehlich. He died from injuries when a test flight crashed on 27th August 1943 in Aspull, Wigan.

The pilot died in another crash in 1945 and she is especially looking for the 2nd Lt. Co-pilot William H. Campbell who's whereaouts is unknown.

Bernard was Jeanne's 1/2 sister's biological father and she has always wanted to know more about him. She is very ill and at 61 already living in a nursing home. Jeanne will be going to visit her in a couple of months and wanted to surprise her with anything on her father's history - she doesn't even know Jeanne has found out his first name yet!!

If anyone has any information on either Bernard or William, please email Jeanne

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Malcolm Cuthbertson

Sandra is looking for anyone who knew her father, Private Malcolm Cuthbertson, Army Number 3770561.

Malcolm died a couple of years ago and never spoke about his wartime experiences but Sandra has just found out that he took part in the Battle of Arnhem with the 4th Dorsets and was then taken as a PoW, on or around 25th September 1944, to Stalag XIIA. Previous to being in the 4th Dorsets, he was with the King's Regiment, Liverpool in Gibraltar.

Here is Malcolm's Army record:

Enlisted The King’s Regiment Liverpool: 26th February 1936 at Seaforth Barracks
Served:
UK 26.2.36 to 1.3.38
4.3.36: Posted Unit D
10.3.36: Posted Unit 2
Gibraltar: 2.3.38 to 12.3.42 (? 2 King’s)
13.3.42: Posted 19th ITC
10.4.42: Posted 9th Btn.
UK: 13.3.42 to 8.7.44
9.7.44 to 24.9.44: N W Europe
12.7.44: Transferred to Dorset Regiment
13.7.44: Posted to 4th Btn Dorsets
Captured in Holland
POW Germany: 25.9.44 to 14.5.45
POW No. 91903 - Stalag X11A - Limburg
UK: 15.5.45 to 11.5.46
Sec. B R.A.R. 12.5.46 to 25.2.48
Z Res. 26.2 48

Here is a picture of Malcolm (back left) with some of his regiment friends (click to enlarge it). Do you recognise anyone in the photograph?

If anyone has any information on either Malcolm or events surrounding the Battle of Arnhem, please email Sandra

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HMS Chameleon and HMS Canton

Did you serve on either of these ships between 1944 and 1946? Were you in the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla? If so, please contact Thelma as she is trying to help a neighbour, Kenneth Barrett, find some old comrades.

Kenneth Barrett	Ken (far right) with friends	Ken (left) and friend - taken in either Durban or Port Elizabeth

I received the following picture from Laurence Morgan who's late father, James R. Morgan, served on HMS Canton.

James R. Morgan HMS Canton

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Igino Costi

Fabbi is trying to trace a camp in which her grandfather was held during WWII. She enlisted the help of Hazel Stockdale from Huddersfield Library and Jane Helliwell from Dewsbury Library, who subsequently contacted this site. Here is the information provided. If you can assist with information on the camp or, indeed, knew Fabbi's grandfather, please make contact.

Fabbi's grandfather, Igino Costi, was incarcerated at Stirley Hill Hostel in Leeds or Huddersfield from 1944 - 1946. Igino will be 90 on 19th May 2006 and Fabbi is trying to locate the commander of the camp who was very kind to him. She appreciates that he is unlikely to be alive but wonders if any of his family are and could make contact prior to his birthday (if possible).

Igino was given an identify document, serial number Z253614 and his PoW number was 505330.

To help anyone who may remember, Igino was born in Casina (on the hill of Reggio Emilia county) on 19th of May 1916 and he now lives in downtown Reggio Emilia, Italy. At the end of 1940 he was captured and detained as a PoW in Libya (North Africa) by the Sixth Division of Australian Army under General Wavell's command. He was later sent to India where he lasted until 1944.

From India, Igino went to England where he was kept from May 1944 until May 1946 when he was released and went back to Italy by sea. He docked in the port of Taranto, Italy on 1st June 1946.

The “camp” where he was kept as a prisoner was located in Huddersfield, the chief in charge of the camp was a man from Dewsbury whose name was Francis Hemingway or Hamigway. Igino has fond memories of him and he still keeps a book received from Francis the title of which is “The Mill on the Floss” by George Eliot.

Once back in Italy, Igino tried to write some letters to his former chief Francis but at that time he realized that the address that he used was not the right one, so he lost any contact with the man at that point.

If you know about the camp, are a relative of Francis Hemingway or Hamingway or remember Igino himself, please contact me, Jane, who is a Local History Projects Officer at Dewsbury Library or Fabbi whose grandfather was at the camp.

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Leo Bernard Chapman

Gemma is looking for information on her grandfather, Corporal Leo Bernard Chapman. He served with the Royal Armoured Coprs, 3rd Royal Tank Regiment as a Desert Rat. He fought in Eygpt from 1938 to 1940 and then in Sudan from 1940 to 1941. He was then captured and was at a POo camp in Italy and Germany until 1945.

His service number was 7887963 and he was from North Yorkshire. He left the army in 1961 and joined in 1937. Leo was born on 22nd February 1919 and he died in 1986.

If anyone has any information on either Leo, knew which PoW camp he was in or was in his Regiment, please email Gemma

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Gladys (or Gladis) Cullivar

Fabbi is looking for information on Mrs Gladys (or Gladis) Cullivar. This is in relation to the request for help on Francis Hemingway listed here. At the time that Gladys was around, Mr Hemingway was living at 2 Leeds Street in Dewsbury.

Does anyone know of Mrs Cullivar, whether she is still alive or not and whether she remembers Fabbi's grandfather?

If anyone has any information please email Jane who is helping Fabbi and keeping everything connect or Fabbi herself directly.

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Joseph Chambers

Maureen's father, Joseph Chambers, 8th Argylles, did not escape at Dunkirk and she knows he was marched to Poland and was at Stalag XXI D in Posen. She is trying to find out about her father's time as a PoW as he never spoke of it himself.

Maureen has sent through a bunch of photographs she has found. Do you recognise anyone in them? Were you at these locations?

Joseph on horseback	Joseph is pictured in the white shirt	Joseph is left hand side, back row
A swastica in the snow

Select any image and click to enlarge. There are now even more images here.

If anyone has any information please email Maureen

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James (Jim) Carty

Jane and Dorothy are trying to trace James (Jim) Carty, T73946.

They believe that he was in Graz, Austria in a PoW camp but they do not know the number of the camp. It was possibly between 1942 to 1945.

James' sister, Dorothy, would like to know as much as possible about his whereabouts.

If anyone has any information please email Jane.

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Charles Coppin

Alison is looking for information on her uncle, Charles Coppin and his WWII service history.

Charles was in 'B' company, South Staffordshire Regiment. He was captured at Arnhem and he thinks he was in Stalag XII (12) and says this was near a place call Mercyburg. However from what Alison's found to-date Stalag XII was in Limberg.

If anyone has any information please email Alison

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JAMES EDWARD COOPER

Stan is trying to locate the Stalag his father, James Edward Cooper, was in in Poland.

James worked in the coal mines. When released they saw the inmates at Auswitz being released.

James was captured in Africa while serving with the Buffs East Kents.

I have received a little more information from Stan:

James was born in the East end of London at 'Balls Pond Road'. H dad (also Jim) owned a newspaper corner shop there. James lived in Haringay when he got married, then Tottenham and finally Southgate in North London.

His Army Number was 6290093 - Sapper in the Royal Engineers enlisted in the Buffs Royal East Kent Regiment. Confirmed PoW on 31 December 1942.
Repatriated to UK on 13 May 1945
Served in Palestine 4/8/40 to 8/1/41
Served in Egypt 9/1/41 to 14/12/41
PoW from 15/12/41 to 12/5/45

James best friend in the Stalag was a New Zealander called Spike.

If anyone has any information please email Stan

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George Reginald Sydeny Craythorn

Kerry-Lee is looking for any information on her great-grandfather who fought in the Battle of Tobruk during WWII. He was captured as a PoW by the Italians and sent to a concentration camp in Germany. He did survive and made his way back to South Africa, but there isn't much information on him.

His name is George Reginald Sydeny Craythorn.

If anyone has any information please email Kerry-Lee

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Thomas Culshaw

Gary is seeking further information on his great uncle, Thomas Culshaw.

He has done some initial research and found out the following:

Name: Thomas Culshaw
Place of Birth: Wigan, Lancashire. Son of John & Annie Culshaw.
Regiment: South Lancashire Regiment
Rank & Service Number: Private, 3653650
Date & Place of Capture: 12th June, 1940 in Rouen, France

He was initially held in Stalag XXI B and then transferred to Stalag XXI A and finally to Stalag IV C (Wistritz, Czech Republic )in January 1941.

He was shot dead whilst attempting to escape from there on 11th October 1943. From the ICRC information Gary received, another PoW was shot dead whilst escaping on the same day (Royal Marine George William Howard [Service No. PO/X 100212], son of George and Ellen Howard of Halton, Yorkshire). Royal Marine Howard was captured at Sfakia, Crete on 1st June, 1941.

Gary can only assume that they were both killed in the same escape attempt and fittingly are now buried next to one another in Prague War Cemetry.

If anyone can shed any further light on them or the circumstances surrounding their death that would be much appreciated.

Please email me via the Contact page.

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Walter (Joe, aka Nev) Bending Chamberlain

I received the following email from Dave Chamberlain:

"I understand your father was on the death march of 1944-45: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/23/a2357723.shtml

My father was on the same march, though of course there were many of them at the same time. My father was a POW from May 1940 to April 1945. He served time in Stalag XXA, XXB and on various farms. He compiled a diary after the war and I have all his letters sent home to his mum and dad. He said the march was awful, they were wading through snow waist deep and men were dropping like flies. The dysentry was the worse part along with starvation and at one point he recounts eating the oatmeal out the bottom of a pigsty as well as eating frozen turnips from the ground and being in charge of handing out lumps of frozen butter to colleagues. They pulled sledges through the snow and I recently read The Last Escape by John Nicol and Tony Rennell which from its content could easily have been written by my dad!

My father's name was Joe (aka Nev in WW2) Chamberlain, though his actual name was Walter Bending Chamberlain but everyone knew him by the former."

If anyone has any information on Walter, please make contact via this site.

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Arthur John Michael Carroll

Robert is trying to find any information on his father-in-law, Arthur John Michael Carroll, who served in the Black Watch 5th Battalion in Normandy and Brittany during WWII.

Arthur was from Richmond, Surrey and married a lady from Glasgow. He moved to Nottingham after the War and passed away 20 years ago.

If anyone has any information please email Robert

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Campo 53

Does anyone have any information, pictures or was a PoW at this camp? If so, please contact me as I have a reader looking for details.

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George James Chadwick

Lynne is looking for any information on her father, George James Chadwick, or anyone who knew him. He was captured at Cassel with the Glosters and spent 5 years in captivity at Stalag XXA and XXB.

Lynne sent some photos which may help jog memories.

Can you help? If so, please Lynne

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George Calvert

Mick is looking for information about his father, George Calvert, PTE 4456315 Durham Light Infantry.

He was captured at Dunkirk.

Mick has some photographs. One says "Bepcift 23 Stalag IV C " it is of a funeral of, he assumes, a British Soldier but the name on the back cannot be read but with PoW No. 378. Another photograph with PoW No. 474 dated January 1944. Writing is quite hard to read so please enlarge and have a look:

Bepcift 23 Stalag IV C	Photographs	Back of some of the Photographs. Details: E. Kogg PoW 378 PoW 474

If you can help with any information on George or Stalag IV C, please contact Mick

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Joseph Cribben

Philip has in his possesion three photos: one is a group photo with the head of his uncle, Harry Nicholls, cut out to put in his sisters locket, and two are of a funeral. There is no ID for the deceased, but the name on the cross on the grave in front is Pte Joseph Cribben, of the Kensington Regiment.

Harry was captured at Dunkirk, held in Kgf BAB 20 and Philip does know they are his photos.

Please contact Philip if you can help with information on Harry or Joseph.

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Hilary (Jack) Cunningham

Trazee is looking for any information on her grandfather, Hilary (Jack) Cunningham from Illinois.

He was in WWII and his detail was dropped off on an island and forgotten about for about 6 months she believes. They have found a picture after he recently passed away and nothing was written on the back but on the front he had written lost detail.

Please email if you can help with information on Hilary.

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Firth Clarke

Steve emailed me to say:

" I am looking for any information about my grandfather, Pte. Firth Clarke. He was from Yorkshire and served in the Army (pioneers). He was captured early and spent the entire War in camps (Stalag XXA and XXB). He survived the long walk home and I would dearly love to be able to have a deeper understanding of what he lived through. I have a photo of him that I can post on request. I know he had shrapnel removed from a wound in his leg during his camp years. If anyone knows anything about which part of the camp he might have been in, I would be very happy to be in touch."

Steve got back to me:

"I have attached a couple of photos of Pte. Firth CLARKE (born 1907 Rastrick but was living in Brighouse at the time). One was taken when he was a British prisoner of War and the other is one of him in full uniform - someone a lot smarter than me may be able to work out from the badges and the buttons what battalion/regiment he was in. As I said before, he was held prisoner from 1940 to 1945, spent some time in Stalag XXA too, he was a Yorkshireman, married to Florence. He had a son (Brian) and a daughter (Jean). He liked boxing, so may have been involved in that. He had shrapnel removed from a leg wound and was full of praise for German doctors. He was in the 'Pioneers' but I have no idea which regiment (is it obvious from his uniform?) He would rarely speak of the prison experience, but did tell stories of stealing sugar, being left on the platform by German guards that fell asleep on the train when moving the group one time, of stealing sugar in a large drum when moving a concert party, of walking home through Poland and refusing to take his boots off in case he was unable to get them back on. I have a photo of Florence that he was sent whilst in captivity. It bears the address Stalag XXB and gives his POW No. 9681. Sadly, he died in 1960 (a year after I was born).

Firth Clarke	Firth in Stalag XXB

If anyone knows anything of Firth, or has a group photo (or two) I would dearly love to hear from them or see the picture(s). Could Firth have been in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment?"

Please email Steve you can help with information on Firth.

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Clarence Chaylt

Received the following email from Denis (Thank you for the lovely compliments by the way):

"Hello there:
I just came across your site recently. What a wonderful service you are providing here to help match veterans and soldiers with lost relatives and lost commrades. I tip my hat to you for this selfless act of kindness and generocity.My query to you is the following:

I am looking for a soldier named Clarence CHAYLT. He may have gone by the name Ron or Don. He was born in London UK in 1920 and joined the army at about age 17. He was in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, but Im not sure which Bat. he was in. He is said to have been captured and sent to Stalag VIII in LAmsdorf, Poland. He survived the war and was later posted in Egypt during that conflict (1950-1954) and was later posted in Germany. He may have possibly been with a tank outfit with the 9/12 Lancers while stationed in Detmold Germany.

He is said to have retired in 1965 moving to Berkshire UK. He may also have served with the ROAC at Thatcham. Im writing from Canada and this is all second hand information I have just received. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE COULD CONFIRM THIS INFORMATION or ADD any more detail. All leads and tidbits would be most appreciated.
Denis Robillard"

Please contact Denis if you can help with information on Clarence.

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Cyril Cann

Received the following email:

"We are trying to find out any further information about Cyril Cann, who was accidentally shot dead in Colombo on VJ Day. an Australian engineer of Quantas Airways, H Woods got into a fight with John Marvin of the US Army, Marvin pulled out a pistol and fired at woods, hitting Cann and fatally wounding him."

Please contact Bruno if you can help with information on Cyril.

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Eric Catterall

Received the following email from Barbara:

"My father was a dispatch rider in the Royal Corps of Signals during WW11. He was one of the outriders accompanying Sir Winston Churchill's visit to Buckingham Palace on VJ day. I would like to hear from anyone who has any information about him his name was Cpl Eric Catterall. Pathe news featured the procession and I am told my father was in the film - has anyone got a copy or could tell me where I could get one please?"

Please email Barbara if you can help with information on Eric.

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Revised: 23 November, 2009