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Virley,
Colin
Vickers, Leslie Ambrose
Verret, Leona
Vittell PoW Camp, France
Venus, Ron
Varney, Frank
Werrell,
John F.
Wolgamott, George
Walton, Reginald Terence
Wisdom, Clifford H.
Waldron, Jack
Wicketts, Jim
Will, Neal E.
Wieldraaijer, Dr Jan
Win, Norman H.
Westwood, Sydney Francis
Wheatley, William Henry
Ward, James
Wardle, N. R.
Ward, Percy G.
Wilding, Alfred Charles
Warren, Joseph
Whennell, George Henry
Warwick, Jack William
Wood, Peter Hamilton
Woods, Robert (Bob)
Woolcock, James (Jimmy)
Wright, Stanley George
(Jimmy)
Wilson, Charles
Wild, Bernard Fredrick
West, Al
Watson, Thomas
Whitmarsh, Leonard Watkin
Weston, Richard William
Wernicke, Bruno
Wright, Henry Thomas
Can
you help with further information on Colin? He was a
Gunner in the East Surrey Regiment and was captured at Dunkirk
and transported to Stalag XXA where he spent the whole of
the war. He died in 1985 of a heart attack but always had
stomach problems, presumably to do with the lack of adequate
food in the camp. Up until his death he was involved in amateur
dramatics which he said he got interested in whilst in the
PoW camp. His wife, who is still alive, said he marched to
Torun.
If
you can help, please contact his son Keith
I
heard from Ann in March 2006.
She
has tried to get in touch with Keith regarding his father,
Colin who was in Stalag XXA. Her father was also in that camp
and remembers Colin.
Keith,
please could you contact
me or Ann with a new
email address?
Denis
is looking for information on a Great-Grandfather, John F.
Werrell?
He
was a Private in the 4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Denis
recently got a copy of his PoW card and he was listed as being
at both Stalag XXA and Stalag XXB. It seems he might have
been there from 1st November 1940 to 1943.
The
only other Information Denis knows is that he died in January
1946 of a disease he caught in camp.
Please
contact Denis
directly if you have any information.
George
Wolgamott
Sandy's
brother-in-law, George Wolgamott from Michigan, USA, was a
prisoner at Stalag 2A, Neubrandenburg.
His
family has no records except the ones she found in the US
National Archives and Records. They know he was with the Army
Corps of Engineers and that he was captured at the Battle
of the Bulge. The date of the report was December 1944.
George
was 21 years old when he went into the service. There is a
picture of him in his uniform and it has a large 2 on the
sleeve.
George's
family was notified that he died in the prison camp, however
one person told them that George was alive when he saw him
last.
Here
is a picture of George. Click to enlarge it:

If
anyone has any information on George or the prison camp please
contact Sandy
Reginald
Terence Walton
J.
Arnold is searching for information on Reginald Terence Walton
who was born on 14th September 1914.
He
was a Regimental Sergeant Major in the Pioneer Corp and was
awarded the Burma Star.
He
was a PoW in Japan and,lived in Punjab for 10 years, marrying
Edna Warburton on 5th March 1953.
If
you can help, please contact J.Arnold
Clifford
H. Wisdom
Mr
Wisdom is looking for information relating to his father,
Clifford H. Wisdom, PVT, US Army. He was a PoW in Stalag IIA.
If
you can help, please contact Mr
Wisdom
Jack
Waldron
Jack's
nephew is trying to track down information on his uncle, Jack
Waldron.
Jack
was in the Queen Victoria Rifles (QVR) and was captured at
Calais in 1940. He may have won the DCM.
If
anyone knows which PoW camp he was in or remembers him, please
contact Jack's Nephew
Neal
E. Will
Lady/gentleman
is looking for any information about their grandfather, Neal
E. Will who was a paratrooper/glider during WWII and was a
PoW in Stalag XIIA. Sadly he passed away in 1990 before much
could be found out about his time in the War.
If
anyone has any information on Neal, please email
Dr
Jan Wieldraaijer
Diana
is looking for information about her grandfather, Dr Jan Wieldraaijer
from Smilde, The Netherlands, who as a civillian was taken
in 1942 by the Germans and forced to work in both Stendal
and Tangerhutte, Germany working camps until 1946. He worked
on the railways.
Diana
would like information about those camps, the conditions,
etc and would also like to hear from people who were there
with him as well during that period. She would also like any
records of him working there and what he had to do exactly.
If
anyone has any information on Jan or the camps, please contact
Diana
Norman
H. Win
Sarah
is looking for information on her grandfather, Private 36305
Norman H Win - PoW number 22753.
He
was in the New Zealand Medic Core and was a PoW in Stalag
VIIIB for several years then went missing for about a year
in 1941 and was known to be in Stalag IXC. On 25th June 1942
he was transfered to Oflag IXA.
Sarah
and her family would love any infomation on his time as a
PoW. He came home to his family a very sick man.
If
anyone has any information on Norman, remembers him or was
in the camps, please contact Sarah
Sydney
Francis Westwood
Kevin
is looking for any information about his grandfather, Sydney
Francis Westwood, who was a driver with the BEF. He was captured
on the 12th June 1940 and was held in Stalag XXB for the next
5 years. He died in 1947 of TB and any information or stories
anyone might have would be greatly appreciated by Kevin and
his family.
If
anyone has any information Sydney or was in Stalax XXB with
him, please contact Kevin.
Leslie
Ambrose Vickers
Susan's
father, Leslie Ambrose Vickers, was seconded to the 51st Highland
Division towards the end of WWII. He has mislaid his coveted
regimental beret and Susan would love to be able to give him
a replacement for his 90th, and to give him a boost after
a spell of nill health.
If
anyone can help with information on how a replacement beret
could be obtained, please contact Susan.
William
Henry Wheatley
Barbara
would like to find out about a soldier who was in the West
Yorkshire branch of the RASC for a friend of hers.
His
name was William Henry Wheatley Number 324594 and he joined
up on 6th June 1916 and was discharged in 1919.
Barbara's
friend has in her possession some memorabilia that may interest
someone - it is to do with the Leeds Pals and an invite by
the Grand Duchess George for William to go to a dinner in
Harrogate on the 24th December 1918. Also her friend has a
few photos taken when William was in the Regiment and there
is also an embroidered card she thought may be of interest
too.
If
you have any information or would be interested in the memorabilia,
please contact Barbara.
James
Ward
Keith's
grandfather, James (Jimmy) Ward was in the RASC attached to
the 51st when he was captured at St Valery. All Keit knows
is that occasionally he was assigned to drive Major General
Victor Fortune.
He
was injured with shrapnel to his foot and had to have his
boot cut off prior to the march to Germany and Poland
If
you have any information on James, please contact Keith
N.
R. Wardle
Christine
is looking for information from anyone who may remember Driver
T/61609 N.R.Wardle R.A.S.C. Testimonial from 42 Company, Aldershot,
6.4.39.
He
was her great grandfather. He was a PoW in 1941 P.W 27, Stalag
XXA 319 and 1943 P.W 330 M, Stummlager XXA 94 according to
the post cards Christine has in her possession. As far as
she knew he was still alive in 1945 but may have died on the
march out of Poland.
Christine
is looking for further information, ie. where his body might
be buried or if he was ever even found.
Christine
was told he used to sing and play the piano and one of his
favourite songs was "When the Poppies Bloom Again".
Has anyone got the music for this song?
If
you have any information on Driver Wardle, please contact
Christine
Percy
G. Ward
Fred's
uncle, Percy G. Ward, 9996 was a PoW from 1940-1945.
He
was taken prisoner at Dunkirk and was in various camps. Fred
has just been given some photos that where taken in one of
the camps, Heyedreck O/S 5 3. Kgf. B.A.B. 20 and is trying
to find out a bit more about the camp. Here they are:-
Do
you recognise anyone in these photographs or were you at the
camp? f you have any information on Percy or Heyedreck, please
contact Fred
Alfred
Charles Wilding
Rachel
is looking for a photograph of her great uncle, Alfred Charles
Wilding, during his passing out parade. She has provided the
following details:
| No |
1 |
| Surname,
Forename |
WILDING,
Alfred Charles |
| Rank |
Lance
Corporal |
| Service
Number |
5380872 |
| Date
of Death |
4th
May 1944 |
| Age |
31 |
| Regiment/Service |
Royal
Norfolk Regiment |
| Nationality |
United
Kingdom |
| Grave/Memorial
Ref. |
2.C.19 |
| Cemetery/Memorial
Name |
Kohima
War Cemetery |
Alfred
was with the Royal Norfolk Regiment 2nd Battalion during World
War 2. Rachel has no idea when the photograph was taken but
would be grateful of any clues or advice on how sheI could
get hold of one, if that's even possible.
If
you have any information on Alfred or know how to obtain (or
have a copy of) the passing out photograph, please contact
Rachel
Joseph
Warren
Looking
for information on Joseph Warren, Lance Corporal, imprisoned
in M-Stammlager 306 XVIIID, Marburg, Slovenia.
If
you have any information on Driver Wardle, please email
George
Henry Whennell
Sally's
father,
George Henry Whennell, was at Stammlager XXB from 1940 to
1945.
She
has a photo with four other names on the back:
L.
Wigbull (R.Es)
D.
Woods (Cheshires)
A. Womaela (R. Ms Searchlights)
J. Watt (Gordon Highlanders)
Sally
would like to find out some more about her father's time there
if any of the other gentlemen's family members have any details.
She notes it is strange how their names all began with "W"
- must have been the way the work details were set out.
If
you have any information on any of these people, please contact
me so I can pass it on to Sally.
Jack
William Warwick
Lorraine
has just discovered that her grandfather, Jack William Warwick
was a PoW in Stalag XXB, No. 19891.
If
you have any information on Jack, please email Lorraine
Peter
Hamilton Wood
Tricia
is seeking further information on her husband, Peter Hamilton
Wood (Scottish).
PoW
Service No 25471. He was in BAB 20 and was also was made to
electrical work while a PoW near end of the war.
He
did the forced march with other PoWs. Sadly died 21st April
2007.
If
you have any information on Peter, please contact Tricia
Robert
(Bob) Woods
Chris
has read the article on Danny Dorlin and wondered if he or
anyone else may know of his father, Robert (Bob) Woods, Royal
Norfolks, captured at St Valery, PoW Stalag XXA 1940 to 1943,
Stalag XXB 1943 to 1945 on death march from this camp. Chris
am keen to track route taken and research further his history
If
you have any information on Bob or you were on the march from
Stalag XXB, please contact Chris
James
(Jimmy) Woolcock
Steve
has written a book on his father, Jimmy, called "My Father
- An Ordinary Hero" which is available to buy. Please
see the Links page for details or contact Steve
directly.
Stanley
George (Jimmy) Wright
Colin
wrote the following to this site for the attention of Danny
Dorlin and Jack Gee:
Jack and Danny,
Having just read your article called My Nazi death march via
WWII memories with great interest I felt that I must contact
you. My late Father Stanley George Wright (Jimmy) also served
with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment during
the 2nd World War. He was posted very early in France and
captured and held in both Stalag XXA and Stalag XXB as a POW
for 5 years and 25 days. As he died in 1974 and he didn’t
talk of his experiences very much I know very little Information
of his time spent there. Although reading Danny’s story
mirrors many things that also happened to him, I remember
how he said that the winters were very cold and of marching
over frozen rivers, being hungry all the time, seeing Stuka
dive bombers and how terrifying they were as they screamed
out of the sky dropping their bombs. During his captivity
his main occupation was Farm work, he said that generally
his treatment by the Regular German soldiers was OK, not like
the poor unfortunate people i! n the Concentration camps that
were not so far away. After the war he was not bitter toward
German people, he had quite a good understanding of the German
language and he taught me how to count in German when I was
quite young. He said that he had learned a lot of lessons
in life while he was there, to appreciate what he had got
and not to waste it. I only wish I had spent more time with
him while he was alive to find out more about his experiences
in the War. I think people like Danny and my Dad are Heroes
and we should never forget what they did for us all those
years ago. If you have any information on the 2nd Battalion
of The Royal Norfolk Regiment or anything you think may be
of interest on this story please forward it to me as my family
and I are greatly interested. I have a couple of pictures
you may find of interest, featuring my father before he went
to France and when he returned home and married my mother.
I am unaware of a means to forwarding these pictures to !
you other than via email. Please get in touch if you would
like to view them. I look forward to hearing from you in the
future.
Of
course I got in touch and here are the two photos.
| |
|
| Raw
recruit, barely 20 years old |
6
months after the War marrying his wife |
If
you have any other information that can help, please email
Colin.
Charles
Wilson
Laura
is looking for information on her grandfather, Charles Wilson,
who served as a driver with the 13th Field Survey Company
in the Royal Engineers.
Laura's
family never knew much about him as he died when her mother
was a baby in 1954.
Laura
got hold of his Army Record a few days ago which has been
a wonderful source of information but to find someone who
personally knew him would be amazing.
If
you can help, please email Laura
Bernard
Fredrick Wild
Ann
has a wonderful picture of her father, Bernard Fredrick Wild,
from WWII.
He
was with the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Signal Corps. He
originally enlisted with the Elgin Regiment and Ann believes
spent some time with the Queens Own Rifles.
He
landed on Normandy and did signalling from the beach.
The
picture has 19 of his comrades with their smiling faces. Ann's
father had written on back "taken in Kranenberg, Germany,
1945, upon hearing that we would be going home in 4 months."
Ann
is happy for me to post this picture the site where she may
be able to locate some of the living veterans in this picture,
or perhaps their surviving family member(s). Bernard is in
the front row, 2nd from right with the scarf on.
Unfortunately,
Bernard has passed away but Ann would like to honour his memory
by sharing this wonderful picture with others.
If
you knew of Bernard, please email Ann
Al
West
Rhonda
would like to find anyone who might have known an Al
West (photographed on the right) or Leona
Verret who were both assigned to the 124th Evacuation
Hospital in the Army during WWII.
Leona
was a nurse and Rhonda thinks Al may have been a medic. They
were sent overseas and participated in the Battle of the Bulge.
Rhonda
would also like to find information on the 124th Evacuation
Hospital.
If
you can help, please email Rhonda
Vittel,
France
Neomi
is looking for information on Vittal Camp in France.
In
July 1944, some 50 Polish/Jewish were arrested "exchanged"
for Germans citizens.
Neomi
is researching their time at Vittal.
If
you can help, please email Neomi
James
Fox sent me an update 2nd July 2009:
"In
my email of 14th October 2007. the book on Mary BERG is now
published as THE DIARY OF MARY BERG - Growing up in the Warsaw
Ghetto” published by ONE WORLD, in Oxford/England and
ISBN 13.978-1-85158-472-4. Which also relates to her detention
at the Vittel camp in France."
October
2007
James
Fox contacted me to say:
"Yesterday
I met for the first time a man who was born in June 1944 in
the Vittel detention camp in France, his parents and grandparents
who were Jewish from Poland with a S.American visa were among
the many jews from Europe and the Polish ghetto that had Latin
American visas which were not all authenticated in the spring
of 1944 when the Germans were doing exchange programmes. The
grandparents and parents of the boy were among those alloted
to be sent to Auschwitz, the mother being in the stages of
giving birth could not travel, and was in the camp hospital.Consequently
their lives were saved and no other convoys left after that
for Auschwitz.Vittel camp was a compound of hotels and parc
behind barbed wire around the pre war spa facilities and was
liberated on 14th September 1944. The child’s father
and grandparents were gassed in Auschwitz.The Vittel camp
doctors were mostly French POW’s with only one British
POW officer Dr. Monteith (Capt.British Army), the child is
in a photo the day after his birth in the arms of the Doctor
and together besides a British camp nurse and a British nun
(of which there were 500 nun detainees in Vittel camp).I have
not managed to trace any further information on Dr.Monteith
who was a Scot’sman. British men who were married and
at Tost&Kreuzburg camp in Upper Silessia, and British
women at Liebenau camp in Southern Germany, were re-united
as couples at the Vittel camp where they were housed in pre
war hotels.The men and sons from St.Denis camp near Paris
were also reunited with their wives at Vittel.I have collaborated
with an American professor working on American/jewish detainees
in the Vittel camp, and a new version of a book called MARY
BERG,Years of Detention- Warsaw Ghetto/Pawiak prison and Vittel
(re edited by Prof.Susan Pentling ) has been produced this
year by WIDE WORLD Publishers in Oxford/England.
Vittel camp was a barbed wire compound
around the former Spa facilities with hotels and sports facilities
in the town of Vittel which was created in May 1941 for families
, sometime later when jewish detainees with American and Latin
American passports/visas arrived in 1943 they were installed
in hotels outside the periometer of the camp grounds, and
also behind barbed wire and they were connected by wooden
footbridges to the camp. These people some 342 of them came
from Poland, and Eastern Europe, in the case of Mary Berg
her mother was American born but living in Poland. In April
1944 the German authorities not having received authentification
of the visas of the jewish contingent, sent them to Auschwitz
where they were immediately executed. The jews who were British
citzens from Palestine, were later exchanged against Germans
and put on a convoy via Istanbul and onwards to Haifa.
Vittel was liberated on 14 September
1944, several train convoys of detainees were sent prior to
that via Lisbon and exchanged for Germans and were on the
Swedish ‘mercy ships’ the Drottningholm and the
Kronsberg.
I remain interested in civilian detainees
from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, and also specifically
of the men and families of persons who had worked prior to
1940 for the Imperial War Graves Commission cemeteries of
WWI and were arrested in Belgium and N.France and taken to
Tost/Kreuzburg, and St.Denis and Besancon/Vittel camps.
Thank
you for your assistance. James A Fox/Paris.France."
Ron
Venus
Helena
has
a bundle of letters written to her mother from a PoW in Stalag
XXA.
She
has tried to trace the writer through the PoW Association
without success as she would like the letters to be returned
to the PoW or his family or failing that she is open to suggestions.
The PoW was L/Cpl Ron Venus who was in Camp No. 6825 Stalag
XXA. He came from the Dover area and was a clerk in the electricity
office in Folkstone in civilian life. He called Helena's mother
"Nicky"and she lived in Lincolnshire, she was put
in touch with him through the British Prisoners of War Books
and Games Fund.
Ron
was 21 years old at the time he was taken prisoner.
The
letters date from February 1941 until he returned home in
May 1945. Helena thinks he may have emigrated to New Zealand
as she has found some references to him on the prisonersofwar.org
site. However they have been unable to trace him.
If
you can help, please email Helena
Frank
Varney
Andrew
is looking for information on his father, Frank Varney, of
11th Commando 10 Troop, who took part in the raid to capture
Rommel in November 1941. He then spent a period of time in
a PoW camp PM3450 at Gravina.
If
you can help, please email
Andrew.
Thomas
Watson
Looking
for information on Sgt. Thomas Watson, age 28, killed in action
on 21th September 1944 at Driel Ferry whilst commanding B
Company 1st Bat. the Border Regiment.
Thomas
came from Blyth.
If
you can help with information or photographs, please contact
Mrs Thomson
Leonard
Watkin Whitmarsh
Received
the following email:
"I
am trying to find out any information about my Dad's time
in Stalag XXA. I know that he was in Hut no 13 from 1940-45
his regiment was Royal Signals."
If
you can help with information or photographs, please email
Richard
William Weston
Received
the following email from Elizabeth:
"I
would love to know something about my grand father who served
in the Middlesex Regiment, Second Battalion and whose rank
was a Sergeant and his Army Number was 6848964. What I do
know is that he was discharged on the 3th February 1946.
His
name was Richard William Weston.
I´ve got a letter from a Major HB Neue (not very clear),to
my grand father, thanking him for the work he had done."
| |
|
| Richard
Weston (ringed) |
Richard
Weston |
If
you can help with information or photographs, please contact
Elizabeth
Frederick
Woodcock
Received
the following email:
"I
am trying to find any information on my uncle Frederick (Fred)
Woodcock who was a member of the Lancashire Fusiliers his
Army Number was 3450661. He was prisoner we believe at Stalag
VIII and his PoW number was 11043 we believe his was in the
camp during 1942."
If
you can help with information or photographs, please email
Henry
Thomas Wright
Received
the following email:
"I
am trying to find more information about a relative of mine:
Henry Thomas Wright, born 1913, a military policeman at Bordon
Camp, Hampshire in 1935."
If
you can help with information or photographs, please contact
Lawrence
Bruno
Wernicke
Gabby
says:
"I
am looking for any information on an allied POW camp in Savoi
France that held Germans as POWs. My grandfather, Bruno Wernicke
(born 1901) was held here and released in 1946 or 1947.
Also
my father was a POW held by Americans, but I don't know where.
His name was Joachim Tismer. He was a youth at this time.
Don't
know of you have information on Germans, but if you do, I
am appreciative of any help you can provide."
If
you have any information please contact Gabby
Please
send all replies to enquiries to me using the Feedback button
on the Contact page.
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© WWII Memories. All rights reserved.
Revised:
11 December, 2009
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