The men from Rotenburg who marched east

Prisoners
Abbott D Major Royal Garhwal Rifles
Aberdein J Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Aickin J Captain NZEF
Allison S H Captain Black Watch
Ashton H W Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Attfield A J Lieutenant Canadian Special Forces
Baigent L R Lieutenant NZEF
Bailey D C Captain NZEF
Baird G H W Captain Seaforth Highlanders
Bamber J R Reverend Chaplain’s Dept
Barends C M Lieutenant UDF, TSC
Barkshire H W Lieutenant Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Barling A S Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Barnes J W Captain Lothians & Border Rgt Yeomanry
Barry P H Lieutenant Army Air Corps
Barry P Corporal Royal Army Service Corps
Barter R H P Captain Royal Engineers
Bartlett P N Captain Intelligence Corps
Baxter E H Lieutenant Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Bell K F Lieutenant Army Air Corps
Bennett A T Lieutenant NZEF, Maori Bn
Benns A R Lieutenant AIF
Bensusan J C Lieutenant East Surry Regiment
Bertram D S Captain RAMC
Bessell-Brown I V Major AIF, RAA
Bishop J Corporal UDF
Bolton C A R M Lieutenant Royal Corps Signals
Bond J J Captain Royal Artillery
Bonnello R W Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Bowe J Lance Corporal Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Bowlby G M S Lieutenant Royal Scots Fusiliers
Boyce A H Captain NZEF
Brett G Lieutenant Royal Ulster Rifles
Brierley P W Captain Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Briggs D E F Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Brooke-Johnson St J C Lieutenant SAS, 1st
Brown V Driver NZEF, Med Corps
Brown W A Lance Corporal Royal Army Service Corps
Brown T J Captain Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
Brunton B N Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Brush E J A H Major Rifle Brigade
Bryan A H Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Buchan G Bombardier Royal Artillery
Buckland F Gunner Royal Artillery
Bull M A Major AIF, AASC
Bunce J A Lieutenant Royal West Kent
Burchett H A M Captain Royal Artillery
Burke C G Captain Worcestershire Regiment
Burston V C Major RAA, AIF
Burton J L B Captain Lincolnshire Regiment
Burwash H D Lieutenant Parachute Rgt
Butler G Driver Royal Army Service Corps
Butterfield C Captain NZEF
Cairns J D Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Caisley N Corporal Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Caldwell E Captain NZEF
Calthrop J B de S Lieutenant Royal Sussex
Cameron E Major 1st Mountain Royal Artillery
Cameron A G D Lieutenant Seaforth Highlanders
Campbell J R Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Campbell C L Major The London Scottish/The Gordons
Canavan W A D Captain NZEF
Cargill A Lieutenant Seaforth Highlanders
Carmichael J Captain Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Carnie A W Captain Royal Engineers
Carter J H Captain Royal Army Service Corps
Cartwright H H L Lieutenant South Staffs
Chadwick W G Lieutenant-Colonel UDF, Rand Light Infantry
Cheyne W W Lieutenant Seaforth Highlanders
Chillingworth J B Major Royal Horse Artillery
Chisholm W Private Seaforth Highlanders
Christerpherson F Captain Royal Welch Fusiliers
Clapham E E Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Clark R A Lieutenant AIF, AASC
Clark M R Lieutenant Royal Fusiliers
Clark K Private RWK
Clarkson J Private Gordon Highlanders
Clarkson A H Lieutenant Royal Corps Signals
Clay B L Lieutenant-Colonel Royal West Kent
Clements C M L Major 4 Hussars
Cleverley E Lieutenant Worcestershire Regiment
Cole S E Rev Chaplain’s Dept
Coles G Corporal Gloucestershire Rgt
Collins J H Captain Royal Engineers
Comper G W Lieutenant Border Rgt, CANLOAN
Conder P J Lieutenant Royal Corps Signals
Connolly J Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Corfield F V Captain Royal Artillery
Corlett F C Captain NZEF
Cousland J S Lieutenant Highland Light Infantry
Cox R N Lieutenant Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Cram A L Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Crawford R E F Lieutenant Sherwood Foresters
Cripps J H Lieutenant Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Cripps J H Lieutenant Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Crittendon R C Lieutenant Border Rgt
Crossley J 2nd Lieutenant Royal Artillery, 1 LAA
Cruickshank J Lieutenant Royal Scots
Cullen J W Y Lieutenant Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Cuthill J Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Daly G F K Captain Royal Engineers
Darling W N Captain Royal Horse Artillery
Davison W R Captain AIF, AAMC
Daws V Lieutenant AIF
Deacon W Captain Royal Engineers
Deboo T Private Royal Norfolk Rgt
Delves W P Lieutenant AIF
Dengel J Private Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Desnoyers B Rev Chaplain’s Dept, Canadian Army
Dibblee J F Captain Royal Artillery
Dick-Lauder G A Captain Black Watch
Dickens J R Captain South Staffs
Dickenson J B Captain Royal Artillery
Dinwiddie G M Major King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Douglas S Lieutenant Cameronians (Scotttish Rifles)
Downer H C Captain Royal Engineers
Doyle J Private East Surrey Rgt
Dros MC H Royal Artillery
Drummond A M Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders
Duff H E Captain Royal West Kent
Duncan D M Lieutenant 48 Highlanders, Canadian Army
Duncan A Lieutenan Colonel The Welch Regt
Dunkley I F R Lieutenant East Yorkshire Rgt
Durrant N S Major Royal Gahrwal Rifles
Eaton W E Captain 6 East Surrey Regiment
Edlmann E C Captain Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs)
Edwards M B Lieutenant AIF, RAA
Edwards J Gunner Royal Artillery
Efthyvoulous M Lieutenant Cyprus Regt
Elgood P N Lieutenant Royal West Kent
Elletson R C Lieutenant Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Evans K C Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Fairbairn T C Lieutenant AIF sapper
Farquhar A H Captain Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Farsoun G P Lieutenant Pioneer Corps
Faulkner D O Lieutenant Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Feilding D C Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Fenn J G Captain Loyal Regiment
Ferguson C A L Captain NZEF
Fleming J A Lieutenant Royal Horse Artillery
Fletcher W Private Royal Army Service Corps
Foot R S Captain South Staffs
Forbes W R H Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Forbes H S Lieutenant Welsh Guards
Forster G W Rev Chaplain’s Dept
Foster H S Lieutenant Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Fox J B S Captain Sherwood Foresters
Fraser D Private NZEF,MC
Fraser J Private NZEF,MC
Fraser W Private Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Frost G T Lieutenant Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Fryer-Jones W P Major Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Fuller J Fusilier Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (7 Bn)
Fuller J W Lieutenant Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Gearing P H Lieutenant Royal Armoured Corps
Gellatly A A Lieutenant Black Watch
Gershony N Lieutenant Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Gibb J D Captain NZEF
Gibbons A G Captain 2 Royal Norfolk Rgt
Gilbert C Captain 4/6 RR Indian Army
Godfrey A R Lieutenant South Staffs, CANLOAN
Godley W Driver Royal Army Service Corps
Godly B W T Lieutenant AIF, AASC
Goldby A J T Captain UDF, ILH
Goodlad J W Captain Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Goodrich H E Captain Pioneer Corps (Royal Tank Rgt?)
Goodwin H Lieutenant AIF
Gook W W Lieutenant AIF
Gordon C Sergeant Royal Artillery
Gray F V S Major Royal Army Service Corps
Green A T Lieutenant Border Rgt
Grissell M Major 10 Hussars
Gummer P E Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps
Gurney S R Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Guy W J Major AIF
Guyon G E Lieutenant Parachute Rgt
Hailes J M H Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Hall J H Captain AIF
Halliday C A Captain Royal Armoured Corps
Halpert J Lieutenant Polish Parachute Brigade
Halstead R A Lieutenant Parachute Rgt
Hamilton H Lieutenant UDF
Hamson C J Captain General List
Hand J A Lieutenant AIF, RAA
Hankins E W Private Royal East Kent Regimen (The Buffs)
Hardman-Mountford J E Lieutenant South Staffordshire Regiment
Harker G D Captain Black Watch
Harold W H Major Royal Horse Artillery
Harris D W Captain Royal Army Service Corps
Hay A M Captain Coldstream Guards
Haydon R H S Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Heagney B S Major AIF
Heaps A Lieutenant Royal Sussex Rgt
Helingoe J E Lieutenant Parachute Rgt
Hellings N J Lieutenant Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
Hill L M Lieutenant NZEF, YMCA
Hillman J T D Captain Royal Corps Signals
Hines G C Captain Kings Rgt, 2
Hinsley E J Rev Chaplain’s Dept
Hobbs J R Captain NZEF, NZA
Hobbs G Lance Corporal RH
Holberton A L Captain East Surrey Rgt
Holling G Sergeant Royal Engineers
Holloway R Lieutenant Sherwood Foresters
Holm A M Captain Royal Scots Fusiliers
Holmes J T A Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Hook W T Lieutenant Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Hooper G F R Major AIF
Hopkins E S Lieutenant The Green Howards
Huelin J L R Captain Wiltshire Rgt
Hunt D W Captain Royal Tank Rgt
Hunter W Captain Royal Artillery
Huntrods J W W Captain The Green Howards
Hurst W E W Rev NZEF, NZ Chaplains Dept
Hutchings A Private Queen’s Royal Rgt
Innes N H O Captain Seaforth Highlanders
Irwin J W S Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Ives A Private Royal Warwickshire Rgt
Jackman J W Lieutenant Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Jagger W L Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Jamieson A W Captain Royal Artillery
Johnson M A Captain 60th Rifles
Johnson K I E Lieutenant Border Rgt
Johnson J H Lieutenant East Surrey Rgt
Johnson (Field) H A M Lieutenant 4 Hussars
Johnston G B Captain Cheshire Yeomanry
Johnston I J Captain NZEF
Johnston T R Captain NZEF, YMCA
Jones G S Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Judge R J 2 Lieutenant Duke of Wellington’s Rgt
Karstaedt A L Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Kearns M N Lieutenant General List
Kearsley E S Major York and Lancaster Rgt
Kelly W Private Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Kelt R C Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Kennard G Captain 4 Hussars
Kennedy J J Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Kennedy G W Lieutenant-Colonel East Surrey Rgt
Kent J R Lieutenant The Essex Scottish
Kimbell C W Major Royal Army Medical Corps
King R K Captain NZEF
Kinross J Captain Cameronians (Scotttish Rifles)
Laing W K Lieutenant Sherwood Foresters
Laird D Major Royal Artillery
Lane J H S Major Duke of Wellington’s Rgt
Lane R P Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Langham G A Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders
Langham M S Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders
Lawrenson D Private Royal Warwickshire Rgt
Le Mesurier J S Captain 5 Royal Tank Rgt
Lea C G Captain Lancashire Fusiliers
Leahy M R Captain Royal Artillery
Leake D N F Captain AIF, AAMC
Learmonth John Lieutenant Australian Imperial Forece
Ledingham A Private Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Lemieux V Lieutenant 10 Hussars
Lindley F W Major Parachute Rgt
Llewelyn D W Lieutenant Royal Welch Fusiliers
Logan J Captain Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Longden H W D Lieutenant UDF
Lubbock R J Captain Leicestershire Rgt
Lush R Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps (EFI)
Luya H F Lieutenant Royal Horse Artillery
Lyon A G Captain Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
MacDermot M H C Captain Royal Artillery
MacDonald H M Captain NZEF
Macdonald R CSM Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
MacDonnell C J Lieutenant South Staffs
MacKay J C Lieutenant Colonel Royal Army Medical Corps
MacKenzie J B Captain NZEF
MacKenzie J A S Major NZEF, Dental Corps
MacNeil F X Lieutenant Cape Breton Highlanders
Maguire B C Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Marquand W J Captain Not known
Martin J A M Captain AIF
Martin G E Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Massy H C Captain Royal Armoured Corps
Mathew A W Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Maud P D Captain Somerset Light Infantry
Maw D J Lieutenant Kings Royal Rifle Corps
May L Corporal Royal Corps Signals
Mayson N J Lieutenant Rifle Brigade
McCall P J Lieutenant Welsh Guards
McClarion J Lieutenant Royal Horse Artillery
McCullough R J Lieutenant RHPC
McDonald P N R Captain NZEF
McIndoe J L Captain NZEF
McIntyre J Rev Chaplain’s Dept
McLeay W Gunner Royal Horse Artillery
McLeod D M Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders
McMenemy J Private Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
McNabb M B Lieutenant Royal Scots
Melling S Captain NZEF
Mercer J Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Mertens J C Lieutenant Black Watch
Methuen P H Lieutenant Queen’s Royal Rgt
Middlemas R J Captain Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Miller G F Rev Major Chaplain’s Dept
Miller E C Lieutenant Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Milne G D Major (Honourable) Royal Artillery
Milne W W Captain Royal Engineers
Mitchell R Private Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Mitchell E A Lieutenant South Wales Borderers
Moore T M T Lieutenant AIF
Morgan J Lieutenant King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Morgan D R Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Morris C Private Royal Army Medical Corps
Morrison W Captain Highland Light Infantry
Mortimer F J Captain 19 Lancers, Indian Army
Moult H Driver Royal Army Service Corps
Mountford H R Captain Not known
Moxon J F Lieutenant Wiltshire Rgt
Moylan B A Captain AIF
Mugford N D Lieutenant Royal West Kent
Müller F H Captain NZEF
Mulligan J H Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Munro C P Lieutenant Cameronians (Scotttish Rifles)
Munro-Kerr J M Lieutenant Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Murdoch L T Captain Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
Nelson D H Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Neuendorf T O Lieutenant AIF
Nicolle H F Lieutenant Hampshire Rgt
Norris E S Lieutenant Royal Welch Fusiliers
Norwood C Lieutenant South Staffs
Noyes R C Captain Royal Horse Artillery
O’Flynn B T Lieutenant AIF
Oldman B B O Lieutenant King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Orr D Pipe Sergeant Major Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Owen P Private Royal Berkshire Rgt
Page R K Captain Royal Artillery
Page J G Lieutenant Colonel UDF
Page A Corporal UDF
Palmer P C Captain Sherwood Foresters
Payne A G Lieutenant UDF, 1st South African Irish
Pearson J E Lieutenant Queen’s Royal Rgt
Peters C N Major AIF, RAA
Pilcher R C H Lieutenant Welsh Guards
Pitman T I Blank 11 Hussars
Pittock C Lance Bombadier Royal Artillery
Platel F V Major Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Pole A J H Lieutenant UDF, 1st South African Irish
Ponting B T Lieutenant AIF
Porter A R Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Prefontaine J R Captain Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal
Probyn L K Major AIF, AAOC
Punchard E Gunner Royal Artillery
Ramsden C O I Captain Royal Artillery
Raworth J S Major Royal Artillery
Redway T A Captain Durham Light Infantry
Reid I D Captain Black Watch
Renton L H Lieutenant Queen’s Royal Rgt
Reynolds H Private Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Reynolds T Captain Royal Norfolk Rgt
Rhodes J W P Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders
Rhodes C W Captain NZEF
Richards J E G Captain Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Rimington J A R Major Royal Tank Rgt
Roberts H R Lieutenant Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Robertson L Private NZEF
Robertson J Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Robins H W Captain NZEF
Rogerson R W Major Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Rooke H J D Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Roscoe K H Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Rose D H Lieutenant Royal Horse Artillery
Rosenberg H Captain Royal Army Medical Corps
Ross D M Lieutenant Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Rought-Rought B W Lieutenant Royal Norfolk Rgt
Rowland M F Lieutenant Honourable Artillery Company
Roxburgh A A Lieutenant NZEF
Russo J Lieutenant 3 Hussars
Rynkiewiez E Lieutenant 3 Carpathian Bgd
Salt R K Lieutenant Manchester Rgt
Savage E L Captain Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Savige J R Captain AIF
Scarborough A Lieutenant Royal Corps Signals
Schofield D R Lieutenant Royal Fusiliers
Schwarz R H Lieutenant South Staffs
Scott T W Lieutenant AIF
Scott J A Captain Black Watch
Scott R N Lieutenant East Surrey Rgt
Searle R Captain Cyprus Regt
Shackleton E Captain Royal Corps Signals
Shama A Lieutenant General List
Shand C S Lieutenant Seaforth Highlanders
Shapcott W Private Queen’s Royal Rgt
Sharpe E G Lieutenant King’s Own Rgt
Shaw S W G Lieutenant Royal Sussex
Sherrard P Lieutenant 60th Rifles
Shiel R F Captain Royal Army Service Corps
Shimmin J C Lieutenant Royal Ulster Rifles
Shrosbree B Blank UDF
Simmons C Driver Royal Army Service Corps
Simpkin R E Lieutenant Royal Tank Rgt
Simpson C E B B Captain Royal Artillery
Sinclair J R K Lieutenant Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Skipwith P L Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Slater F Lieutenant Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Smallcombe E Sergeant Royal Artillery
Smart L C Lieutenant NZEF
Smith E G Captain NZEF
Smith G M Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps
Smith J K Captain Royal Artillery
Smith R Corporal Royal Engineers
Smith A G Lieutenant York and Lancaster Regiment
Snowden R H Lieutenant Queen Victoria’s Rifles
Sofio G F Captain General List
Staddon R G Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Stainforth P T Lieutenant Royal Engineers
Stephens H V Major AIF, RAA, 2/2 Field  Rgt
Stephenson A T Captain Royal Gahrwal Rifles
Stevens J G Captain Manchester Rgt
Stewart R H Major Border Rgt
Stewart R S Lieutenant Royal Regt of Canada
Stone J C Captain NZEF, NZA
Studley F C Captain Royal Horse Artillery
Swift G Lance Corporal Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Symes J M Lieutenant Hampshire Rgt
Symonds A W B Captain Northamptonshire Rgt
Tadman R J Major Royal Army Service Corps
Tarbat Blunt Mackenzie Major Viscount Seaforth Highlanders
Tatchell B H Major Royal Artillery
Taylor J W Lieutenant King’s Own Scottish Border Rgt
Taylor P Private Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Teuton B McE Lieutenant Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Thursfield P S Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Todd T C V Lieutenant King’s Own Royal Rgt
Tolley R S Captain Royal Artillery
Tong L D Major East Lancashire Rgt
Tough J Private Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Treffry D Captain Royal Artillery
Tsoucas G Captain UDF
Turnbull J Lieutenant Border Rgt
Turnbull S R Lieutenant Duke of Wellington’s Rgt
Twidle V R Lieutenant Parachute Rgt
Upton J B Major Royal Horse Artillery
Vaughan E E Captain Indian Medical Service
Vedeniapine A P Lieutenant Blank
Vernon H Major Oxf and Bucks Light Infantry
Vickers J O M Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps
Wales J Private Durham Light Infantry
Walker H H Captain East Surrey Rgt
Wallace J A F Lieutenant Royal Scots Fusiliers
Wardrop N Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Watson J Lieutenant Royal Warwickshire Rgt
Webster S E Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Webster J B Lieutenant Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
Wedderburn D M O Lieutenant Grenadier Guards
Welch W G Captain Border Rgt
Welding G Private Royal Army Medical Corps
Westcott C R Captain Royal Artillery
Westlay H Captain Royal Artillery
Weston A H Major Royal Army Medical Corps
Whelan T P Major Royal Horse Artillery
White K G Lieutenant Royal Artillery
Williams Chester F Captain 2 Royal Lancers, IA
Williams C F Lieutenant Essex Rgt
Willson Lloyd V Lieutenant South Wales Borderers
Wilson B Captain Border Rgt
Wood W J Captain Royal Army Service Corps
Woodley H F R Major Royal Artillery
Woodward P J Captain Royal Engineers
Woodward G C Captain South Staffs
Wright A Private Royal Army Medical Corps
Wrigley Padre
Wuth N C Lieutenant UDF, Signals
Wylie-Carrick N Captain King Edwards Own Gurkha Rifles
Young A S T Lieutenant Highland Light Infantry
Young M A Captain NZEF
Young J Corporal Royal Engineers
Young E G Major Royal West Kent

29 responses to “The men from Rotenburg who marched east”

  • Dermot Robert Strangwayes-Booth
    December 1st, 2011 at 11:21

    My late father Captain Charles Wilson Booth (Royal Berkshire Regiment) seems to have been omitted from this list. He was wounded and captured on 27 May 1940 in the Dunkirk retreat and liberated in April 1945. He spent most of the war in one of these camps.

    Reply
  • oflag1945
    December 1st, 2011 at 11:50

    Thank you for this, sadly I am behind in adding Oflag IX A/H men. Did your late father leave any diaries or pictures from his time in Spangenberg?

    Reply
  • Dermot Strangwayes-Booth
    November 12th, 2012 at 16:49

    No but I would refer you to the diaries of John Mansel who provided all the forged papers for those escaping. He does not seem to be on the list either. I now have a copy of the diaries which are very we;; written with good line illustrations by the author ( a qualified architect).

    Reply
    • oflag1945
      November 12th, 2012 at 17:20

      John Mansel left Spangenberg in September 1942, before the period covered by this site.But you are of course quite right about the wonderful drawings of Spangenberg and other camps.

      Reply
  • Thomas Thomson
    February 11th, 2013 at 12:41

    See the obituary for Christopher Gerald Lea (1917 – 2006) in The Telegraph of 21 July 2006.

    Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    December 29th, 2013 at 23:56

    My Wife’s grandfather was Lt. Leslie Dennis Freeman, taken at Dunkirk and I remember his story of being a POW for the duration. Findmypast says he was at Rotenburg. He died in 1980. I assume he would have been on this list, But he is not. He tells the story of making a radio from the parts of an electric model train that for some mysterious reason he had with him at his capture.He told of evenings where the troops and some of the Germans listened to the BBC news! Anyone else heard this story??

    Reply
    • oflag1945
      December 30th, 2013 at 07:30

      I presume that ‘Findmypast’ uses the Nominal Roll of POWs published in 1945 by HMSO. Although this has the note “All lists corrected generally up to 30 March 1945”, it mostly describes the situation in the autumn of 1944. The discrepancy being caused by delays and confusion in records from Germany reaching the UK. My lists have to use the HMSO publication for IX A/H, but for IX A/Z there is a nominal roll dated January 1945 and which forms part of the papers of the Senior British Officer, Lt-Col Kennedy, which are in the Imperial War Museum.Since Freeman is not on the roll, he must have been transferred in the autumn of 1944. Transfers were not uncommon and most of the POWs from 1940 experienced four or five camps before the end of the War.

      Do you know anything about his liberation?

      Regards

      Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    January 15th, 2014 at 20:29

    Happy New Year by the way!!

    Thanks for replying and supplying such useful information. I asked my mother-in-law, who is the daughter in law of Lt Freeman with regard to the liberation and it was a year or two before she met the family. She says that Freeman had a diary of all his wartime experience and she thought it had been lent to one of her daughters in law, each of whom have never heard of it!! It would be fascinating if ever it turned up again wouldn’t it?? Oh well – back to the drawing board…

    Thanks again for your interest

    Richard

    Reply
  • Peter Green
    January 15th, 2014 at 20:35

    And a Happy New Year to you! Fingers crossed for the diary. It should be called ‘A Wartime Log’ and have an heraldic lion motif on the front and be about A5 in size.

    Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    January 15th, 2014 at 20:39

    That’s interesting. Are you saying there was such a blank book issued to troops maybe via Red Cross parcels or somesuch, or were they able to buy it after the war….?

    Reply
    • oflag1945
      January 16th, 2014 at 07:30

      Yes they were issued (all other things being equal of course) with them. I have added some pictures of my father’s to the Facebook Group – Oflag IX A/H and A/Z.

      Reply
      • Vaughan Cole
        January 16th, 2015 at 12:02

        I have my father’s (Pte V Cole, Royal West Kent) ‘A Wartime Log’ as described above. It has 111 pages and his copy has one or two photos per page. These photos must show most at Spangenberg in 1944.Subjects are, for instance, Panto and swimming gala. We have digitised many of these photos.

        My best regards,

        Vaughan Cole

      • oflag1945
        January 16th, 2015 at 13:11

        Love to see any pictures and what then log has to say about the period Jan 1945 to liberation. Best regards.

      • Vaughan Cole
        January 18th, 2015 at 13:50

        I can now confirm there to be 111 pages in the log most with 1 or 2 photos. We have his diary which records liberation by Americans after long march and a video of him telling experiences after capture. He was captured at Arras during moves toward then away from Dunkirk. I believe this was the counter attack that worried Hitler, where Rommel had to take command of 88’s. Following wounding and capture his account tells of being flown to Berlin with a few others, to be paraded before Hitler and co with full kit. He thought they were going to be shot. Hitler had never seen a ‘Tommy’ before. He was marched/transported to Poland (Pozen) to work in salt mines then moved to Spangenberg. I have his diary and names and addresses of those he was with as well as other documents. He was involved with a camp radio. I hope this is all of interest and would propose to show photos electronically as best we can for all to see and to transcribe other data.

        My best regards,

        Vaughan Cole

  • Aad Boode
    October 30th, 2014 at 22:25

    The list mentions D. Orr, Pipe Sergeant Major, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. I suppose that means he was Pipe Major, but in which battalion?
    I am also interested to know his year/place of birth and, if deceased, his year/place of death.

    Reply
    • oflag1945
      October 31st, 2014 at 07:57

      Sadly Orr only occurs on the camp nominal roll for January 1945 as Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Identifying battalions from this or the HMSO 1945 published list isn’t possible. I would imagine that he was captured with others from 51st Highland Div in 1940.

      Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    January 19th, 2015 at 21:39

    “First Name: L D
    Initials: L D
    Surname: Freeman
    Resided Town: Oflag 9a/Z, Rotenburg An Der Fulda
    Resided Country: Germany
    Fate: Prisoner of War
    Information: POW No. 910
    More Information: The suffix Z indicates a branch camp of the main camp.
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Service Number: 25122”

    Yet another Happy New Year everyone!

    Above is the entry from War Records re L D Freeman, who is mentioned above a year ago. I am still hopeful of tracking down his diary, but no luck yet.

    I cannot establish from where this information came. Any ideas please??

    Richard

    Reply
  • oflag1945
    January 23rd, 2015 at 15:50

    Sorry I have never seen a record like this. He isn’t on the nominal roll of the camp dated January 1945, but is on the War Office list as IX A/Z. Since the WO list is often not up to date, this suggests he was moved from Rotenburg sometime in the autumn of 1944.

    Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    January 23rd, 2015 at 22:33

    Thank you for your reply. Is that WO list onllne anywhere please or just at Kew?

    Reply
  • Michael Bishop
    September 17th, 2015 at 23:16

    Hi, my grandfather was corporal James Thomas Bishop of the 4th South African Infantry Brigade UDF service no. 36835. His POW no.was 224721 I have his 1944 Oflag IX A/Z Christmas card and a letter on the 8th jan. 1945 to my grandmother saying that he had a job as a waiter in the officers dining hall.He was taken prisoner in North Africa in 1942, sent to Italy, then on to StalagIV B, have a card dated Sept. 27th 1943 from there.
    Do you have any information on him in your records?

    Reply
    • oflag1945
      September 18th, 2015 at 09:11

      Sadly I have no more news about your grandfather. I suspect he was an orderly at Rotenburg, rather than a waiter. All Oflags – officer camps had a small number of orderlies. Their duties might have included waiting on table for major events – such as the Christmas meal, but would have also included cleaning. The orderlies took part in camp activities, for example in NOvember 1944 there was a revue by the Orderlies – “Rise and Shine: a krazy konkoktion of komedy and synkopation”. Unfortunately your grandfather is not in the cast list. I will put an appeal for information about your grandfather on my Facebook page

      Reply
    • oflag1945
      July 15th, 2017 at 21:06

      Michael, a guy has come forward whose distant relative knew your grandfather. If you send me your email address (I’m peter.castra@gmail.com) I can put you in touch with him.

      Reply
  • Ade Woodward
    January 27th, 2016 at 19:23

    My father was P J Woodward a captain in the Royal Engineers wounded and captured outside Calais in May 1940. He was a searchlight specialist but was allocated to stay behind mining and bridge demolitions. He was a very bitter man both because of the poor level of equipment of the British Expeditionary Force but also the way the local French gave away every mining of bridges to the Germans.

    Reply
  • Vaughan Cole
    January 27th, 2016 at 20:07

    My father was similarly disappointed re equipt and French response

    Vaughan Cole

    Reply
  • Richard Corbett
    July 16th, 2017 at 08:04

    Lt. L.D. Freeman

    I now have his diary! Finally tracked it down and it is a gold mine! I need to find out how to get it digitised and then I shall ask you all what I should do with it so the it can be accessed by all.

    Any help and ideas welcome please

    Reply
  • oflag1945
    July 16th, 2017 at 08:11

    Good news! The ultimate destination should be the Imperial War Museum. Is it the YMCA log? And how many pages? BTW the Facebook site is now more used for topical messages. 😎

    Reply
    • Richard Corbett
      July 16th, 2017 at 09:34

      Yes ultimately I agree. Thanks for the suggestion. I’d like to have as faithful a copy as possible first though, to keep in the family.

      Yes it is the YMCA log. Printed in Geneva 1944. 213 Pages. Entitled “A Wartime Log”. The cover is Air Force blue. As he was a prisoner from 6th June 1940, a lot of what he has written I guess must have been transposed from other documentation. Much detail. Particularly of the journey into Germany after capture. From-and-to details of all the camps he was at during 5 years of captivity until liberated on 4th April 1945. All the camp Xmas cards and many programs of camp shows. Many photos of fellow prisoners and places they all were at or passed through.etc etc etc…..

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  • Douglas Watson
    May 10th, 2020 at 23:02

    My Grandfather is listed here Lt K I E Johnson Border Regiment. Saw his signature in a record book in a museum at Fallingbostel Camp and a picture at The Castle in Carlisle.

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