Three days earlier, the inmates of Monowitz had been sent on their own death march to Gleiwitz near the Czech border where they boarded trains to Buchenwald in Germany and Mauthausen in Austria. 10thFeb 2023 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. Ferry Lane Albert A. Seibel Ottaw, On Six of them were self-contained wards, each with space for about 100 patients. Ordered back from one defensive line to the next, amid scenes of growing chaos, the four Lancashire battalions fought a number of delaying actions, most notably at Tournai on the Escaut, at Lannoy and at Rousbrugge, before reaching Dunkirk. Transwood The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. Kyrle Street Quantity: 1 b&w origi. South Africa, 26th Jul 1942 Saint Road paper mill, E88 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Hohrnlohehutte, E902 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Delbruckschachte-Hindenburg coal mine, E91 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Mittenbruck Silesia. Robert Stoker The base camp at Lamsdorf was renumbered Stalag 344. They were in Polish and German. It was liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945. Scotland, 26th Jul 1942 The base camp at Lamsdorf was renumbered Stalag 344. The site was chosen because the sandy soil made tunnelling difficult for prisoners of war to dig tunnels. England, 31st Jan 1942 Trpr. W. Wynne Mason, Prisoners of War (1954), from the Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-1945 series is a recommended reference text. London, 19th Oct 1944 Hunt and Dad had first met while at IX C. Hunt later became a doctor. Very little remains there, but there is an exhibition of daily life in the camps and a reconstruction of a hut where Russian POWs were held (and treated very badly). During winter 1944/45, as the Red Army was closing fast, the Germans decided to evacute the camp (which became a transfer point for the prisoners from Auschwitz and other camps) and forced the prisoners into columns of 500 men each. On 1st June a determined enemy attack on the Dunkirk perimeter was halted by the gallant stand of B Company, 1st East Lancashires, for which Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews was awarded the Victoria Cross (the only one at Dunkirk), assisted by a counter-attack by the Loyals. He also stated that the Germans saved his leg when they put maggots on his wound. A small number of RAF non-commissioned officers who were shot down in the second half of 1941 spent a few weeks there. cement works, E209 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Bobrek. It was built in March 1941 on the grounds of a former Czech barracks. In January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, many of the prisoners were marched westward in groups of 200 to 300 in the so-called Death March. Hornchurch MG Jenkins 42nd Btn Royal Tank Regiment, Pte. They were ordered to march to the West. From December 1943 the camp was extended to take an increasing number of American aircrew. After the treaty of Versailles, the camp was closed down. In January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, many of the prisoners were marched westward in groups of 200 to 300 in the so-called Death March. The movie about the Great Escape was very moving as well to me. In general, the conditions in the main Teschen camp and in all the sub-camps were deplorable. However all food was provided from kitchens operated by army personnel in the camp proper. Cheshire, Norris E. Hunt (Joe) Mitford Drive With the start of the Soviet VistulaOder Offensive in January 1945, Auschwitz was evacuated by the SS. Joe Hunt and Armand Rondeau in particular. Stalag Luft 4 was opened by the Luftwaffe in May 1944 for RAF and American non commissioned officers. Rondeau was in Dads room at Belaria. The unlucky ones got "liberated" by the Soviets, who instead of turning them over quickly to the western allies, held them as virtual hostages for several more months. coal mine, E211 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Treibiz. The working party was known as BAB 20/3COY. Released by the advancing Russian forces in Upper Silesia. My mother wrote to The Legion magazine a number of years ago requesting information. These leaflets were scattered all over the countryside and must have been dropped from planes. Alternatively, search more than 1 million objects from The only two to survive on Dad's plane were he (Jim Snowsell) and Wild Kipp. The montage was created in the camp by Warrant Officer William Lawrence RAF. The South Lancashires held the far left of the British line, west of Nieuport, the Loyals occupied the fortified town of Bergues on the right, while the East Lancashires plugged a gap in the centre of the line along the Bergues Canal. There were 200 men in the party and their job was to build huts, lay pipes, clear snow etc. Stalag Luft 3Used for: Stalag Luft 3, Stalag Luft iii, Stalag Luft III, Belaria camp, Belaria, Belaria compound, Zagan camp, Zegan camp, Sagan camp, Stalag Luft 3 was in Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan, 100 miles (161 kms) south-east of Berlin. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. He weighed 6 stone when he came home and was of a nervous disposition for the rest of his life. Clacton-on-Sea It was opened in 1939 to house Polish prisoners from the German September 1939 offensive. Under those circumstances, nobody could be at or near Auschwitz without knowing what was going on. Stalag VIII-B was a German Army prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, later renumbered Stalag-344, located near the village of Lamsdorf (now ambinowice) in Silesia. Prisoners of War. West Bergholt He ordered Gribben now to push the barrow. It opened in March 1942 by theLuftwaffeto hold captured Allied airmen. 25 Operational Training Unit Wellington lost. The camp was commanded by SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Otto Brossmann. In harsh winter conditions prisoners were marched, under guard, with poor clothing and rations. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. E563 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Bory Jelen Jaworzno, E565 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Sierza Wodna, E571 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Gruden. Colchester Westerhope Manitoba R. L. Rutherford South Africa, R W Kinsey Later the Lamsdorf camp was used by the Soviets to house Germans, both prisoners of war and civilians. Len Walker Johnnie W. Mayhead Birmingham, 1st April 1942 E411 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Hohenzollerngrube Beuthen. Australia, RAF No. Records from Stalag 8b Prisoner of War Camp other sources. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf was a German Army prisoner of war camp, later renumbered Stalag-344, located near the small town of Lamsdorf (now called ambinowice) in Silesia. London, 14th Nov 1940 Date: Sep 1941-Sep 1944 From: Morris family : . He worked in a series of work camps including Groschowitz (Groszowice) from July 1940 to October 1940 on building works, Gumpertsdorf (Komprachcice) from November 1940 to January 1941 on roadworks, Heuerstein, from 25th May 1941 to 3rd June 1941, in a quarry, Setzdorf (Vpenn), from 18th August 1941 to 27 February 1944, in another quarry, Jagerndorf (Strzelniki), from March 1944 to August 1944, on council work, Freudenthal (Bruntl), from August 1944 to September 1944, in a linen factory, and Gurschdorf (Skoroice) from September 1944 to March 1945, a quarry that was also a punishment camp. She received a letter from Mr. C. Earl who was a medical orderly at the camp and who, along with another man J. Watson, identified Joe's body when it was brought into the guardroom. I would very much like to get in touch with Paul Law (William's son who submitted the dairies). Town End nr Gleadless Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. cement factory, E203 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Oppeln. Some were later released, others sent to Gulags in Siberia. This Christmas Postcard was drawn by my father Kenneth (Ken) V F Wood in a competition. The working party was known as BAB 20/3COY. It was opened in May 1943 for non commissioned officers captured during 1943 along with many transferred from Stalag Luft 1 and Stalag Luft 3 camps. Canada, 20th Jan 1944 *The names on the lists might not all be listed individually yet on the alphabetical list below (it takes a long time to do this). If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 261046 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. Trpr. The camp was created in 1941 as the base camp for a number of work-camps (Arbeitskommando) for prisoners of war working in the mines and industries of Upper Silesia. Standerton I have used the German names for these places and have put as many Polish or Czech names that I can identify in brackets. The Archive team would love to hear from you. The Soviet Army reached the camp on 17 March 1945. STALAG VIIIB/344 LAMSDORF PRISONERS OF WAR Public Group | Facebook. The base camp at Lamsdorf was renumbered Stalag 344. Dad credits Rondeau for saving his life during the march to Spremburg. In February 1945 2,000 RAF prisoners arrived having been evacuated from Stalag Luft 3 and Stalag Luft 7. If you have any unwanted The camp was commanded by SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Otto Brossmann. Staines Quebec It is located in Poland near the small town of Lamsdorf (now called Lambinowice) in what was then known as Upper Silesia. The prefix E referred to English although other national were included. Herefordshire, Johnnie P Baple Stan Living-Stone He told us that the Gaelic speakers in the camp were able to pass information to each other without the Guards knowing what they were saying. The camp was liberated by the Red Army on the 26th of January 1945. Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk. Also, there were pamphlets dropped in Auschwitz and the surrounding territory, one of which I personally read, which related what was going on in the camp at Auschwitz. Birmingham, 25th Jun 1942 Over 2000 prisoners are estimated to have died from hypothermia, exhaustion, starvation and disease during the long march. Among them were: E715 was a POW camp for British prisoners which was administered and guarded by soldiers from Wehrmacht because it was a subcamp of Stalag VIII-B camp. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. labouring, E490 Arbeits kommando Stalag 8b Beuthen. He said that Joe was part of a working party formed at Fort 11 near Torun. The three Lancashire battalions were among the last British troops to embark on the night 2nd/3rd June. Air Force POWs in all camps are listed - Lamsdorf is identified as 344. Lye Most prisoners were put to work in machine shops making pipes and repairing chemical plant equipment. What a revelation - they told me so much about this young man who joined up in 1939 - about his education, his previous employment (and what he earned) and his physical appearance. Drive Mansions In 2005 my mother also contacted Alison Robertson from an advert in the local paper. Some of the surrounding POWs were said to have shouted at him and Sonntag took his rifle to show he meant his threat. Robert Henry Sharp 1st Lothian Edinburgh Horse Yeomanry. London, J E Hall It was located in the area of the former Camp II (Lager II), initially referred to as a camp of field artillery (Feldlager). Mr Earl describes that the working party then moved to Reigersfield near Old Cossel in Upper Silesia. The BEF advanced into Belgium but the Allied front rapidly collapsed before the German blitzkrieg and the British force, with its flanks exposed and its rear increasingly threatened, was obliged to make a succession of withdrawals. At this same location there had been a prisoner camp during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. True Heart Inn Johannesburg By early October 1939 both battalions were in position on the Belgian frontier, where they were joined in April 1940 by the 1st and 4th East Lancashires, both of 42nd Division. Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf was a German Army prisoner of war camp, later renumbered Stalag-344, located near the small town of Lamsdorf (now called ambinowice) in Silesia. Please scroll down for: Types of Camp Clickable List of Camps You can help If you know about someone who was an allied prisoner of war of Germany during the Second World War, [1] It was later known as Stalag VIII-B.[2]. By early 1942 they housed 7,000 prisoners from Belgium, France, Poland and Yugoslavia. It was opened in 1939 to house Polish prisoners from the German September 1939 offensive. The sentry Sonntag continued to order my great uncle to move the barrow and threatened use of his firearm. The camp initially occupied barracks built to house British and French prisoners in World War I. He told us that he was in on several escape plans but did nor ever try to escape himself as he reckoned he was too old and might hold the others back. Gillingham Want to know what life was like during the War? The three Lancashire battalions were among the last British troops to embark on the night 2nd/3rd June. The lucky ones got far enough to the west to be liberated by the American army. London, Ont All three units held their positions, under constant attack, until ordered to withdraw. Christmas celebrations during theSecond World Waroften had to be scaled down or adjusted as restrictions and shortages took their toll. Stockport These are the camps that housed captured members of the enemy armed forces, crews of ships of the merchant marine and the crews of civil aircraft. At this same location there had been a prisoner camp during the Franco-Prussian . Grenadier Guards. The camp was liberated by the Russians in May 1945 and the 7,588 American and 1,351 British and Canadian prisoners were evacuated. Canada, Eric W Earl Staffs, 1st Dec 1943 I think he had an argument with them about the fag." James Badcock My mother wrote to The Legion magazine a number of years ago requesting information. I have just come back from a visit to the remains of Stalag VIIIb and the Prisoner of War Museum at Lambinovice (Lamsdorf). This led to representatives from the Red Cross making two visits to E715 in the summer 1944. Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf was a large, German prisoner of war camp. The records also told me that Dad was captured at Gazala in North Africa and ended up in Stalag VIIIb, in what is now Poland, from September 1943 until liberation in April 1945. Johnnie Shanks The Soviet Army reached the camp 17 March 1945. Today I read the diaries of Private William Law. Where 8B is shown, this means Teschen. The J.H. There are various post cards of a funeral at BAB20 for a man shot for smoking a fag. I didnt see the name of Thurmann Esselmeyer, USAAF, on any of the programs. A. E. Collins Donnington New Zealand, 24th May 1940 Y Yithers Norton The date fits(if this was Pte Law's diary for 1942) and the reason fits the official German version. He spoke of being lined up to be shot on two separate occasions, but each time was reprievedI think that was a form of mental torture. My father told us that he escaped on a number of occasions, typically from working parties and although he did not achieve a 'home run', he was on the run on VE day having fought in the liberation of Prague alongside Czech partisans. There are photos of three funerals at BAB20 on the Pegasus website. Ayot St. Peter Cpl. [3] Some POWs made contact with concentration camp inmates and passed on information about the war's progress that had been acquired using secret radios in the POW camp. Lawrence, a trained engineer, carried out clandestine photography in the Camp between August 1942 - February 1945. mine. During winter 1944/45, as the Red Army was closing fast, the Germans decided to evacute the camp (which became a transfer point for the prisoners from Auschwitz and other camps) and forced the prisoners into columns of 500 men each. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is unfortunately no longer in contact with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. 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