POW [ Content Tag ]
Below is a list of the history pages, personal accounts, extracts and photos that have been tagged with a reference to 'POW'...
Tag references
Divided into content type :
1. [ pow ]
Corp. Jack Kidd
Jan 1938 - Early 1945
Corporal Jack Kidd's personal accounts of joining the Division in 1938, the surrender at St. Valery 1940, the journey into captivity as a WWII POW and the final forced 'Death March' or 'Thousand mile march' in 1945 as the German Guards retreated.
2. [ pow ]
Road to St. Valéry
Jan 1938 - June 1940
Corp. Jack Kidd's experience from joining the Territorial Army in January 1938 to his capture at St. Valéry-en-caux in June 1940.
3. [ pow ]
Gunner Henry Owens
June 1939 - May 1945
The story of Gunner Henry Owens - from his volunteering in 1939, through the capture at St Valéry, to life as a POW and finally the long march back from East Prussia into Germany, from where he was finally repatriated in 1945. It includes photos and copies of original documents as well as extracts from personal letters of the time.
4. [ pow ]
volunteering - capture
1939 - 1940
From Henry Owens' volunteering in 1939 to his capture at St. Valery in 1940
5. [ history ]
St. Valéry
June 1940
General Fortune considered all the options, a counter attack, further resistance, retaking the town but against this there was no possibility of evacuation or support, the men were exhausted and virtually out of ammunition, with no artillery ammunition at all. Shortly before 1000hrs on the 12th June General fortune took the most difficult of decisions - to surrender...
6. [ pow ]
WWII POW Experiences
An Introduction
While part of the 51st Highland Division, Ark Force, escaped capture at St Valéry and returned with the reformed 51st Highland Division to continue the war in North Africa and Europe for many their war would continue in captivity for the next five years...
7. [ pow ]
Johnnie Matheson
5 Escape Attempts
Johnnie Matheson retells the story of his five escape attempts from POW camps between 1940 - 1945.
He walked into wartime captivity with a haversack full of looted French franc notes of doubtful value from a bombed bank in St Valery - and more than five years later drove across a war-torn Europe heading for his Highland home in a brand new BMW car festooned with American stars and stripes, and a legitimate fortune in pounds sterling in his pocket.
8. [ pow ]
March into Captivity
Summer 1940
Personal account of the march into POW captivity by Henry Owens, 1940
9. [ pow ]
to the POW Camp
Summer 1940
Corporal Jack Kidd's personal accounts of the journey into captivity from 12th June 1940 at St. Valéry, through Belgium, Holland and onto Thorne in Poland.
10. [ pow ]
The POW Camps
1940 - 1945
Henry Owens recalls the POW Camps he was held in from 1940 - 1945
11. [ pow ]
POW Processing
1940
Corp. Jack Kidd recalls his POW processing at Thorne, Polland, Summer/Autumn 1940
13. [ pow ]
Stalag XXa Camp 52
1940 - 1942
Henry Owens describes life and forced labour at Stalag XXa Camp 52, Gorsdorf, Poland. 1940 - 1942
14. [ pow ]
Stalag XXb, Marienburg
1942 - 1944
Henry Owens describes Stalag XXb, Marienburg 1942 - 1944
15. [ pow ]
Camp 946 and 210
Elbing 1944-1945
Henry Owens describes Stalag XXb, Camp 946 and Camp 210 at Elbing, East Prussia between 1944 - 1945
16. [ pow ]
Thousand Mile March
Late 1944 - Early 1945
In late 1944, as the Russian advanced, the Germans evacuated the prisoner of war camps to prevent the liberation of the prisoners by the Russians. This resulted in more than 80,000 allied prisoners being marched west from Poland through Germany and Czechoslovakia through the first four months of 1945. Many did not survive...
17. [ pow ]
Long (Baltic) March
Jan-May 1945
Henry Owens describes the 1000 mile forced march that would become known as the 'Death March', January - May 1945.
18. [ pow ]
After Liberation
date unknown
Henry Owens reflects on his captivity and his opinions of his war
19. [ memorials ]
Stalag XXb, Marienburg
The Memorial at Stalag XXb, Marienburg (now Malbork) unveiled in September 2009
20. [ memorials ]
St. Valéry
Memorial Stone
Memorial Stone and inscription to the fallen of the 51st Highland Division at St. Valéry-en-caux
1. [ account ]
Major General Rennie's Address
St. Valéry, Sept 1944
Major General Rennie's address at St. Valéry on 3rd September 1944 after the return of the 51st Highland Division to St. Valéry.
1. [ photo ]
Corporal Jack Kidd
Corporal Jack Kidd, Prisoner of War after the 51HD were forced to surrender at St. Valery.
2. [ photo ]
Henry Owens
Henry Owens was a Gunner Artificer, RA. He joined up in June 1939. He was captured at St. Valéry in 1940 and spent the next five years as a POW before being liberated in May 1945.
4. [ photo ]
George Drummond
c.1939
We were sent several photographs of George Watt Drummond by his Niece (Beth Marshall). This photograph appears to have been taken before George left for France in 1939 with 4th Black Watch, as part of the B.E.F.
6. [ photo ]
Major General Fortune with General Major Rommel
12th June 1940
Major General V M Fortune, GOC [General Commanding Officer] 51st Highland Division (right), with General Major Erwin Rommel at St. Valéry after the surrender of the 51st Division to Rommel's 7th Panzer Division (12th June 1940)
8. [ photo ]
Henry Owens - Newspaper Clipping
Newspaper Clipping on Henry Owens from his home town reporting him as 'missing'.
9. [ photo ]
Corp. Jack Kidd's POW ID Tags
Corp. Jack Kidd's hand-tapped prisoner of War ID tags. The location of the POW camp is marked on one side as 'Thorn' which is located in Poland
10. [ photo ]
Official notification of POW
4th September 1940
This is a scan of the letter Henry Owens' Mother received officially notifying her of her son's (Henry Owens) capture and status as a POW. Dated 4th September 1940.
11. [ photo ]
G. Drummond (small group)
This photograph was one of several sent to us by Beth Marshall, the niece of George Watt Drummond (pictured 3rd left, middle).
It is not clear which of the three camps that George was held within is pictured here. George spent time in Stalag XXIA (Schildberg, Poland), Stalag IVC in Wistritz, Sudetenland, (now Czech Republic) and Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf, Poland - renamed Stalag 344 during 1943).
12. [ photo ]
G. Drummond (top right)
This photograph was sent to us by the niece of George Drummond (4th Black Watch) who was captured at St. Valery in June 1940. Drummond is picture top right.
It is not clear which of the three camps that George was held in is pictured here. George spent time in Stalag XXIA (Schildberg, Poland), Stalag IVC in Wistritz, Sudetenland, (now Czech Republic) and Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf, Poland - renamed Stalag 344 during 1943).
13. [ photo ]
Men in POW camp
This group photo of men in a POW camp was sent to us by the niece of one of the men picture (George Drummond, 4th Black Watch).
It is not clear which of the three camps that George was held within is pictured here. George spent time in Stalag XXIA (Schildberg, Poland), Stalag IVC in Wistritz, Sudetenland, (now Czech Republic) and Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf, Poland - renamed Stalag 344 during 1943).
14. [ photo ]
Henry Owens clearing ice, Stalag XXa
Henry Owens (far left) clearing ice in a work gang at Stalag XXa, Camp 52, Gorsdorf, Poland.
15. [ photo ]
Henry Owens clears snow, Stalag XXa
Henry Owens (far left) clearing snow as forced labour whilst at Stalag XXa Camp 52, Gorsdorf, Poland.
16. [ photo ]
G. Drummond Boxing
Men boxing in a POW camp.
This photograph was sent to us with several others taken of George Watt Drummond (right) whilst in a POW camp. It is not clear which of the three camps that George was held within is pictured here. George spent time in Stalag XXIA (Schildberg, Poland), Stalag IVC in Wistritz, Sudetenland, (now Czech Republic) and Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf, Poland - renamed Stalag 344 during 1943).
17. [ photo ]
Henry Owens Work Camp
Henry Owens at Work Camp No.52, Gorsdorf, 1942. Henry notes that this photograph was "a propaganda picture taken by the German authorities for a German magazine. The British uniforms were given to us for the photograph and were promptly taken back. A German guard took a couple of photographs for us, showing the real situation."
18. [ photo ]
Major General Fortune
12th June 1940
A veteran of the First World War, Victor Fortune had been commissioned in 1903 and he had commanded 1st Battalion The Black Watch in 1916. He commanded 1st Seaforths in 1927 and took command of the 5th Infantry brigade in 1930. He commanded the 52nd (Lowland) Division in 1935 and took command of the Highland Division in 1937.
When the Division surrendered at St.Valéry General Fortune went into captivity, refusing to be repatriated after a stroke in 1944. He returned when the prisoners were liberated and retired from the Army and died on 2nd January 1949.
19. [ photo ]
J.Matheson, Stalag 9c, 1942
1942, J.Matheson, Stalag 9c (Johnnie Matheson is marked as top row, second from left.)
20. [ photo ]
Sketch Map, Stalag XXb, Marienburg
A hand drawn sketch map (presumed to be by Henry Owens) showing the layout of Stalag XXb, Marienburg (some time between 1942 - 1944).
21. [ photo ]
Map of POW camps in Europe
30th August 1944
Map of the principle camps for British and Dominion prisoners of war in Europe. The following corrections (dated 30.8.44) were attached to the original map:Stalag Luft IV in Tychow (G.3) now forms part of Stalag Luft III at Sagan (F.5). Stalag Luft VI, Stalag XXX D and Stalag 357 have been closed.
22. [ photo ]
Route of 1000 mile March
taken by Henry Owens
The marking (green) shows the route taken my Henry Owens during the forced 1000 mile march of January - May 1945.
23. [ photo ]
J.Matheson in US uniform, 1945
May 1945. J.Matheson in US uniform with new (German) BMW. An American star is painted on the body work and an American Flag is attached to help identify the vehicle as 'friendly' to Allied forces.
24. [ photo ]
J.Matheson, letter from US Capt.
19th May 1945
This is a photo of the letter, dated 19th May 1945, given to Johnnie Matheson by US Army Capt. Judson B. De Loach to help explain how he came to be in possession of US Army Shirt, Helmet and Boots, in addition to a confiscated German BMW "bearing the American Flag"...
25. [ photo ]
St Valéry, Commemorative Window
This window shows the harbour inlet and town of St. Valéry within an aerial landscape incorporating the surrounding countryside which was involved in the action of 1940, together with the abrupt division by the cliffs between it and the sea which were both of extreme significance to the events of the time.
26. [ photo ]
St Valéry Stained Glass window
This memorial window, dedicated in June 1990, is a gift from the highland cities and towns of Scotland and commemorates fifty years of their special association with the people and township of St. Valéry en Caux with Inverness which began in the difficult circumstances of 1940 when the German army converged on the town and the combined allied forces comprising the French 9 St Corps and the 51st Highland Division.
27. [ photo ]
Stalag XXB Memorial
Memorial on the site of Stalag XXB, Marienburg. Kindly sent by Andrzej Gilewski, a resident of Malbork (previously known as Marienburg).
28. [ photo ]
Stalag XXB Memorial Inscription
Memorial on the site of Stalag XXB, Marienburg. Kindly sent by Andrzej Gilewski, a resident of Malbork (previously known as Marienburg).
29. [ photo ]
St. Valéry Memorial Stone
taken 2010
51st Highland Division Memorial at St. Valéry. The inscription reads "In proud and grateful memory of all ranks of the 51st (Highland) Division who gave their lives during the war 1939-45"