British POW in Heydebreck Camp

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Marguay, Jul 4, 2010.

  1. Marguay

    Marguay Junior Member

    My late father was a Prisoner of War at: Heydebreck O/S, 3/Kyt, BAB20, Germany. I have very little information about his time as a POW as he would not talk about it. He was in the RAOC. At the back of his New Testament, are the signatures and numbers of many of his comrades and it is titled ROO Sq. If anyone could give me any information at all about the camp, or its situation I should be very grateful. I plan to send for his Service Record - but would it be very short of information as I understand he was captured around Besancon, France at the very start of the war.
    Thank you.
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

  3. Marguay

    Marguay Junior Member

    Thank you for forwarding that article, at least I have made a start!!
     
  4. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Also this. Thank You to Ernie Matthews for the BAB20 theatrical company programme for ‘You can’t take it with you’ put on at Heydebreck in October 1943. Does anyone have any photos of the show or cast? Ernie also sent in details of his route march from BAB20 Heydebreck in Upper Silesia to Winklarn in Bavaria. The march began on 22nd January and ended on 23rd April 1945.
    Summer 2003
     
  5. 2nd glosters

    2nd glosters Junior Member

    hi ya my dad was bab/ 20 /40 , hes account is on here sorry cant find it lol, he was in the 2nd glosters ,plus abit of a diary that he wrote, it might help what your lookin for, name william law , all the best paul
     
  6. keith newman

    keith newman Senior Member

    My late father was a Prisoner of War at: Heydebreck O/S, 3/Kyt, BAB20, Germany. I have very little information about his time as a POW as he would not talk about it. He was in the RAOC. At the back of his New Testament, are the signatures and numbers of many of his comrades and it is titled ROO Sq. If anyone could give me any information at all about the camp, or its situation I should be very grateful. I plan to send for his Service Record - but would it be very short of information as I understand he was captured around Besancon, France at the very start of the war.
    Thank you.

    prisoners from this camp were marched back into germany to moosburg
    they were then released when patton entered moosberg 29 april 1945
    my father in law kept a diary of the march, written on the back of red cross
    paper. he also kept friends names addresses etc, plus two photos of barber shop in camp, hope this helps. just google moosberg link will take you to site of moosberg camp.
     
  7. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Keith,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  8. alisonshorrock

    alisonshorrock Junior Member

    My uncle Pte Joe Gribben was also a prisoner at BAB20. He was sadly shot there on 27 March 1942.

    Alison
     
  9. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Alison,

    A belated welcome to the forum.

    Is this your uncle Joe?

    GRIBBEN, JOSEPH
    Rank: Private
    Service No: 6206452
    Date of Death: 27/03/1942
    Age: 21
    Regiment/Service: Middlesex Regiment 1st Bn. Princess Louise's Kensington Regt.
    Grave Reference: 4. C. 4.
    Cemetery: KRAKOW RAKOWICKI CEMETERY
    Additional Information: Son of Joseph and Mary Gribben, of Great Harwood, Lancashire.

    Do you know why he was shot? Is there a story?

    Best,

    Steve.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2020
  10. Lindasj

    Lindasj New Member

    My uncle Sapper George Mouzer was also in BAB 20 he was sadly killed in an air raid on the long march to Bavaria on 11th April 1945. He loved music and the Red Cross sent him a clarinet I understand there were many bands in the camps and wondered if he was in one of the bands.
     
  11. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Linda

    Welcome to the forum

    For information:

    G W Mouzer in the UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945

    Name: G W Mouzer
    Rank: Sapper
    Army Number: 1875820
    Regiment: Royal Engineers
    POW Number: 16152
    Camp Type: Miscellaneous Establishments
    Camp Number: BAB 20
    Camp Location: Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Poland

    TD

    edited to add:
    Searching around I came across this - http://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/pSt_BAB20.htm If you also search the forum there are probably other threads on this camp and the march undertaken by your Uncle
     
  12. Lindasj

    Lindasj New Member

    Many thanks Tricky Dicky I have only just started to research my Uncles life and the time he was a POW . Will take a look at the sites you mentioned
     
  13. Josephine Rowell

    Josephine Rowell New Member

    My Dad Basil Rowell was with George Mouzer on the LONG MARCH. George made a list of the places that he went thru' on the long march and my dad copied the list. My dad was in BAB 20 at Heydebreck.
     
    Alucard likes this.
  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Josephine

    Welcome to our little site

    Maybe you could start a thread on your father and post his list. I would also suggest using the search facility of the site as I think there are a number of threads that include the Long March

    TD
     
  15. Alucard

    Alucard Member

    Hi, Josephine,

    Yes, George Mouzer was killed when sheltering under a railway bridge during an air raid, at Bayreuth on Wednesday 11th April 1945.

    How does the list that you have compare to this listing. I will not include the dates. Some spellings may not be exact.

    Starting out 4.30pm from BAB 20 at Reigersfeld, Heydebreck, Ober Silesia, on 22nd January 1945. Approximately 1000 POW's in this column.

    Gruinwreide. Krominsdorf. Ludwigsdorf. Harensdorf. Neustadt. Reichenstein. Rugersdorf. Neiderstein. Brounou. Wickersdorf. Mekelsdorf. Abbersdorf. Pilnikau. Tchieste. Radim. 12 kilometres from Jitchen. Bosin. Hohnerwasser. Reichenstadt. Gleichstadt. Gros Priesoner. Ausaig. Graupen. Osaegg. Passing through Bruda & Brusc to Harreth. Milaouc. Gorslen. Leichenstadt. Unknown. Konigsburg. Zittersdorf. Unknown. Rauchensteig. Rauchenstadt. Gefrees. Ramsdettel. Bayreuth.- here they worked making repairs to the railway and bomb damage. Unknown. Unknown. Unknown. Unknown about 10 kilometres from Wieden. Unknown. Winklarn, Bavaria, where they were liberated by the Americans on 23rd April 1945, having marched over five hundred miles.

    Hope this is of interest.
     
  16. BarbaraWT

    BarbaraWT Member

    Hi, that’s a very special connection for 2 living relatives - Basil and George must have been friends to be together on the Long March?
     
  17. Josephine Rowell

    Josephine Rowell New Member

    Many thanks for your list, as you said the spellings are not exact. Dad,s List is 22 Jan to Mar 25 and very similar to the one above though you have given me more places. The list also described the specific dates and how much food they got and also distances.
     
    james kingston likes this.
  18. Alucard

    Alucard Member

     
  19. Alucard

    Alucard Member

    Hello Josephine.

    Thanks for your response.

    The list that I posted also comes from a day to day diary, 22nd January to 23rd April, which makes mention of the food and conditions. On 25th March they were in a barn at Ramsdetell, where they had been since 18th March, and stayed until 8th April before going to Bayreuth.

    Best wishes.
     
  20. Gavin Dixon

    Gavin Dixon New Member

    Hi all, It's good to find some folks who relatives were also part of BAB20 at Heydebreck. I have a number of photos of groups and theatrical performances. I'm happy to upload if that helps. My profile picture is dad, Tommy Dixon (aka Snowy)
     
    Alucard likes this.

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