My eBay photo arrived today from Germany. I am posting a resized (1000 dpi) version here. Hopefully, someone will recognize the British POWs. The families deserve to see this photo. I scanned it at 1200 dpi by the way. Dave
Hi Barbara, I think it is Tretten, Norway. Steve Foster posted on this forum about his father’s Battalion making a last stand there 23rd April 1940. He may be able to identify some of the personnel in the photo. Steve 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters - Last stand at Tretten
Hi Dave, You’re welcome. Looking through the pictures attached by Steve Foster (in the link to another forum I attached to my first post) I’ve copied one into this post as I think it is the same officer wearing the “overcoat” sitting in your image described by Steve Foster as Lt Col Ford, Commanding Officer 8th Sherwood Foresters. Steve
The caption to this photo in Kynoch's book, page 133, states it is LTC German, CO of 1/5 Leicesters. I do not believe it is the same officer in my photo. Dave
My second photo of the Tretten POWs arrived today from Germany. From eBay. Resized to 1000 dpi to post here. Dave
Last Friday, 31 August, I sent both photos to the Curator of the Museum of the Mercian Regiment. Dave
Two excellent photos which I have not seen before, the officer in the light trench coat is Lt Col TA Ford DSO, CO of 8th Foresters. Will try and identify the rest. This is the battalion HQ party which attempted to break out from the Rindheim position to get back to Tretten but were captured during the process. Trying to identify my father, Sgt F Foster who was captured with Lt Col Ford.
Dave, Major TKL Roberts was the battalion 2 i/c and I have just re-read his diary. It states ":....The only way possible, and an extremely slender one at that, was to gain the road and make one's way north as best one could. On reaching the road at about 1800 hrs, we were seen and the CO, Capt Athorpe, two clerks and myself were taken prisoner by an enemy battalion HQ" With the above in mind, the officer on Col Ford's right smoking the pipe is Maj Roberts and the captain at the front of the photograph is Capt Athorpe, the battalion adjutant. I am not able to name the other five soldiers in the group but will work on it. I have attached a photo of some of the 8th Foresters officers as POWs in Spangenberg and Roberts and Athorpe are on the right of Colonel Ford Steve
Dave, I can't recognise individuals in the above photograph but think it is a mixed group of 1/5 Leicesters and 8th Foresters. Both battalions had different Tactical Recognition Flashes, the Leicesters a light coloured TRF and the Foresters was maroon and Lincoln Green. The soldier standing in the great coat with back to camera is a Leicester. The soldier to his left sat on the ground with a TRF on his helmet is a Leicester and the two to the right of the picture above the sergeant are Foresters with their darker TRFs painted on their helmets. Steve
I have just read the reverse of the photo of the larger group of British prisoners and it states it was taken at Faberg. This is a small hamlet between Lillehammer and Tretten where the combined force of Leicesters and Foresters made a stand on 22 April but were overrun by armour and ski troops. Many Leicesters and Foresters were captured there, particularly B and C Companys of the Foresters who did not receive the order to retire. The Force retired to Tretten that evening where they made their last stand the next day on the 23rd. So I think the photo of the larger group was taken on the 22cnd of April as it is a mixed group pf Leicesters and Foresters. Both TRFs visible on helmets and sleeves
Much useful info on this thread! Capt MCM Athorpe was my father, and I have v interesting letters written on 21 and 24 April. I'm giving a talk to our local (Brecon) U3a on June 24 about the Norway campaign and his (tiny) part in it: he only arrived in Norway on 21, supposedly escorting the transport which of course had all been sunk on the Cedarbank. I think I can recognise my father sitting down in the photo of PoWs
Forgot to add.... I was in the 1990 commemorative trip to Norway with veterans and relatives, which made a big impression.