Hi Hoping someone can help. I was in my nanas house other day and she shown me a bible that had some of my grandads personal army record information along with large number of other POW names who I assume was in his barracks which was stamped with Stalag Viii D or B handwriting hard to interpret. His name was Private James Christopher Wilson and it says in bible he was part of the 4th Green Howard's. He never spoke of the war to his family or wife. My nana believes he served in Africa but I can only assume this was not the only continent he stepped foot in during the war and wonder how he ended up in Stalag 13?
UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: J C Wilson Rank: Private Army Number: 4390813 Regiment: Green Howards POW Number: 13675 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: 344 Camp Location: Lambinowice, Poland Record Office: Infantry and Army Educational Corps Record Office, York Record Office Number: 20 Does the service number match up?? Others will know better than I but yes he could have been captured in North Africa, shipped to Italy then as Italy collapsed moved again to Germany. Stalag VIII (8) was also know as 344 or Lamsdorf - Stalag VIIIB 344 Lamsdorf TD
Thank you TD Certainly seems to be his records. Both POW and service number look the same apart from a couple numbers I can't make out. Would certainly be nice to know his story.
Obtaining his service records is the best place to start - link - Request records of deceased service personnel - GOV.UK. Then War Diaries for his units he served in. Then more POW research You have started on an eventful journey TD
Captured in France so no Africa service I`m afraid 4390813 Pte J C Wilson 4th Btn Green Howards Posted missing 19th June 1940 Confirmed P.o,W Lamsdorf Kyle
Thank you for the document! It blows the Africa capturing advised by family members out of the question. Would it be possible he was a straggler who was captured after the Dunkirk evacuation? JB
Following Dunkirk there were several other attempts to bring back Allied troops fro northern France from ports on the north and west coasts - Operation Ariel - Wikipedia I guess he was somewhere in there TD