2719377 Guardsman William BLYTHING, 2 Irish Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 16 October 1939

Army Number: 2719377
Rank: Guardsman
Name: William BLYTHING
Unit: 2 Irish Guards


Date of Birth: 21 April 1912
Place of Birth: Liverpool

Date of Capture: 22 May 1940
Place of Capture: Boulogne, France

POW Number: 4791
POW Camps: Stalag XXIB, STALAG XXID, Stalag 344, Stalag XIIID

 

2IG, 1940, France, BEF, WO 417

2719377 Guardsman W BLYTHING, 2 Irish Guards, Declared Missing, 23/05/1940

 

Name: William Blything . Date of Birth: 21/4/1912 . Place of Birth: Liverpool . Service:... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/33/364
Name: William Blything.
Date of Birth: 21/4/1912.
Place of Birth: Liverpool.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Guardsman.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Irish Guards.
Service Number: [2719377].
Date of Capture: 22 May 1940.
Theatre of Capture: Boulogne.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XXIB Schubin.
PoW number: 4791.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 2.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

via Ancestry

PART I.
GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

1. No. 2719377
RANK - GUARDSMAN
SURNAME - BLYTHING
CHRISTIAN NAMES - WILLIAM
DECORATIONS - NONE

2. UNIT (ARMY) - 2nd BATT. IRISH GUARDS

3. DIVISION (ARMY) - 20th BRIGADE OF GUARDS

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 21st APRIL 1912

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 16th OCTOBER 1939

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - ELECTRIC LAMP WORK

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - 33 WARBRECK AVENUE, AINTREE, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - 23rd MAY 1940

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
STALAG XXIB / POLAND / JUNE [1940] - APRIL '41
STALAG XXID / POLAND / APRIL '41 - JULY '44
STALAG 344 / UPPER SILESIA / JULY '44 MARCH '45
STALAG XIIID / NUREMBERG / MARCH '45 - APRIL '45


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
POLAND / APRIL '41 - APRIL '42 / DIGGING


12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
FRACTURED ARM / ACCIDENT / 6 MONTHS
12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
YES


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. 2719377
RANK - GUARDSMAN
SURNAME - BLYTHING
CHRISTIAN NAMES - WILLIAM


2. LECTURES before Capture:
( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).
NO
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
NO

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
NO

4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did yo make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)
3 DAYS AFTER CAPTURE WHILST BEING MARCHED THROUGH FRANCE ABOUT 26th MAY 1940. NOT SUCCESSFUL OWING TO LACK OF FOOD. RECAPTURED AFTER 4 DAYS FREEDOM.


5. SABOTAGE
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc, when employed on working-parties or during escape? (Give details, places and dates.)
NO

6. COLLABORATION with enemy:
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
NO

7. WAR CRIMES
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of "Form Q" on which to make your statement.
(NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coning under this title.)



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
(continued)

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
NO


SECURITY UNDERTAKING
I fully realise that all information relating the matters covered by the questions in Part II. are of a highly secret and official nature.

I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.

Date 29th April 1945
Signature W Blitzing