2722156 Guardsman Michael CAHIR, 1 Irish Guards: PoW

Date of Enlistment: 23 August 1940

Army Number: 2722156
Rank: Guardsman
Name: Michael CAHIR
Unit: 1 Irish Guards

Date of Birth: 15 July 1909
Place of Birth: Wigan, Lacashire
Address as of May 1945: 4 Mill Street, Wallgate, Wigan, Lancashire, England

Date of Capture: Anzio, italy
Place of Capture: 4 February 1944

POW Number: 275771
POW Camps: Stalag XIA, Stalag IVB

 

Army Number: 2722156
Rank: Guardsman
Name: M CAHIR
Unit: 2 Company, 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
Missing Personnel file: 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS - Italy, Missing Personnel file
TNA Reference: WO 361/784
Notes: Date of Payment 14 January 1944, 400 Local Currency ;
Missing 4 February 1944

 

Army Number: 272215
Rank: Guardsman
Name: M CAHIR
Unit: Irish Guards
Theatre:
POW Number: 275771
Date of Capture:
Place of Capture:
Camp: Stalag XIA

 

Name: Michael Cahir . Date of Birth: 15/7/1909 . Place of Birth: Wigan, Lacashire . ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/54/78
Name: Michael Cahir.
Date of Birth: 15/7/1909.
Place of Birth: Wigan, Lacashire.
Service: British Army.
Rank: [Guardsman].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [Irish Guards].
Service Number: [2722156].
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XIA Altengrabow.
PoW number: 275771.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War
PART I

1. No.: 2722156
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: CAHIR
Christian Names: Michael
Decorations: NIL

2. Unit (Army): IRISH GUARDS
3. Division (Army): 24th GUARDS BRIGADE

4. Date of Birth: 15 July 1909
5. Date of Enlistment: 12 August 1940
6. Civilian Trade: NIL
7. Private Address: 4 Mil Street, Wallgate, Wigan, Lancashire, England

8. Place and Date of Capture: Anzio, 4th Feb 1944

9. Were you Wounded when Captured: NO

10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. / Location / From & To
STALAG XI A / Altengrabow / 1/4/1944 - 12 April 45
STALAG IV B / Muhlberg / -


11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location / From & To / Nature of Work
Nienburg / 1st April 1944 - 12th April 1945 / Portland Cement Co. AT 14 HOURS PER DAY FOR 12 MONTHS


12. Did you suffer from any Serious Illnesses while a P/W?:
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
-
Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
-



PART II
1. No.: 2722156
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: CAHIR
Christian Names: Michael

2. Lectures before Capture
(State where, when and by whom)
(a) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave in the event of capture?:
HOBB’S BARRACKS, LINGFIELD, SURREY, ENGLAND
(b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion?:
-

3. Interrogation after Capture
(State where, when and methods employed by enemy)
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy?:
-

4. Escapes attempted.
Did you make any attempted or party successful escapes?
(Give details of each attempt separately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, where and when captured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to our companions?)
First tried when being marched around Germany on 14/4/45 and threatened to be shot but on the 24/4/1944 [sic; 1945] escaped to the American lines at WITTENBURG and treated very well with food and attention to our very bad feet after 3 weeks forced march


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).
-

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 against other Allied PoWS?
(Give details, names of person(s) concerned, camp(s), dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
-

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.
-

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
I would very much like to know what happened bout the tragic death of Guardsman Thomas BRANNAN of Working Commando 608/2 [Arbeitskommando 608/2] who should have gone to hospital on the 9th August 1944 only to be found shot dead in the back by his own Commandos on their way to work for which I was forced to give evidence.


SECURITY UNDERTAKING.
I fully realised that all information relating to 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: May 3rd 1945
Signature: Michael CAHIR

 

See also:

• 2722808 Guardsman Thomas BRANNAN, 1 Irish Guards: POW, 07/08/1944

 

2722156 Guardsman Michael CAHIR Irish Guards
15th July 1909 Wigan, Lancashire - 9th January 1970 Wigan, Lancashire aged 60