2733729 Corporal Robert Edgar HOUSTON, 2 Welsh Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 20 November1933
Army Number: 2733729
Rank: Corporal
Name: Robert Edgar HOUSTON
Unit: 2 Welsh Guards, 2 Company

Date of Birth: 10 September 1915
Place of Birth: Newport

Date of Capture: 24 May 1940
Place of Capture: Boulogne-sur-Mer, France

POW Number: 32760
POW Camps: Campo PG 73, Stalag VIIIB, Stalag VIIIC

 

Name: Robert Houston . Date of Birth: 10/9/1915 . Place of Birth: Newport . Service:... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/184/511
Name: Robert Houston.
Date of Birth: 10/9/1915.
Place of Birth: Newport.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Corporal.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Welsh Guards.
Service Number: 2733729.
Date of Capture: 01 March 1941.
Theatre of Capture: Marseilles.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf.
PoW number: 32760.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 1.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 2.

 

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

1. No. 2733729
RANK - CORPORAL
SURNAME - HOUSTON
CHRISTIAN NAMES - ROBERT EDGAR
DECORATIONS -

2. UNIT (ARMY) - 2ND BN WELSH GUARDS

3. DIVISION (ARMY) - 20TH GUARDS BRIGADE

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 10TH SEPTEMBER 1915

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 20TH NOVEMBER 1933

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - G.P.O. TELEPHONE ENGINEER

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - 26 NEWCASTLE STREET, BULWELL, NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - BOULOGNE, FRANCE 24TH MAY 1940

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
DETACHMENT "W" ST. HIPPOLYTE DU FORT, GARD, FRANCE MAR. 12th 1941 - MAR. 1942
DETACHMENT "W" FORT DE LA RIVÈRE, NICE, A.M. FRANCE MAR. 1942 - SEPT. 26th 1942
DETACHMENT "W" CAMP DE CHAMBERON, CHAMBERON ISÈRE FRANCE SEPT. 28th 1942 - DEC 2nd 1942
[CAMPO] PG 73 CARPI, ITALY DEC. 5th 1942 - SEPT. 22nd 1943
[STALAG] VIIIB LAMSDORF, GERMANY OCT. 8th 1943 - JAN. 22nd 1945
[STALAG] VIIC SAGAN, GERMANY FEB. 3rd 1945 - FEB. 16th 1945


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
E715 AUSCHWITZ, POLAND OCT. 8TH 1943 - DEC. 21ST 1944 ELECTRICAL


12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
NIL

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
NIL


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. 2733729
RANK - CORPORAL
SURNAME - HOUSTON
CHRISTIAN NAMES - ROBERT EDGAR


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 you 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?)
1. CAMBRAI June 3rd 1940, one companion, recaptured near ABBEVILLE by Germans.
2. ST. POL June 11th, companion GDSN CHANDLER, recaptured at LE CROTOY, June 17th by Germans.
3. CYSOING, NORD, June 28th with same companion, recaptured March 9th '41 at MARSEILLES by French.
All three escapes were made by slipping away from the Column. Physically fit. Was separated from GDSN. CHANDLER during journey to GERMANY from ITALY.


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.)
Performed small acts of sabotage at the enemy factory at AUSCHWITZ by destroying more material than was used and interfering with electric motors and various cables.


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?
I should like to bring to notice the names & addresses of two FRENCH women who befriended my companion & me during our escape. Mme. BOMART, BOUCHERIE, BOURGHELLES, NORD kept us for a month & when it became too dangerous for us, she provided transport & took us to Mme. VEUVE LEPETRE, 57 Rue GHESQUIERES, HELLEMMES, NORD, who took care of us until March 1st 1941 when we left her for Southern France. She risked serving a severe prison servitude in GERMANY even when her own son was a prisoner in GREMANY himself.


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 April 1st 1945
Signature RE Houston

 

See also:

• 2733655 Guardsman Herbert Alfred CHANDLER, 1 Welsh Guards: POW - escape companion, unsuccessful attempts