2734712 Guardsman Frank COOPER, MiD, 2 Welsh Guards

Date of Enlistment: 10 May 1939
Army Number: 2734712
Rank: Guardsman
Name: Frank COOPER
Unit: 2 Welsh Guards

Date of Birth: 15 June 1914
Place of Birth: Lincoln

Date of Capture: 25 May 1940
Place of Capture: Boulogne, France

POW Number: 2499
POW Camps: Stalag XXIB, Camp BAB 21, Stalag VIIIB, Stalag IVB

 

Name: Frank Cooper . Date of Birth: 15/6/1914 . Place of Birth: Lincoln . Service:... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/76/268
Name: Frank Cooper.
Date of Birth: 15/6/1914.
Place of Birth: Lincoln.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Guardsman.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Welsh Guards.
Service Number: [2734172].
Date of Capture: 24 May 1940.
Theatre of Capture: Boulogne.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XXIB Schubin.
PoW number: 2499.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 1.
Number of Fingerprints: 2.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 4.

 

WO 344-72-1

PART I
General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War

1. No.: 2734712
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: COOPER
Christian Names: Frank
Decorations: -

2. Unit (Army): 2nd Battalion WELSH GUARDS
3. Division (Army): -

4. Date of Birth: 15 June 1914
5. Date of Enlistment: 10 May 1939
6. Civilian Trade: Blacksmith
7. Private Address: 87 Winn Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England

8. Place of Capture: Boulogne, FRANCE
Date of Capture: 25 May 1940

9. Were you Wounded when Captured:
No

10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. Location From & To
Stalag 8B Posen Poland 6 June 1940 - 10 October 1940
21st ? Blechhammer and Warte Lager 10 October 1940 - 8 September 1944
Stalag 8B Blechhammer 8 September 194? - 19 January 1945
Stalag 4B Muhlburg 18 March 1945 - 10 April 1945

11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location From & To Nature of Work
Blechhammer 10 April 1942 - 18 January 1945 Central Heating

12. Did you suffer from any Serious Illnesses while a P/W?:
Nature of Illness Cause Duration
No

Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
Yes


PART II

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?:
Yes by our Company Commander in the Tower of London, 17 April 1940
(b) Were you lectured on escape and evasion?:
No

3. Interrogation after Capture
(State where, when and methods employed by enemy)
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy?:
No

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?)
Escaped on 4 April 1941 in civilian clothes, travelled 40k, recaptured by bloodhounds alone. 21 days Bread and Water.
Escaped in January 1945 in civilian cloths, from Blechhammer, tired to make British lines, was recaptured at Chemnitz, six weeks night marching. Very sick from exposure, recaptured alone, and travelled alone.


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).
I was welding steel pipes together for central heating plants, there is welding and welding? It was at the O.H.Q. Petrol works Blechhammer, 8 September 1942 till 18 January 1945.

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?
No
(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?
No

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 of Signature: 29 May 1945

 

Recommendation for Award for Cooper, Frank Rank: Guardsman Service No: ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 373/102/335
Name Cooper, Frank
Rank: Guardsman
Service No: 2734712
Regiment: 2 Battalion Welsh Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Royal Air Force
Award: Mention in Despatches
Date of announcement in London Gazette: 25 June 1946