2737463 Guardsman William Thomas DOWLING, 3 Welsh Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 15 August 1940
Army Number: 2737463
Rank: Guardsman
Name: William Thomas DOWLING
Unit: 3 Welsh Guards

Date of Birth: 9 June 1915
Place of Birth: Perth

Date of Capture: 24 March 1943
Place of Capture: Medjez El Bab, Tunisia

POW Number: 266780
POW Camps: Campo PG 66, Campo PG 53, Stalag IVB, Stalag VIIIB

 

Name: [W] Thomas Dowling . Date of Birth: 9/6/1915 . Place of Birth: Perth . Service:... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/101/249
Name: [W] Thomas Dowling.
Date of Birth: 9/6/1915.
Place of Birth: Perth.
Service: [Army].
Rank: Private.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [Welsh Guards].
Service Number: [2737463].
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: Stalag IVB Muhlberg.
PoW number: 266780.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.

 

View Record via Ancestry

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

1. No. 2737463
RANK - GUARDSMAN
SURNAME - DOWLING
CHRISTIAN NAMES - WILLIAM THOMAS
DECORATIONS - AFRICAN STAR

2. UNIT (ARMY) - 3rd BTTN. WELSH GUARDS

3. DIVISION (ARMY) - 6th ARMOURED DIV. 1st ARMY

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 9/6/5

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 15/8/40

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - LABOURER

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - 47 EIRW RD., PORTH RHONDDA, GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - MEDJEZ EL BAB 24/3/43

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
[CAMPO PG] 66 ITALY APRIL 1943 - JUNE 1943
[CAMPO PG] 53 ITALY JUNE 1943 - SEPTEMBER 1943
[STALAG] 4B GERMANY NOVEMBER 1943 - LIBERATED


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
NIVKA POLAND FEBRUARY 1944 - JUNE 1944 COAL MINE
CZELADTZ POLAND JUNE 1944 - JAN. 1945 COAL MINE


12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
-
12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
-


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. 2737463
RANK - GUARDSMAN
SURNAME - DOWLING
CHRISTIAN NAMES - WILLIAM THOMAS


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).
YES. ENGLAND AND AFRICA BY COMPANY COMMANDER
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
YES. ENGLAND AND AFRICA BY COMPANY COMMANDER

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
USUAL METHODS. TUNIS MARCH 26th 1943. FIRST THE GERMAN OFFICER PRETENDED TO KNOW EVERYTHING. THIS FAILING HE ADOPTED A THREATENING ATTITUDE.


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?)
ESCAPED FROM 53 CAMP ITALY ON ITALIAN CAPITULATION. WALKED OUT OF CAMP DURING THE TIME SENTRIES DESERTED AND GERMAN OCCUPATION. CORPORAL DENNIS, HERTS AND BEDS REG. PHYSICALLY FIT. RECAPTURED ABOUT 40 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF CHIETI BY GERMAN TROOPS. CORPORAL DENNIS PARTED FROM ME IN GERMANY.


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 agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, 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.
(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?
-


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 8/5/45
Signature W. T. Dowling

 

See also:

• 5957796 Corporal Wilfred Harry DENNIS, 2 Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment: POW - Escape Companion, unsuccessful attempt
• "LEFT CAMP AND ATTEMPTED RETURN TO OWN LINES WHEN ITALY CAPITULATED. RECAPTURED 5 WEEKS LATER AND TRANSPORTED TO GERMANY."