2nd Bn., 60th Rifles, May 1940

2nd Bn., 60th Rifles (King's Royal Rifle Corps), May 1940
[Research enquiry]

Can anyone please assist with information about the 2nd Bn., 60th Rifles (King's Royal Rifle Corps) in the defence of Calais area towards the end of May 1940 (mainly 23 - 26 May)? As I understand it, the greater part of the regiment were lost in defending the town, most of them becoming prisoners of war. Many of those who lost their lives at this time are buried in Calais Southern Cemetery.

In particular, does anyone have access to a list of the Roll of Officers and / or a list of those from the regiment who became POWs by any chance? If so, would they be kind enough to assist by looking up any information they may have about the following:

(a) Rifleman John George Mossop
(became a POW, repatriated c. 1943 / 1944, died at home, not listed by the CWGC)

(b) Major (later Lt. Col.) Charles S. Madden
(became a POW, escaped 1943, then served with 2nd Bn. as part of M.E.F).

Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.

 

Hello,

Maybe you will find some information on this site: POW Search | Powvets
When you choose regt/ unit and fill in King's Royal Rifle Corps you will get some results.

Regards Koen

 

Hello,

Maybe you will find some information on this site: POW Search | Powvets
When you choose regt/ unit and fill in King's Royal Rifle Corps you will get some results.

Regards Koen

I have already looked at this website without success, thanks. There are obviously some gaps - depending on the sources of information that particular researcher has used there must be big gaps in the database. I have also tried at a regimental museum. The register they had of POWs seemed to represent thise released at the end of the war.

As explained in the initial posting the two soldiers mentioned were not in POW camps at the end of the war. The first soldier I mentioned in my initial post had been returned home via the Red Cross and then died. He is not even commemorated by the CWGC! Hence, my request if anyone can assist with a different approach (i.e. "to begin at the beginning" as one might put it). That way, with an additional lead it may be possible to research further.

Hopefully there may be someone who can assist with information they already have?

 

If Madden filed a Escapers report with MI9 then Jacksun should have a copy of it.

The way things are going I won't have the time to undertake any real research until the end of Feb but I should be able to tell you how he was captured etc. The name does ring a bell (I have a feeling he was the Bn CO)-Have you searched the forum for KRRC stuff in the 1940 section? Me and DBF posted a hell of a lot of detailed stuff on Calais last year.

Slightly intrigued by these PoW returns does anyone one know of any file ref's at Kew on repatriated PoW's? I suspect there must be a nominal roll with a list of injuries/condidtions for those that came back?

 

Thanks again Drew. You are likely thinking of two close relatives with the same surname.

An elder brother (John W.R. M.) had joined the Irish Guards in 1934. He also held the rank of Major in WW2. He was seriously wounded (loss of leg). If there is a reference to this officer on 'WW2 Talk' I have not yet come across it.

There was also a cousin (Captain Dennis G. M.) who served with the Irish Guards in WW2 (1st Bn.). He had a M.i.D. and lost his life in Tunisia (30.04.1943). He is interred in Massicault War Cemetery. For some reason the CWGC only list this particular officer as a Lieutenant rather than a Captain. Perhaps his substantive rank was that of Lieutenant:
CWGC - Casualty Details

I also have a lot of family information about Rifleman Mossop (wartime obituary, burial record, headstone photographs etc.). Unfortunately, this is not really much assistance to make further progress with the research. Hence my enquiry, in case someone already has the 'missing pieces' or knows where the relevant original documentation may be found (assuming it still exists).

In principle, POW information can be requested from the ICRC in Geneva (easier if one is a 'Next of Kin', which I am not). The ICRC would really want details such as Army No, POW No, date of capture, etc so they could search their records. I could not see anything in the UK National Archives regarding those who were repatriated from POW camps on ill-health grounds.

As you will appreciate, detailed research can often take time to get all the pieces together. There are even times when it proves impossible.

 

Definately not thinking of those two in the IG - I only focus on 1940 France and Flanders stuff. I did a quick search for Charles earlier and found him briefly mentioned in another 1940 thread about the Brigade Commander at Calais.

 

Hi, I have checked the E&E listing and there is not a Madden listed which is rather weird. If he escaped in 1943 he would not be on the European POW lists, they are as at 1945. Also no listing for a Mossop.

(a) Rifleman John George Mossop
(became a POW, repatriated c. 1943 / 1944, died at home, not listed by the CWGC)
No listing on POW lists for Europe, Japan, or Italy.
If he was repatriated in 1943 / 1944 it would have been one of the POW exchanges that was undertaken to return seriously sick or wounded POW's who could not properly be cared for in a POW camp.

(b) Major (later Lt. Col.) Charles S. Madden
(became a POW, escaped 1943, then served with 2nd Bn. as part of M.E.F).

Again, European POW lists are circa 1945 so he isn't on it. Odd that there is no E&E report on such a senior ranking POW escaping, one would think it would have been something they would have wanted, unless he escaped before he was placed in a camp (such as on a march, while being transported to the intake camp by train etc), but even then he may have had some intelligence which could have been valuable so one would think he would have been questioned.

No exact listing on POW lists for Europe, Japan, or Italy.
Only thing even close is a Gerald Swinden MADDEN in the Japanese lists, Lt. Col., Soldier # 22953, liberated 2 Sep 1945, no capture date.

Wayne

 

Definately not thinking of those two in the IG - I only focus on 1940 France and Flanders stuff. I did a quick search for Charles earlier and found him briefly mentioned in another 1940 thread about the Brigade Commander at Calais.

Do you happen to have the link to this article, or the terms you used in the 'Search' box to find it by any chance?

[The 'search' function on this website does not always produce a positive result].

Thanks.

 

Hi, I have checked the E&E listing and there is not a Madden listed which is rather weird. If he escaped in 1943 he would not be on the European POW lists, they are as at 1945. Also no listing for a Mossop.

(a) Rifleman John George Mossop
(became a POW, repatriated c. 1943 / 1944, died at home, not listed by the CWGC)
No listing on POW lists for Europe, Japan, or Italy.
If he was repatriated in 1943 / 1944 it would have been one of the POW exchanges that was undertaken to return seriously sick or wounded POW's who could not properly be cared for in a POW camp.

(b) Major (later Lt. Col.) Charles S. Madden
(became a POW, escaped 1943, then served with 2nd Bn. as part of M.E.F).

Again, European POW lists are circa 1945 so he isn't on it. Odd that there is no E&E report on such a senior ranking POW escaping, one would think it would have been something they would have wanted, unless he escaped before he was placed in a camp (such as on a march, while being transported to the intake camp by train etc), but even then he may have had some intelligence which could have been valuable so one would think he would have been questioned.

No exact listing on POW lists for Europe, Japan, or Italy.
Only thing even close is a Gerald Swinden MADDEN in the Japanese lists, Lt. Col., Soldier # 22953, liberated 2 Sep 1945, no capture date.

Wayne

Thanks for looking. Somewhere there must be an answer!

 

[The 'search' function on this website does not always produce a positive result].

Thanks.
Hi, go to "portal" in the menu just below the main picture, then on the left down a little bit on the side there is the WW2 talk Google search box. That works better than the regular forum search tool.

 

Strange for a Maj not to be listed in Cooksey's Calais or the KRRC History other than he was a Lieutenant in Dec 1939.

Found him mentioned in a personal diary Lt Col E A Miller CO 2 KRRC. It states he was captured when what was left of the Bn surrendered and that he was a Lieutenant in HQ Coy.

 

Bit better from the same source

Lt. C Madden Injured HQ

Had a bad Motorcycle smash on night 24/25 May in C Coy sub-sector. Was removed to hospital and was there when Germans entered on 26th. Was reported from home to be in a German Military Hospital , still on crutches, December 1940.

 

Bit better from the same source

Lt. C Madden Injured HQ

Had a bad Motorcycle smash on night 24/25 May in C Coy sub-sector. Was removed to hospital and was there when Germans entered on 26th. Was reported from home to be in a German Military Hospital , still on crutches, December 1940.

Hello Drew,

Do you have the full reference for this documentary source please? Was the hospital where Major (or Lt.) Madden taken to in Lille by any chance?

 

Here you go:

| The National Archives

 

Here you go:

| The National Archives

Thanks (I will look into getting a copy if it is not too expensive).

 

Rifleman John George ('Jackie') Mossop

I have recently found Rifleman Mossop's obituary in the local newspaper where he lived ('The Whitehaven News'). It now looks like he actually served with the 1st Bn QVR, KRRC (T.A.). This battalion was brigaded with 2nd Bn KRRC while involved in the defence of Calais at the end of May 1940.

The full designation of this battalion (hopefully written correctly) was:
The 1st Battalion, The Queen Victoria's Rifles, King's Royal Rifle Corps (Territorial Army). In WW2, this battalion is also sometimes referred to as 7th Battalion KRRC.

According to his obituary, before the WW2 Rifleman 'Jackie' Mossop was working as a waiter in a London hotel. He was taken prisoner in at Calais in May 1940 and was in a number of German POW camps.

It was during the time he was a POW that his health broke down. He was repatriated to the UK at the end of October 1943 and taken to a "... north-west hospital" (exact location not specified). In August 1944 he was deemed 'incurable' and sent home. He passed away on 7 September 1944 and was buried 2 days later.

He is commemorated on the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour' (Cleator Moor being the town where he died and subsequently buried). However, he is not currently commemorated by the CWGC despite his war service and death due to his wartime service. The main difficulty is establishing firstly, his service number and / or his POW number and secondly, obtaining his service record.

Can I please ask if anyone knows where (or indeed if) the official list of POWs repatriated from the German camps in October 1943 might be? Alternatively, would his name and service number be recorded in the disembarkation record for the QVR, KRRC in May 1940?

I have been attempting to get the CWGC to officially recognise Rifleman Mossop as an official war casualty for some years - up to now without any success.

Attachments:
Headstone of Rifleman John George Mossop
St John's Churchyard, Cleator Moor, Cumbria.
Grave Ref: BB 50.

If anyone can assist, it would be much appreciated!

The epitaph on Rfm. Mossop's headstone:
"Called to a higher service".

 

Here you go:

| The National Archives

Hello Drew,

Do you already have a copy of this document by any chance?

 

Once again, this information would seem to be spot on. Thanks very much, Drew.

At this stage in the war C.S. Madden was a Lieutenant. He was promoted later on. His wartime POW No was 30913 and spent 3 years as a POW, mainly at Oflag IX-A/H (Schloss Spanenberg, Hesse, Germany).

In fact, I now believe that Lt. Madden was among a party of seriously wounded prisoners released in September 1943. He had been due for release 2 years earlier (September 1941) but the release was cancelled, apparently by order of Adolf Hitler.

My 'hunch' now is that Lt. Madden and Rifleman Mossop were part of the same batch of released POWs. However, at this stage this is just by deduction based on newspaper articles etc. Thus, please can I ask if anyone knows if there are any official documents available listing released POWs, such as at the National Archives? Again from a newspaper article, I know the names of a couple of other seriously wounded British POWs released by the Germans at this time (Sep. 1943). They had also been due for release in 1941 before being sent back to the camps.

It would be good to have the confirmation of this updated deduction of events by an official document. Thanks once again for everyone' assistance thus far.

 

Yep, already got the document-I thought DBF transcribed it and posted it in this section? I'll check later how many pages etc. (Just back from 5 days at Kew). Not sure if POWs completed Liberation Reports 'early' or if they are all 1945 onwards. They must have been interrogated and documented somewhere-Have you asked Jacksun?

A