Long March POW Casualty 1945: John Antony Ronald Coulthard, Stalag XXA, Thorn

Hello Colin
This is fabulous reading.
Thanks so much. Look forward to the rest whenever you can manage it.
Thanks
Barbara

 

Hello Colin
This is fabulous reading.
Thanks so much. Look forward to the rest whenever you can manage it.
Thanks
Barbara

 

I have previously posted photographs of the Polish/Stalag XXA leg of our trip to find Antony's grave. Below are some photos from our German leg.

Barbara and I met at Becklingen CWGC cemetery to visit the unmarked grave of one of the two POWs who were moved there in 1947 from Quickborn cemetery. Antony died in a barn in the tiny hamlet of Kaltenhof on the West bank of the Elbe on 24 March 1945. During our visit, Herr Apitz met us at the barn and told us that as a boy of 13 he remembered the British POWs arriving at his father's barn and staying for two days. On the last morning he remembers seeing one of the POWs, who had died during the night, lying on the ground floor near to the entrance. He has signed a statement to that effect. That morning Antony was carried by four of his comrades on the Long March to the cemetery in the vilage of Quickborn, about 4 kilometers to the south. Antony was buried there in March and a second POW from a separate column who died in the same barn in April was also buried in Quickborn about a month later. These were transfered to Becklingen CWGC cemetery in July 1947 by one of the Graves Concentration Units.
Photographs:
1. Aerial view of Kaltenhof with the River Elbe and destroyed railway bridge in the background. The barn is the large building in the foreground with a white roof.
2. The barn where Antony died.
3. Herr Apitz's statement
4. Herr Apitz signing the statement





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More photos and details to follow

Steve

 

Here is the second post with photos of our visit to the Dannenberg area to find Antony's grave. The photos are:

1. Her Apitz with Barbara Willoughby-Thomas, Antony's Niece, outside the barn where Antony died and where Herr Apitz saw his body.
2. The wooden cross which was above Antony's grave in Quickborn cemetery until he was moved by the DGRE to Becklingen
3.The spot at Quickborn cemetery where Antony and one other POW lay until moved.
4. Barbara and I next to the unmarked grave in Becklingen CWGC cemetery which we believe to be Antony's.
5. A newspaper article written by Dr Rolf Meyer prior to our arrival to generate local interest.







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At this point I must say a huge thank you to Doctor Rolf Meyer, a local historian and Oliver Eicke (Callsign LT Dann on this website), also a local military historian who between them planned and executed our visit. It would not have been possible without them. The insight Barbara and I received from them both on local history was exceptional.

We believe we have found Antony's grave. I now have to craft a letter to the CWGC containing linking evidence from Kaltenhof through to Quickborn and on to Becklingen to ask them to recognise the grave at Becklingen as that of L/Cpl J A R Coulthard 5386215, Intelligence Corps.

Steve

 

I have read this entire thread, and it is a thrilling story of real-life detective work--all in honor of a man who has been dead for nearly 70 years. I wish all the families involved the best in their quest, and I hope someone makes a movie about this someday.

 

Hello
I am Oliver, the aforementioned "local historian" and - by pure chance - a member of this board since some months, too

I am most impressed with the depht of your research here, this was essential for Dr. Meyer and me to trace the last whereabouts of Antony Coulthard

As promised to Steve, I add a map from the Doemitz - Kaltenhof - Quickborn area from pre-war times
Here you can recognize the few fixed roads at this time. Given the proven fact the entire column marched further on via Luechow to Salzwedel, they had in any case to pass Quickborn on their way

When Antonys comrades informed a nearby civilian to care about the grave, he would told this to the local authorities who where in charge
Unfortunately the entire area became the last german bridgehead west of the Elbe shortlyafter and saw a lot of fighting between Wehrmacht and US-Troops.
In these times many documents and informations get lost

But here were only two known british non-battle casualties in 1945 (who were buried on the civilian cemetery in Quickborn)

Hopefully Steve and Barbara get enough information at all to give this remarkable man back his name on his final resting place after nearly 70 years

EHRE SEINEM ANDENKEN!

 

Thanks Oliver for combining the two maps and for writing in the places where Antony died and was buried. I will use this to send to the CWGC.

Thanks again for all of your help when we were in your beautiful part of Germany.

Steve

 

I have read this entire thread, and it is a thrilling story of real-life detective work--all in honor of a man who has been dead for nearly 70 years. I wish all the families involved the best in their quest, and I hope someone makes a movie about this someday.

Hi
I'm so glad you took the time to read the whole thread. Thanks for your comment. So much time, effort and emotion was involved. What a sad story! Especially sad for family and the many others who knew and loved Antony, though he only lived 26 years. A special thanks also to Diane who started the thread, based on the moving testimony from Irish Guardsman Burnell.
Regards,
Barbara

 

Hello
I am Oliver, the aforementioned "local historian" and - by pure chance - a member of this board since some months, too

I am most impressed with the depht of your research here, this was essential for Dr. Meyer and me to trace the last whereabouts of Antony Coulthard

As promised to Steve, I add a map from the Doemitz - Kaltenhof - Quickborn area from pre-war times
Here you can recognize the few fixed roads at this time. Given the proven fact the entire column marched further on via Luechow to Salzwedel, they had in any case to pass Quickborn on their way

When Antonys comrades informed a nearby civilian to care about the grave, he would told this to the local authorities who where in charge
Unfortunately the entire area became the last german bridgehead west of the Elbe shortlyafter and saw a lot of fighting between Wehrmacht and US-Troops.
In these times many documents and informations get lost

But here were only two known british non-battle casualties in 1945 (who were buried on the civilian cemetery in Quickborn)

Hopefully Steve and Barbara get enough information at all to give this remarkable man back his name on his final resting place after nearly 70 years

EHRE SEINEM ANDENKEN!

Hi Oliver,
This is such compelling information.
Thanks so much to you and Dr Meyer and all the family friends who helped- Elke, Renate and Marina Muller. WHile I am thanking- thanks also to my son Tom who went with me; and to my husband Glenn and daughter Sian who looked after home and pets. Thanks also to Edith at Domain Smash Repairs and my Aunt Dilys, for their encouragement to go. A big thank you also to my cousin Andrew, who was unwell at the time, but still managed to go through his Antony Coulthard Archive and send us a copy of the vital letter and map by Denis Bonner.

Regards
Barbara

 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=487875847894454&set=a.106439362704773.13040.100000161281586&type=1&theater
Can anyone tell me how to copy and paste a bigger picture, so it isn't a thumbnail- i.e full to view as part of the post?

 

Good evening,

Here is a scan of an article written by the Chairman of the National Ex Prisoner Of War Association for the Summer Newsletter. Part 2 will be written for the Autumn edition and will cover Barbara's and my recent trip to Poland and Germany. I had no input to the article title but I believe it to be accurate.

Below that is a newspaper article Dr Meyer wrote prior to our visit to Kaltenhof and I have also posted a photo of Barbara and her son Tom next to the grave we believe to be that of Antony Coulthard.

Steve

 

Our group of investigators met at the first Barn photographed by Dr Meyer. The decision was, this Barn was not the one as it was not near the old road referenced in the Bonner map.

 

The first image is the exterior of Fort 17, where Antony spent most of his time at the Stalag. Fort 17 is now privately owned and we couldn't get access. Of the other 2 Forts we viewed, one was owned by the Polish Military and the other by a private entrepreneur.
Torun is an ancient Medieval town which was fortified against invasion by a ring of underground Forts (built under the Prussians). The second image shows a map of the town protected by the zig zag structure of the Forts. On the other side of the river is a similar network of Forts. It was believed this town was impregnable and perhaps that's the reason for its survival in pristine medieval condition. The town is now justifiably World Heritage listed.
The Nazis used all the old Forts as POW prisons during WW2. The Forts were mostly underground with no access to daylight. Inside is dark and damp; the temperature was an even 16 degrees all year round.
Not far away from Torun is the town of Chelmno, which is notorious for being the site of a major extermination camp (as opposed to a concentration camp). Here, it is estimated as many as 350,000 people were gassed, then burnt or buried. I wonder if any of the POW's knew about this tragedy? For example, Antony was in a working party at Chelmno (German spelling was Kuln) so may have seen or heard things.

 

These photos show the forbidding compound gates and the main entry to the Fort.

 

We were taken into several Forts but the light conditions were poor in the unrenovated ones so I can only show this picture of a Fort which has been done up for Tourist accommodation and school groups. You have to imagine cold dark conditions finished with cold grey stone and dirt. There were some bench seats lined up against the wall along one tunnel.

 

This image shows old single beds which Steve thought were more recent than WW2. I recall reading Sam Kydd mention in his book that he spent a day moving iron beds used in the Hospital. The blankets on the bed are old army issue, readily available in the post war years, but not so common now.

 

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I have put these photographs on the Stalag XXA thread but think they are so important am putting them on here as well.

Whilst looking round XXA, our guides Hania and Pawel took us into the two cells of Fort 11 which were the "Cooler" for the whole of the Prison camp. It is a time capsule. Just as if they had been scribbled yesterday are the words the inmates wrote as they were waiting for their time to come round. What comes over loud and clear is their total defiance to the Regime.

Steve

 

Good Job. Keep the info. flowing.

A few years back I goggle earthed the town and the Forts. Showed my dad and he couldn't,t believe it remembered marching to the town from the Forts, Rail road tracks etc , across the bridge to dig sewers in the city. The extreme cold of the winter hunger, the local Polish people burying food in the trenches they dug etc. Good work.

 

For attention of Colin Fulcher

I found the attached printed statement in dad's old suitcase full of his wartime documents. It is not signed but was received by someone on 20 Oct 44. It details Antony's second escape from Stalag XXA in Nov 43 and believe it is the same escape attempt as detailed in Colin Fulcher's post about his Grandfather Sgt Neil McLellan. This would be the attempt from Gydinia on the baltic coast to Sweden.

I believe it was written by Sgt Wilf Gordon who dad mentions quite a lot in his letters, he was an RAMC Sgt working in Stalag XXA dispensery and was involved in helping with a lot of the escapes. The text states that Antony took a Sgt working in the photographic dept with him - I think that must be Sgt Neil McLellen, Colin's Grandfather. I have also attached a photo of Sgt Gordon , the author of the statement.

The amazing thing is that Antony undertook seven more escapes after this one, between Nov 43 and Jan 45, before starting the Long March.

Steve

 

Found a picture of the bunks at the Stalag, wooden boxes piled high.
Source was this website produced by our Polish Guides Hania and Pawel. There are other good photos of XXA:
WARTIME GUIDES




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