Pte Webb - Arnhem

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by mark4974, Nov 21, 2016.

  1. mark4974

    mark4974 Member

    Evening folks,
    I'm trying to find some information on my fathers late cousin who fought at and was taken prisoner at Arnhem in 1944.
    He was called Maurice Webb and from the information I can find on Ancestry he was Private 5392996 of the Army Air Corp. My father remembers Maurice talking about parachute jumps and the fact that he was taken prisoner at Arnhem would support he was in the Parachute Regiment.
    My father is keen to find out which unit he was attached to so we can try and trace his movements during the MG operation.
    Many thanks, Mark
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Mark

    Assume this is the Ancestry record you found:
    Name: M W Webb
    Rank: Private
    Army Number: 5392996
    Regiment: Army Air Corps
    Camp Type: Stalag
    Camp Number: XII-A
    Camp Location: Limburg, Baden-Württemberg
    Record Office: Army Air Corps and Army Catering Corps Record Office, Drill Hall, East Claremont St., Edinburgh 9
    Record Office Number: 45

    Also
    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: Maurice William Webb
    Birth Date: 12 Jan 1924
    Date of Registration: Dec 1997
    Age at Death: 73
    Registration district: Leeds
    Inferred County: Yorkshire
    Register Number: K13C
    District and Subdistrict: 0921K
    Entry Number: 39

    You could always apply for his service record Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide - GOV.UK

    TD
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I've edited thread title , as the chap being discussed was not an American soldier I've changed Pvt to Pte.
     
  4. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    findmypast.co.uk

    There's three entries for him at findmypast in the Casualty records. Subscription for a month is on offer today for £1.
     
  5. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Maurice William Webb was a member of 2 Para Bn and was captured on the 18th September. Given the date I would suspect that he was part of Major Dover's "C" Company and that he was captured in Arnhem as they attempted to fight their way to join Frost at the Bridge. Victor Dover wrote and excellent book about his Company's action "The Silken Canopy" which is quite easy to obtain on Abehbooks.
    I will post a copy of his POW Liberation report later where he states that he was unwounded when captured so I do not understand why FindmyPast should have a casualty record for him.

    John
     
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  6. mark4974

    mark4974 Member

    Thanks for all your help and advice. It points me in the right direction to do more research.
    Regards, Mark
     
  7. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    As promised his POW Liberation report. I see that he received his Escape and Evasion talk from Major Dover. (page 2). This supports my earlier comment that his date of capture would indicate that he was part of Major Dover's Company at Arnhem

    John
     

    Attached Files:

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  8. mark4974

    mark4974 Member

    Thanks for all the information and help.
    Is there anyway of finding out which platoon he would have been in?
     

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