Sapper Arthur William Peachey, 3rd Parachute Squadron, R.E., was awarded a Mention in Dispatches on 22nd March 1945 mentioned in the London Gazette (see attached), whilst still being imprisoned as a POW. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36994/supplement/1556 Sapper Peachey was a part of a group of sappers heading to Troarn in a jeep and trailer taken from medical orderlies of the 224th Parachute Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. The jeep driven by Major J.C.A. Roseveare with passsngers, Lt. Breeze, Sgt. Henderson, L/Sgt. Irving, Cpl. Windeatt, L/Cpl. Fellowes, Spr. Price and Spr. Moon (who was left behind when the jeep got stuck in a barbe wire barricade) was driven through Troarn at speed, overloaded and under fire. As they drove through Troarn Spr. Peachey sitting on the back of the trailer acting as tailer gunner with a bren gun was thrown off whilst in town and rolled off fracturing his ribs and hiding under a bush before being found and taken prisoner. I am unable to find the description of this award, I have checked Hut six and Kew archives WO 373, but have had no luck finding any referennce to it; is there something I am missing out? Brithm
good day brithm,sm,yesterday.03:59pm.re:spr.a,g,preachey,3rd para sqn,r.e.mid.a brave para,did he get home?thanks for posting,regards bernard85
Well after capture he ended up a Rennes Military Hospital for a while before moving on into the Stalag system. Rank Svc No. Name Nation Diagnosis Comments Date Arrived Date Departed SPR 1875929 Peachey, Arthur William BR Fractured ribs 3rd Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers Captured 6 June near Troarn after falling off jeep and injuring ribs Mentioned in Dispatches dated March 1945 ended up at Stalag XII D On German A&D 24-Jun-44 1-Jul-44
I guess there may have been a citation for say a MM which got downgraded to a MiD....but could be lost in the sands of time.....I'm off to Normandy next weekend on a tour for the TA airborne medics and was reading this afternoon about Sapper Peachey.....
Hi Bernard85, Peachey did make it home, he got TB after the war and was in the work camps and had to go to a TB hospital in Crewe. I spoke to his daughter who said he was like many veterans who did not speak about his time during the war. From what I can see from his WO 344 POW form it was an eventful but very tough time as a POW. Brithm
How did you find this info? Arthur Peachey was my grandad so I’d love to know more! How would I find his POW form? Thanks.