Middle column (top to bottom) Name: A L Foster Rank: Cpl. Army Number: 236424 POW Number: 261329 Name: W J Wessels Rank: S/Sgt. Army Number: S.A.P.198135 POW Number: 224833 Name: C F Heydenreich Rank: Sgt. Army Number: 12151 POW Number: 224858 Name: A Hultzer Rank: L/Cpl. Army Number: 9304 POW Number: 224814 Name: I Van Huyssteen Rank: Pte Army Number: 196561 POW Number: 274728 Name: E S Chapman Rank: Cpl. Army Number: 9160 POW Number: 263858 Name: A J Fabricus Rank: Cpl. Army Number: 1607 POW Number: 263864 "Olla" - Unfound/unknown Name: D J Marais Rank: Sgt. Army Number: 109006 Note: No POW given for this record Name: J H B Ritchie Rank: Cpl. Army Number: 11873 POW Number: 263871 Name: E P Sephton Rank: Pte Army Number: 9339 POW Number: 224775 TD
Right column (top to bottom) Name: J Q Ochse Rank: Maj. Army Number: 188446 POW Number: 249174 Name: J G Ackerman Rank: W.O.2 Army Number: 222729 POW Number: 275541 Name: D Katzeff Rank: Pte Army Number: 27426 POW Number: 247613 "Breakfast" - Unfound/unknown Name: E W H Cowling Rank: L/Cpl. Army Number: 5548 POW Number: 274968 Name: A A Cochrane Rank: S/Sgt. Army Number: 73495 POW Number: 224508 Name: N H Robertson Rank: Sgt. Army Number: 8987 POW Number: 223644 TD
John I think it was a combined operation I was just the producer of the end product Thanks to you and Diane TD
Great job TD and Papiermache. JJ will be surprised when he gets back from visiting the POW camps. Diane
I have found this from the SA Military website http://samilitaryhistory.org/research.html (I was looking for something else!) From: morne.strydom e-mail: morne.strydom@capetown.gov.za Subject: Rubgy match Stalag POWs Date posted: 1st October 2007 I am doing some research on the Springbok team (selected from the POW's) that played Wales on the 21 May 1944 at Stalag 4 or 5b. Does anybody know about this? I have memoribilia. (We beat Wales 17 - 03). Any info welcome! Morne Strydom What a pity it was posted in 2007and replies are not posted. Will have to see if Morne Strydom still works for the City of Cape Town Diane
I got this from the "Wartime Memories" website, but have not signed up to it. Perhaps Tracey is in the Cape Town phone book ? “ Both my grandfathers were prisoners of war in Stalag 4b and were captured in Tobruk. They were from Natal, South Africa. Their names were: Horace Norwood Walker and Boet Wessels - he played in the South African POW Rugby Team - we think flank. I would love to hear from anyone who perhaps knew them in the camps. Tracey Wessels “
Diane, Sorry, not paying attention. This reference comes up searching "Rugby ivb" at the Imperial War Museum. " Catalogue number 2011-01-06 Photographic prints relating to Allied prisoners of war in Stalag IVB, located 8km north-east of Muhlburg. This was one of the largest prisoner of war camps in Germany, covering some 75 acres. The photographs show details of a secret radio kept by RAF prisoners inside a Red Cross parcel box; Jerry Hunt with his secret camera concealed inside a book; British prisoners rugby team; RAF 'cheer party' in fancy dress supporting their team at an Army v RAF rugby or football match; theatre performance by prisoners; funeral of a British prisoner; French prisoners inside a hut; British prisoners washing clothes; parade of German guards; general view of the camp; British prisoners parade; prisoners attending outdoor church service; main gate of the camp; Soviet and Yugoslav prisoners; Russian prisoners awaiting de-lousing; Italian troops tented compound."
Found this on Bid or Buy. Dave Katzeff is one of the names on the reverse of the photo. It wasn't sold. Perhaps JJ will be interested in following this up. Dave Katzeff (ed) - THE OBSERVER. STALAG IV B. POW wall newspaper 6 Dec 1943 to 1 JUNE 1944. 1 was available / Secondhand R450.00 Closed 15 Feb 16 21:06 Seller The Bedouin3628 99.97% positive ratings Joined 19 Nov 2008 Brits All items
Hi everyone WOW! This is amazing research! Thank you for everyone's input! I recently returned from Italy and Germany visiting the POW camps my grandfather was in. It was an amazing experience as I shared those moments with my own father and I could feel our bond grow talking about my grandfathers war story. I stood on the ground where these rugby players did something special. Regards JJ
Hi JJ I bought the book "The Observer" as it came up for sale again. Attached are two pages which will be of interest to you. I have a lot of reading to do. The introduction by Dave Katzeff tells of how the newspapers came about and is a story in itself. In your photo Dave Katzeff is middle row 6th from left. Some of the names on the reverse of the photo are not mentioned as part of the Springbok teams. Two men who are mentioned do not appear to have signed their names. They are Schaefer, Uys and Van Der Venter. I will let you know if there are any more details. Diane
Hi JJ, I can tell you a bit about one of the signatories on the back of the photo - E P Sephton. My neighbour thought that he could be an uncle of hers and this has been confirmed from his service record. The SANDF Document Centre sent me his full service history whereas in the past I have only received a certificate of service. Edgar Pote Sephton aged 18 enlisted on 29th June 1940 in Die Middelandse Regiment. He was from Barkly East. The regiment embarked from Durban on 10th June 1941 on the Mauretania. He was with "C" Company. They disembarked Port Suez on 21 June 1941 20th June 1942 he was reported missing after the battle for Tobruk 14th September 1942 he was confirmed as POW at Camp 82 Italy His record has no mention of his transfer to Stalag 1VB 28th May 1945 he was released He eventually returned by sea to Cape Town and disembarked on 3rd August 1945 (Die Middelandse Regiment was established in 1935 in the Eastern Cape In March 1941 the DMR converted from a rifle regiment to a machine gun battalion and was detached under command of the 2nd SA Infantry Division.) His family are so pleased with the information so thanks for posting the photo. Regards Diane
Wow that is amazing Diane. So awesome to know more about a player in the camp. Thank you very much for the information. Hope the family of Sephton feels proud. I also bought the book - 'Observer' - the Stalag IVB POW newspaper. So interesting. Best Regards JJ
Hi All. I'm new to this site; and am intrigued by this discussion.. My wife's family has the same photograph (although ours is slightly more the worse for wear). Her late dad was Sgt JV Rall of the SAP whose signature you all correctly identified. The team captain was Fiks Van Der Merwe who played for the real Springboks against Fred Allen's All Blacks in 1948. We think that the photograph belongs in the SA Rugby Museum where, believe it or not, they even have a Springbok jersey from one of the POW camps - not sure if it was Stalag IVB. In Jack Rall's case there is more to the tale than just the photo and I've attached a pdf document in this regard. Best regards to you all (by the way, I live in the Pretoria area, although I am currently near Ballito on the KZN North Coast) Tony Savides
Sorry; just to add to this. It is interesting that signatures on the backs of our and JJ's photographs are not in the same sequence; which adds to the authenticity. Secondly, Dr Karen Horn at Stellenbosch University is something of an expert on SA POWs in WW2 and has just published a book "In Enemy Hands".; which results from her research into the subject. Best regards Tony Savides
Some further information: Fiks Van Der Merwe actually Barend Stephanus Van Der Merwe played against the 1949 (not 1948) all Blacks. He died in 2005 at the ripe old age of 88. He was decorated with the Military Medal for gallantry before he was captured.
Tony, welcome to the forum. I had him down as Ball or Hall until Tricky Dicky found Rall. Thanks for posting the documents, and the poetry. I liked the lines: " We've seen a mark three tank ride on a Scammel ( Can't think of further words to rhyme with camel " My rhyming dictionary doesn't give anything that doesn't truly fit or is obscure, so he wasn't doing too badly, especially drinking black tea from enamel. John