Some might find this interesting, I know I did. Captain Robert Campbell, aged 29, was captured just weeks after Britain declared war on Germany in July, 1914. But after two years in Magdeburg Prisoner of War Camp the British officer received word from home his mother Louise Campbell was close to death. He speculatively wrote to Kaiser Wilhelm II begging to be allowed home to visit his mother one final time. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2410059/WW1-soldier-released-German-prison-camp-dying-mother-Kaiser-promise-returned-cell--did.html
Lovely little story, Deacs - an honourable chap. Quite possibly also daft as a brush - but you have to admire the stiff upper lip.
Quite amazing some of the stories of chivalric behaviour that took place in WW1 and even into early WW2. I have heard it said that the desert war was the last 'gentleman's war' and my 94 year-old LCT skipper friend captured in Crete in 1941 still says the Austrian troops who captured him treated him as a gentleman. He even exchanged addresses with the Officer in charge of the Austrian troops as he went into 'the cage' at Maleme but lost the address during his 4 years of captivity.
good day deacs,yesterday.09:20pm.re:ww1 soldier release from german prison camp to see his dying mother only to return.a wonderfull story of a true gentlemen,thanks for posting.regards bernard85
Long after the Great War the 1st Royal Dragoons had a full sized oil painting of the Kaiser in the ante room to the officers' mess. Regimental custom decreed that as officers walked past they would turn click the heels and bow the head. It was remarked by others that this was an odd thing to do as the Kaiser had been our enemy. In true British eccentricity it is said the reply - 'indeed he was our enemy - he was also our colonel and we always pay respects to colonels past and present'.
His MIC Also from the British Officer Prisoners of War. Name: R Campbell Rank: Capt. Regiment: 1st and 2nd Battalions. East Surrey Regiment Date Missing: 10 Sep 1914 Repatriation Date: 16 Nov 1918 Record Number: 2508 Section: Western Theatre of Operations. What does it mean by Record Number ?
At a guess, he was number 2508 recorded in the list kept which eventually went into that book? - http://www.naval-military-press.com/list-of-british-officers-taken_prisoner-in-the-various-theatres-of-war-aug-1914-to-nov-1918..html http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/tag/prisoners-of-war-1914-1918/ regards Robert
