2718222 Guardsman William Henry BLACKBURN, 2 Irish Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 14 July 1935
Army Number: 2718222
Rank: Guardsman
Name: William Henry BLACKBURN
Unit: 2 Irish Guards


Date of Birth: 22 July 1916
Place of Birth: Ireland

Date of Capture: 17 May 1940
Place of Capture: The Hague

POW Number: 5474
POW Camps: Stalag XXA, Stalag XXB

 

Army Number: 2718222
Rank: Guardsman
Name: W BLACKBURN
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
GSM & Clasp: GSM, Palestine Clasp 1936 - 1939
TNA Reference: WO 100/503

 

Name: William [H] Blackburn . Date of Birth: 22/7/1916 . Place of Birth: Ireland .... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/31/431
Description:
Name: William [H] Blackburn.
Date of Birth: 22/7/1916.
Place of Birth: Ireland.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Guardsman.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Irish Guards.
Service Number: 2718222.
Date of Capture: 17 May 1940.
Theatre of Capture: The Hague.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XXA Thorn Podgorz.
PoW number: 5474.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

WO 344-30-2


PART I
General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War

1. No.: 2718222
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: BLACKBURN
Christian Names: William Henry
Decorations: -

2. Unit (Army): 2nd Battalion IRISH GUARDS
3. Division (Army): -
4. Date of Birth: 22 Jul 1916
5. Date of Enlistment: 14 Jul 1935
6. Civilian Trade: Soldier
7. Private Address: 32 Evolina Street, Duncairn Gardens, Belfast, Northern Ireland

8. Place of Capture: Hospital, The Hague, Holland
Date of Capture: - [May, 1940]

9. Were you Wounded when Captured: Yes

10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. Location From & To
Stalag XXA Thorn June 1940 - Aug 1940

11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location From & To Nature of Work
Gottenhafen Aug 1940 - May 1941 Road Making
Praust May 1941 - Feb 1945 Farm

12. Did you suffer from any Serious Illnesses while a P/W?:
Nature of Illness Cause Duration
Diptheria July 1943 - November 1943

Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
Yes


PART II

2. Lectures before Capture
(State where, when and by whom)
(a) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave in the event of capture?:
No
(b) Were you lectured on escape and evasion?:
No

3. Interrogation after Capture
(State where, when and methods employed by enemy)
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy?:
I was interrogated three times in Thorn XXA. I’m an Irishman and they questioned me on my views of the I.R.A. No rough treatment.

4. Escapes attempted.
Did you make any attempted or party successful escapes?
-
(Give details of each attempt separately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, where and when captured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to our companions?)
-

5. Sabotage.
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc., when employed on working-parties or during escape?
(Give details, places and dates).

6. Collaboration with enemy.
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy against other Allied PoWS?
-
(Give details, names of person(s) concerned, camp(s), dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
-

7. War Crimes.
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of “Form Q” on which to make your statement.
-

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
-


SECURITY UNDERTAKING.
I fully realised that all information relating to the matters covered by the questions in PART II are of a highly secret and official nature.
I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.


Date of Signature: 9 May 1945