2719919 Guardsman John Cecil BUCKNELL, 2 Irish Guards: PoW

Date of Enlistment: December 1939
Army Number: 2719919
Rank: Guardsman
Name: John Cecil BUCKNELL
Unit: 2 Irish Guards


Date of Birth: 10 September 1920
Place of Birth: Camberwell, London, England
Residence: 11 Hedl-Y-Felin Rhiwbina, Cardiff, S. WALES, as at May 1945

Date of Capture: 25 May 1940
Place of Capture: Boulogne, France

POW Number: 6651
POW Camps: Stalag XXA, Stalag XXA, Stalag IIIA, Stalag XXID, Stalag VIIIB, Stalag 344


Date of Death: 2007
Place of Death: Leeds, Yorkshire

 

Name: John Bucknall . Date of Birth: 10/09/1920 . Place of Birth: London, England . ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/45/202
Name: John Bucknall.
Date of Birth: 10/09/1920.
Place of Birth: London, England.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Private.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Irish Guards.
Service Number: 3719919. [sic ; 2719919]
Date of Capture: 25 May 1940.
Theatre of Capture: Boulogne.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XX A, Thorn Podgorz.
PoW number: 6651.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 5.

 

Army Casualty List (WO 417):
2719919 Guardsman Bucknell J 1940 Irish Guards
2719919 Guardsman Bucknell J 1940 Irish Guards
2719919 Guardsman Bucknell J 1945 Irish Guards

The Times Casualty List:
Published 16th July 1940, Missing - Guardsman Bucknell J.
Published 16th October 1940, Previously reported missing, now reported Prisoner of War - Guardsman Bucknell J.

 

Irish Guards Liberated Prisoner of War Interrogation Questionnaires

WO 344


PART I
General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War

1. No.: 2719919
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: BUCKNELL
Christian Names: John Cecil
Decorations: 1939 - 1943 Star

2. Unit (Army): 2nd Battalion IRISH GUARDS
3. Division (Army): -

4. Date of Birth: 10 September 1920
5. Date of Enlistment: December 1939
6. Civilian Trade: -
7. Private Address: 11 Hedl-Y-Felin Rhiwbina, Cardiff, S. WALES

8. Place of Capture: Boulogne, FRANCE
Date of Capture: 26 May 1940

9. Were you Wounded when Captured:
No

10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. Location From & To
Stalag 20A Thorn, Poland, 1940 - 1940
Stalag IIIA Friesack, Berlin 1940 - 1940
Stalag 21D Posen, Poland 1941 - 1942
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf, Germany 1942 - 1944
Stalag 20A Thorn, Poland 1944 - 1945

11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location From & To Nature of Work
Briesen, Poland 1940 - 1940 Farm
Ratleor Ob S? 1943 - 1943 Leather Factory

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

Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
-


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?:
Yes, in England, British Officer, 1940.
(b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion?:
-

3. Interrogation after Capture
(State where, when and methods employed by enemy)
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy?:
No

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?)
Seven escapes from different camps.
I was sometimes away for days - sometimes weeks.

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.
-

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[n.b. I don't have the last page, so this section remains blank]
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:

 

See also:

• Report on Evacuation of Boulogne: 20 Guards Brigade
• Report on 2nd Bn Welsh Guards at Boulogne
• 2nd Battalion Irish Guards.
• Recollections related to the Irish Guards at Boulogne, 1940