2721325 Guardsman George Henry CATLING, 1 Irish Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 10 June 1940

Army Number: 2721325
Rank: Guardsman
Name: George H CATLING
Unit: 1 Irish Guards

Date of Birth: 27 January 1915
Place of Birth: Liverpool

Date of Capture: 22 February 1944
Place of Capture: Anzio, Italy

POW Number: 127041
POW Camps: Stalag VIIA, Stalag VIIIB

 

Army Number: 2721325
Rank: Guardsman
Name: George Henry CATLING
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
POW Number: 127041
Date of Capture: 27/02/1944
Place of Capture: Anzio
Camp: Stalag VIIIB, VIIA

 

Army Number: 2721325
Rank: Guardsman
Name: G CATLING
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
Missing Personnel file: 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS - Italy, Missing Personnel file
TNA Reference: WO 361/784
Notes: Missing 22 Feb 1944

 

Name: George [H] Catling . Date of Birth: 27/01/1915 . Place of Birth: Liverpool . ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/60/348
Name: George [H] Catling.
Date of Birth: 27/01/1915.
Place of Birth: Liverpool.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Private [Guardsman].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [Irish Guards].
Service Number: 2721325.
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: Stalag VIIA Moosburg.
PoW number: 127041.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

Name: George Gatling . Date of Birth: 27/07/1915 . Place of Birth: England . ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/135/66
Name: George Gatling.
Date of Birth: 27/07/1915.
Place of Birth: England.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Private.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [The Royal Irish Guards Regiment].
Service Number: [unspecified].
Date of Capture: 20 July 1944.
Theatre of Capture: Itlay.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag VII A Moosburg.
PoW number: 127041.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 1.
Number of Fingerprints: 1.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 2.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

WO 344-58-1


PART I
General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War

1. No.: 2721325
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: CATLING
Christian Names: George Henry
Decorations: -
2. Unit (Army): 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS
3. Division (Army): 1st DIVISION

4. Date of Birth: January 1915
5. Date of Enlistment: 10 June 1940
6. Civilian Trade: Fitter
7. Private Address: 21 Cheers Street, Old Swan, Liverpool

8. Place of Capture: Anzio, ITALY
Date of Capture: 27 February 1944

9. Were you Wounded when Captured: No

10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. Location From & To
VIIA Moosburg 6 May 1944 - 10 July 1944
VIIIB Lamsdorf July 1944 - August 1944

11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location From & To Nature of Work
Bobrek August 1944 - January 1945 Mines

12. Did you suffer from any Serious Illnesses while a P/W?:
No
Nature of Illness Cause Duration
-

Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
No


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, by an Intelligence Officer
(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?:
No

4. Escapes attempted.
Did you make any attempted or party successful escapes?
Yes
(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?)
6 March 1945 [date written in margin]
I escaped twice from the March from Upper Silesia and reached Czecho but was captured and put in Gestapo Jail at Kolin. We were interrogated and handcuffed. cont.
[from next page] The first escape we were put in Leitmishl jail we were treated very well by the Czech Police and were allowed visitors. We received all our food from the visitors, Czech living behind the jail. I will be able to furnish names at a later date. Also the civilian population was under threats of death if they aided us in any way.
[Added in different handwriting] Approx date of escape 6th March 1945

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?
No
(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?
No
(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?
No

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: 17 May 1945