CH/X 1993 Corporal Henry Gordon Albert GURNEY, MiD, Royal Marines & Special Boat Service: POW

Army Number: CH/X 1993
Rank: Corporal
Name: Henry Gordon Albert GURNEY
Unit: Royal Marines ; Special Boat Service

 

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Name: Henry Gordon Albert GURNEY
Date of Birth: 8 Feb 1919
Date of Enlistment: 16 Jul 1937
Date of Capture: 16 Aug 1942
Place of Capture: North Africa


PART I.
GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

1. No. - CH/X 1993
RANK - Cpl
SURNAME - GURNEY
CHRISTIAN NAMES - Henry Gordon Albert
DECORATIONS - M.I.D.

2. UNIT (ARMY) - Special Boat Section M.E.C. Middle East Commando

3. DIVISION (ARMY) - Royal Marines

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 8/2/1919

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 16th July 1937

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - Professional Solicitor

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - "Burbett" Mill Lane Witham, Essex, England

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - North Africa 16th Aug. 1942

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? Yes. Right Wrist. Slight

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
Not Registered POW
OFLAG VII B INGOLSTADT 16 Sept 42 - 23rd Sept 42
TALAG BERLIN 25 Sept 42 - 18 Jan 43
OFLAG IIIC HOHENFELS Bavaria Jan 43 - May 43
MARLAG WESTERTIMKE Bremen May 43


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
NO

12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
NO

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
-


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. - CH/X 1993
RANK - Cpl
SURNAME - Gurney
CHRISTIAN NAMES - Henry Gordon Albert


2. LECTURES before Capture:
( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).
Yes. Commando Training Base, April 42
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom).
Yes. C. T. B. April 42

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
Yes. El Darba. Mersa Matruh. Tobruch. Derna. Berlin.
OFLAG VIIB. OFLAG IIIC.


4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did you make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)
Yes. By tunnels, taken just through outlet. Due to guard ?ing, men who left first a Cpl. MacDONALD, assisted , through his organisation I considered myself fairly fit.


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.)
NO

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 agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
NO

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.
(NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coming under this title.)



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
(continued)

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



SECURITY UNDERTAKING
I fully realise that all information relating 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 3/5/45
Signature Cpl H Gurney

On landing, behind the German lines, only Lt. C.M. ALEXANDER, D.C.L.I. and myself were able to carry on with our task of the eight men detailed. Due to enemy action we could not return to the beach, so on finishing job started for the front line intending to get back that way. During the journey we disposed of a number of objects including transport. On Sunday Aug 16th at 0700 A.M. approx entered an Ordnance Repair Tent for some water. The tent was surround by a number of others, so we had to secure the four Germans with tape and cord to prevent discovery. We had landed in British shorts and shirts, ? on the journey to the front wore German caps and shirts also the men broke free and opened fire on us. On being taken prisoner, the German refused to accept us as British Soldiers but insisted that we were spies and charged us with sabotage and murder. At the Field Court Martial, General ROMMEL decided to send us to GERMANY for further trial. On our arrival in OFLAG VII the Swiss Powers were informed and word was sent to ENGLAND. We were both removed to BERLIN to the German Military Prison, Tegel. And whilst they're kept in solitary confinement. On 12th Jan, I was informed that we had been accepted as professional soldiers and the trial was temporarily postponed. I was sent to OFLAG IIIC, there placed in handcuffs. A copy of my identity photograph was sent to ENGLAND, I was told, as the request of the British Government. The Germans knew that Lt. ALEXANDER was the nephew of Gen. ALEXANDER and also invited I was the son of Admiral GURNEY. I was never told why they had reason to suppose this.

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16912186
Reference: WO 416/154/490
Name: Henry Gordon Gurney.
Date of Birth: 8 February 1919.
Place of Birth: London.
Service: Royal Marines.
Rank: Corporal.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [unspecified].
Service Number: CH/X1993.
Date of Capture: 16 August 1942.
Theatre of Capture: El Daba.
Camp Name/Number: Oflag VIIB Eichstaett.
PoW number: 4132.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 2.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 3.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

See also:

• Michael Alexander (British Army officer) - Wikipedia