VX5133 Lieutenant Alfred James Cummerford REILLY, MiD, AIF: POW

Discussion in 'Australian' started by dbf, Oct 5, 2023.

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    Personal Number: VX5133
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Name: Alfred James Cummerford REILLY, MiD
    Unit: 2/6th Battalion, 17th Brigade, 6th Australian Division, Australian Imperial Force

    Date of Birth: 11 December 1909
    Place of Birth: Geelong, Australia

    Date of Capture: 1 June 1941
    Place of Capture: Crete

    POW Number: 3576
    POW Camps: Oflag X C, Oflag VI B, Oflag VII B, Stalag 383


    London Gazette : 30 December 1941
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35396/page/7359/data.pdf
    The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of distinguished services in the Middle East (including Egypt, East Africa, The Western Desert, The Sudan, Greece, Crete, Syria and Tobruk) during the period February, 1941, to July, 1941:—
    AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES.
    Lt. A. J. C. Reilly (VX.5133)
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2024
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    Name: [Alfred J C] Reilly . Date of Birth: 11/12/1909 . Place of Birth: Geelong . ... | The National Archives
    Reference: WO 416/303/239
    Name: [Alfred J C] Reilly.
    Date of Birth: 11/12/1909.
    Place of Birth: Geelong.
    Service: [Australian Imperial Force].
    Rank: [Lieutenant].
    Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [2/6 Infantry Battalion].
    Service Number: [VX5133].
    Date of Capture: [unspecified].
    Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
    Camp Name/Number: Oflag XC Lubeck.
    PoW number: 3576.
    Date of Death: [unspecified].
    Number of Photographs: 0.
    Number of Fingerprints: 0.
    Number of X-rays: 0.
    Number of Cards: 1.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2024
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    PART I.
    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

    1. No.
    VX5133
    RANK - LIEUTENANT
    SURNAME - REILLY
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - ALFRED JAMES CUMMERFORD
    DECORATIONS - (M.I.D CRETE)

    2. UNIT (ARMY) -
    2/6th Bn. 17th BDE. 6th AUS. DIV., A.I.F.

    3. DIVISION (ARMY) -
    6th AUS. DIV.

    4. DATE OF BIRTH -
    11/12/09

    5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT -
    NOV. 1939

    6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION -
    PASTORALIST

    7. PRIVATE ADDRESS -
    c/o Geelong Club, Geelong, Vic., Aus.

    8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE -
    CRETE 1 June 1941

    9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? -
    NIL

    10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
    Camp No. / Location / From / Till

    SALONIKA, SALONIKA GREECE Late June '41 - July '41
    [OFLAG] 10C LUBECK AUG '41 - OCT 9th '41
    [OFLAG] 6B WARBURG OCT 10th '41 - SEPT 9th '42
    [OFLAG] 7B EICHSTATT SEPT 9th '43 - MAR 26th '45

    ZWEIGLAGER 383 STEINBURG MAR 26 '45 - APRIL 30th '45
    Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 09.08.59.png

    11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
    Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work

    -

    12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
    Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration

    -
    12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
    YES


    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

    1. No.
    VX5133
    RANK - LIEUT.
    SURNAME - REILLY
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - ALFRED JAMES CUMMEFORD


    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).

    NO
    ( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
    NO

    3. INTERROGATION after capture:
    Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).

    CRETE by German security or Intelligence Officers. No information given, all the Germans had full information of personnel of all Aus. units in area at that time.
    Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 09.16.55.png

    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?)

    ( A ) At WARBURG (2 Occasions Tunneling)
    ( B ) At EICHSTATT 1 Tunneling, 1 Wire attempt with scaling ladders on fog board. morning. Frustrated.
    ( C ) CRETE, recaptured 2 days later 1941

    Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 09.17.01.png

    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 agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, 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.
    (NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coning 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?

    Salonica Camp. 10 men shot over period of 5 weeks for alleged breech of regulations. German Unit (125 Inf. Reg?)
    Merchant Service Officers shot at LUBECK10C for petty offences about Sept. '41. Name Unknown of German responsible.
    Deliberate & systematic starvation of P.O.W's in this camp during 1941. Reprisals re ?ing EICHSTATT camp 1943-44

    Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 09.24.32.png

    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 May 1945
    Signature AJC Reilly
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2024
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