Pte. Roy Alfred Lonsdale
British Army 1/7 Btn. Middlesex Regiment
Private 6846521 - Roy Alfred Lonsdale served with the 1st Kensington's and was held as POW No 6199 in Stalag 8b, Stalag 21a & Stalag 21d. Dad never talked much about that part of his life spent as a POW in Poland. On the few occasions that he did it made him very upset and depressed. He died in 1996. After my mother died I found a number of items that related to my father’s time as a POW. These included various documents, photographs and his "Soldier's Service and Pay Book", along with a small list of names and addresses.
He was required to present himself for military training on Saturday the 15th July 1939 in Winchester. Since leaving school he had first been a pantry boy and then a steward on the railway, working on the "Coronation" from Kings Cross, London to Waverley, Edinburgh. He had obviously worked the return journey from Edinburgh on Friday 14th because we have a menu with that date. What the chain of events from that day are I do not know.
What I do know is that Dad was taken prisoner at St Valéry on June 12th 1940, but have no details about his capture. The "Register Form For Recovered Allied Prisoners Of War" states that he was evacuated by the Americans on the 29th April 1945. The document states last prison Stalag VIIIB how long 4 years 11 mths, previous camp Stalag XXID. What I am confused about is where he was and when he was there. The paperwork in my possession says that his last prison camp was "Stalag VIIIB" and that he was there for 4 years 11 months and that previous to that he had been at "Stalag XXlD" but he had photographs from "Stalag XXlA" he was obviously at Stalag XXIA on July 7th 1942 because a "Next of Kin parcel card" of that date which he has signed shows his camp address as Stalag XXIA Germany. Page 4 of his service book lists the places he was taken to from his capture at St Valéry on June 12th 1940 until his arrival at Shulin? Poland on July 8th. Then some movements up to January 29th 1941.
The details that I have seem to point to the fact that dad was in Stalag XXIA for some considerable time and Stalag VIIIB for a short period of time but there are also a few photographs that relate to Stalag XXID. I'm not certain when he was at Stalag XXID or how I would find out these details. I have an article dad sent to a local paper in Dec 1961 about how the Germans tricked them into working extra hours and days. If anybody can add any other information please contact me.
