225258 Gnr. Ronald Stewart British Army Royal Artillery from:Bristol My father, Gunner Ronald Stewart, 51st Highland Division, Royal Artillery, BEF was a POW at Stalag VIIIB for 5 years after he was captured just outside Dunkirk. He was 20 years old at the time.
Since his unit was told to leave its guns and cover the retreat of the infantry he was always rather acid about his war experience. "The only thing that can run faster than a French soldier is a British officer" or perhaps vice versa.
My father worked in a coal mine and also a timber mill, and as one of your correspondents says it wasn't easy. There is also a family legend from my aunt who is still alive that he worked in a salt mine but we have always been dubious about this. If there are any records confirming where he worked I would be grateful. I have contacted the Red Cross who have the camp records, but there has been no reply.
There have been photographs of the funeral of a "Perri Daniels" (I have seen photos of the gravestone) and we were told the the funeral party was dressed up for propaganda purposes but I'm afraid the photos have been lost. I have a number of photographs and some letters home.
My father always spoke very highly of the hospitality of the Polish people who had very little themselves but who would leave presents of food on his lathe or who would throw cigarette ends as a work party passed, often at great risk to themselves. I worked for a year in Poland in 1997 and when they heard about my father the managers of the Polish construction company organised the trip to the camp for me.
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