227871 Sgt. N.C. "Colin" Dean South African Army 2nd Field Regt. I am trying to trace my father's war experiences and would appreciate any information at all. I currently know the following:
He joined up in 1940 and went from Pietermaritzburg to Potchefstroom for training with the 6th Battery. They embarked on HMT Dilwara on 22nd July 1941 and reached Port Tewfik on 12th August 1941. After that the trail becomes hazy until June 1942 at Knightsbridge where he was on the No. 1. Gun in E Troop. His gun team comprised: Bdr. D.G. (Danie) Strachan, Gnr. W.A. (Bill) Nye (later Knight), Gnr. E.J. (Eddie) Keiser, Gnr. D.I. (Dennis) Else, Gnr. Macl. (Jack) Goldstone, Driver Gnr. J.A. Stephens.
They were held in POW camp in Italy, and later in Germany (Stalag 317). I don't know the name of the Italian camp or the dates. He escaped, got to the UK and finally return to PMB where he was discharged in October 1945. He died in 1971. His POW number was 39809.
I would be most grateful to receive any information at all that would fill in some of these vast gaps. I will gladly pay any costs incurred.
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