238793 Pte. Bernard Dolan "Benny" Morrell British Army Black Watch from:Dundee, Scotland My dad, Bernard Morrell, was a POW in WWII. He was captured in Moselle, France on 13th May 1940. He was then a prisoner of war in German hands.
He arrived at Stalag XXA on 30th of May 1940, his POW number was 5237 (Stalag XXA) and also another POW (Stalag X1B). When he arrived he got moved so many times I am surprised if he was able to keep or make friends with his unit or new POW people like himself.
Like I said, his dates are Stalag XXa on 30th May 1940, coming from Dulag XII according to a list dated on 31th May 1940, and two capture cards dated 6th June 1940 and 31st June 1940. Transferred from Stalag XXa to Stalag XIb on 15th March 1941, according to a list dated 18th March 1941. Arrived at Stalag XIb on 17th March 1941, coming from Stalag XXa on the same day (looks like). Again transferred from XIb to Stalag XX on 10th April 1941 according to two lists dated 19th April 1941 and 22nd April 1941. Transferred again to Stalag XX to Stalag XXIa on 15th May 1941. Detained in Stalag XXIa and transferred to Stalag VIIIb on 8th June 1941 according to a list dated 17th July 1941. Arrived at Stalag VIIIb on 16th June 1941 coming from Stalag XXIc/h. Again transferred from Stalag VIIb to Stalag VIIIc on 19th October 1943. Detained in Stalag VIIIc according to capture card dated on 5th December 1943, and a list sent 29th February 1944.
So, there are nine lists issued by the German authorities, then three capture cards and one list sent by the British camp leader to Stalag VIIIc. Out of all the transfers, why or how could anyone make friends or not even know where they going to be staying, let alone all the worry if you are going to survive the POW camps? Why did they transfer him so many times? All I can think of is maybe he was trying to get out or he would not do what he was meant to do. Hope someone can give me a bit of help. But my poor dad - I can't begin to know what every one of the soldiers went through, so heart-breaking are some of the stories I have read. I do know that one of my relations said that my dad did have terrible nightmares when he came home. May be that is why he drank quite a bit and who can blame him? There was no counselling in his day - it was get on with it, go to work every day - which he did when he got work. So sad for every one of them.
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