Pte. Frederick William Miller
British Army 5th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
from:Nottingham
Frederick Miller enlisted in the army on 18th of April 1940. He was posted to Infantry Training Centres in Rochdale, Galashiels and Dereham, prior to embarcation to North Africa on 23 December 1942. Disembarked in North Africa (Tunisia?) on 3rd of January 1943.
He was with 2/5 Btn Sherwood Foresters (re-designated as 5th Btn on 28th of January 1943), who were over-run by a German Parachute Engineer Battalion, under the command of Major Rudolf Witzig, in the 1st Battle of Sedjenane in Tunisia on Tuesday 2 March 1943, which is when he was reported missing, believed to be a POW. Believed he was acting as a medic, caring for the many wounded soldiers from the battle. Next of kin not informed until 26th of March 1943. Confirmed as a POW in Campo 53 on 25th/26th of April 1943, he was transferred to Stalag IVG (Oschatz or its Work Camp at Klinga) in Germany on 30th December 1943 as POW 227653. Next of kin informed 11th of January 1944. He worked on an Arbeitskommando (Work Group) - one of 76 Work Groups based on Stalag IVG in the Grimma area, 50 miles WNW of Dresden.
He was transferred from Stalag IVG to Stalag IVA (Hohnstein-Ernstthal - Airfield at Dresden-Klotsche) on 16th of February 1944. Apparently, the main camp was liberated by the advancing Russians on 24th of April 1945. His Army record lists liberation on 7th of May 1945 - the day before VE Day.
