264331 L/Cpl. William Bench British Army 7th Btn. Royal Tank Regiment from:Blackpool, Lancashire William Bench was captured at Arras following an attack on his tank in which he sustained a shrapnel injury to his shoulder.
The International Red Cross Archives hold the following information: He was sent to Soignies Hospital in June 1940, and was at St Joseph Hospital in Enghien on 14th of August 1940.
He arrived at Stalag VI A on 27th of August 1940, from Dulag VI A. He was still detained at Stalag VI A on 8th of October 1940.
He was transferred from there to Stalag VIII B on 18th of October 1940. He escaped from Stalag VIII B on 2nd of September 1944.
He was sent to work in a coal mine, Camp E51 at Klausberg in Silesia, where he contracted emphysema from which he suffered for the rest of his life, and which was a part cause of his death in 1985 in Auckland NZ.
The Red Cross has his capture date as 20th of June 1940, but his military record shows him missing in France on 21st of May 1940, so I am inclined to think that he was captured on 20th of May 1940 (Red Cross would have been informed he was a POW in June).
His military record shows that he returned to England on 28th of April 1945. After he escaped he was in Red Army hands, then US Army hands, before arriving in England.
I am interested in hearing from anyone who knew of him at Camp E51, and who may have escaped with him.
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