POW Camp Index

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POW Death March, Germany 1945 21st Jan 1945 Heavy Snow 22nd Jan 1945 March 23rd Jan 1945 March 24th Jan 1945 March 25th Jan 1945 March 26th Jan 1945 Very Cold 27th Jan 1945 March 28th Jan 1945 March 29th Jan 1945 March 30th Jan 1945 Bad Conditions 31st Jan 1945 Rations Scarce 1st Feb 1945 Rest 2nd Feb 1945 On the March 3rd Feb 1945 March 4th Feb 1945 Rest 9th Feb 1945 On the March 10th Feb 1945 On the March 11th Feb 1945 Sunday 12th Feb 1945 On the March 13th Feb 1945 On the March 14th Feb 1945 On the March 15th Feb 1945 On the March 16th Feb 1945 On the March 17th Feb 1945 On the March 18th Feb 1945 At Rest 19th Feb 1945 On the March 20th Feb 1945 On the March 21st Feb 1945 At Rest 22nd Feb 1945 March 23rd Feb 1945 March 24th Feb 1945 March 25th Feb 1945 At Rest 26th Feb 1945 At Rest 27th Feb 1945 March 28th Feb 1945 At Rest 1st Mar 1945 On the March 2nd Mar 1945 On the March 3rd Mar 1945 On the March 4th Mar 1945 Rest 5th Mar 1945 March 6th Mar 1945 March 7th Mar 1945 At Rest 8th Mar 1945 March 9th Mar 1945 Rest 10th Mar 1945 On the March 11th Mar 1945 Sunday 12th Mar 1945 March 13th Mar 1945 March 14th Mar 1945 March 15th Mar 1945 At Rest 16th Mar 1945 March 17th Mar 1945 March 18th Mar 1945 March 19th Mar 1945 Under Guard 22nd Mar 1945 Arrival 25th Mar 1945 Abandoned If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Those known to have been held in or employed at POW Death March, Germany 1945 during the Second World War 1939-1945. Anderson Stewart. Pte. Archer Maurice. Sea. Barrett Richard William. Dvr. Burns Joseph Luke. T/Sgt. Clare George. Pte. Clark James Strauss. Sgt. Clark Robert Edward. Pte. Clarkson Thomas. Pte. Clayton Horace Wilfred. Pte. Comley Albert Edwin. Pte. Decker Warren Harding. Pvt. Drew Richard James. Spr. Evinou Andrew Jeffrey. Tpr. Green Christopher Robert. Pte. Green Errol Edward. F/Lt. Harding Frederick John Pax. Pte. Hawarden John James. Pte. Hinds Howard Kenneth. Lt. Howard Lloyd T.. Pvt. Howells John. Pte. Howie MID.. Ian Alexander. Capt. Imperato Robert. Cpl. Johnson Harold William Frederick. L/Cpl. Lander Edward Thomas. Able Sea. Lee Thomas Herbert. Pte. Lewis George Roye. Gnr. Parker Frank Norman. Peters Frederick. Pte. Price Laurie Noel. Sgt. Randall George Douglas. Dvr. Ray Robert. Cpl. Rollings Clifford Albert. Pte. (d.16th Apr 1945) Ryan Thomas. Pte. Saites BSM. Louis Nick. S/Sgt. Sambrano Armando Loya. S/Sgt. Smethurst Cyril George. Sgt. Smith Eric Reginald. Tpr. Swatton Leonard Reginald. Gnr. Treen Walter George. Sig. Walker Jonathan. Cpl. Walsh John Wilton. Sgt. Ward Ben. Pte. Wilkinson Thomas. Sgt. Winnals Harry Robert. Pte. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List Records from POW Death March, Germany 1945 other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. Announcements 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web. 18th Dec 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 265120 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. Looking for help with Family History Research?   Please read our Family History FAQs The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations. Want to know more about POW Death March, Germany 1945? There are:56 items tagged POW Death March, Germany 1945 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. Sgt. Cyril George Smethurst Royal Durban Light Infantry Uncle Cyril Smethurst was not very talkative about his experiences and, although married to Marge before the War, they did not have any children who could have been privy to his war-time exploits. In May 1945 he and some fellow Durban Light Infantry pals were not part of the Long March, so found their way as small group to a village or small town. He had managed to secure a discarded German Luger revolver without ammunition during the camp disruptions caused by the liberators which he used to good effect by hijacking a car from a poor fellow looking down the barrel of the empty Luger. This proved useful for transportation, but sadly, no destination is available for disclosure. It must have worked out well, as he returned to the Union of SA. and died in his home town aged 89. Mel Smethurst Add to this record. Pte. Harry Robert Winnals Pioneer Corps My Grandfather Harry Winnals signed up for the BEF on 3rd of October 1939 and I have a copy of his Attestation certificate showing this. I do not know where he completed his training but I have a B E Follies programme dated Saturday 16th of December 1939 from the Theatre Municipal Amiens so I presume he was in attendance there. According to the Programme there were 26 acts including Bish and His Boys, Bill Cooper The Silent Man, William Shirlaw The Scottish Singer Alec Scougal and RSM Speary and Gibson amongst others. I understand that he drove Petrol tankers whilst in France and never had any sort of firearm. He was captured on his way to Dunkirk I believe. From his many (sanitised for young ears) stories after Sunday dinner he mentioned that he got caught because he reached a river and couldn't swim. He then finally entered up at Stalag XXB but I do not know when. I have a large amount of Postkarte and Letters that he sent to my Grandmother and the earliest one I have is dated Jan 1941 but I'm sure he was there prior to that. He mentioned he worked on a farm as it got him out of the camp and to prove his worth he had to milk a cow after saying he had farming experience. In his own words he said he had never seen a cow let alone milk it. Luckily the farmer's daughter realised this and helped him out thus enabling him to work there. I know no other information about his stay apart from all his diaries he kept after the war. The only birthday he put in every year was this girls. Whilst a PoW in 1943 his wife (my Grandmother) died of an illness and I have no letters from then. He also talked about being on the long march when the Russians advanced . My Grandfather had a long scar on his nose which he said was when he got caught in a knife fight between 2 Russian PoWs and he said a German guard applied pressure on it until he could receive medical attention. I cannot recall anything else he said and when he came home in May 1945, a few months later, he remarried my Nan Violet who is still alive to this day. Add to this record. Pte. Christopher Robert Green 4th Btn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Christopher Green was reported to War Office as Prisoner of War on 24th of September 1940, Casualty list No.316, update from previous report no. 244. on 25th of June 1940 which reported him missing. He was a PoW held at Stalag 344 Lamsdorf, PoW No. 14770. With all other prisoners, was taken on The Long March in 1945. Casualty list 1807 reported that on 13th of July 1945 he had been released from German hands and was no longer a PoW. Robert Green Add to this record. Gnr. George Roye Lewis Royal Artillery George Lewis was a prisoner of war at Stalag XXa for 5 years. He was on the forced march from Stalag XXa to Germany from January to April 1945. Add to this record. Pte. Frederick John Pax Harding Royal Sussex Regiment Fred Harding told how he was on the Beach at Dunkirk carrying a pick helve where he was seriously wounded with 5 wounds from machine gunfire. He was left for dead. However, he was found by German Medics and treated in a local Military Hospital. He was then transported to Stalag XXB in Poland where he remained until being sent on what became the Long March. John Chilver Add to this record. Pte. Clifford Albert Rollings 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.16th Apr 1945) My uncle Clifford Rollings (PoW number 11314), died on the forced march from Stallag XX-B, westwards. He died outside Magdeburg in Germany. He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. After marching 683km, he died approximately 97 km before the column met the US forces at Burns Wick. Kevin Rollings Add to this record. L/Cpl. Harold William Frederick Johnson Black Watch Harold Johnson, my wife's grandfather) was captured at St Valery with the Black Watch as part of 51st Highland Division. He told us how they were marched to Poland and imprisoned in Marienburg XXB. He was working with pigs while there and used to steal thin slices of bacon and hide them down his trousers so that his friends could eat better. He made two escape attempts and both ended in failure and his friends suffered as a result, so he stopped. He told us how angry they were that the French surrendered. He also expressed anger that Welsh speaking prisoners refused to share their food with the English speaking ones, this was poor form in his view. He was forced into a Death March when Soviet forces approached and forced to sign letters that were attempts to absolve guards of any crimes. He was rescued by British troops somewhere in France (we think) and flown home in a Lancaster. Add to this record. Sgt. Laurie Noel Price 3rd Echelon 2nd New Zealand Division I was about 16 years of age when my uncle, Laurie Price returned to New Zealand after the war. As far as I know this information is correct and is written from memory of conversations within the family. He was my mother's younger brother, one of four who went to the war. Luckily all returned, as did my brother. Sgt. Laurie Price, was with the 3rd Echelon from New Zealand, was sent to Egypt. His next of kin was his mother, Charlotte Maude Price. He was captured in Greece and shipped to Bari, Italy. In Italy he had surgery possibly an appendectomy? Then he was sent to Udine before being moved to Stalag 8A. My uncle was one of the many men who walked across Germany. I understand he spent time at Bournemouth to recover before being shipped back to his home in New Zealand. He said very little about his experiences, except that his surgery was painful, the injection for the surgery didn't work, but the one they gave him afterwards behind the knee allowed him to pull hair out for years later without any pain. The prevalence of lice was mentioned and how his finger nails became V-shaped because it was better to stroke them away rather than scratch and break the skin. On the march across Germany, he and his mates found a cellar with potatoes, they boiled the first lot, dirt and all, the second lot they washed, and the third they peeled before eating them. Unfortunately, I do not know where he met up with the Allied forces. However, he did comment that the American POWs struggled more than most on the long march. He was a very quiet man who never married and died approximately in the 1960-1970s. Add to this record. S/Sgt. Louis Nick Saites BSM Co. B, 1st Btn. 10th Infantry Regiment Thirteen months before Pearl Harbor was attacked, my father Louis Saites joined the Army at the age of sixteen. Life at home was not always easy and that prompted Louis to join the Army. He didn’t have his father’s permission, which was required, so he lied about his age. He needed proof of age and he offered his Greek baptismal certificate, which he had altered. He changed his birth year to make himself two years older. Despite the poor job he did in amending the date, the Army accepted it. So at sixteen, he was a private in the United States Army assigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Co. G. Louis was 18 when he was assigned to an intelligence unit in Reykjavik, Iceland. He arrived on 16th of September 1941. His job in intelligence was to befriend and get close to Icelandic persons who were suspected of spying for the Germans. Investigating one specific suspect proved very difficult. Louis went to great lengths to discover what he could about the man's activities, even dating the man's daughter while trying to gain entrance to their house. When he was still unable to get into the house, Louis decided to marry the daughter. Finally gaining entrance to the suspect's home, Louis was able to confirm the man was indeed aiding the Germans as a spy. On 20 August 1942, Louis was reassigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 10th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Co. B and remained in intelligence. The 5th Division was transferred to the European Theater, and his military records show that he arrived in England on 8th of August 1943. In England and later North Ireland, his work in intelligence was searching for German sympathizers among his fellow soldiers. He felt good that none was ever found. During the two years he was in Great Britain, he also participated in infantry training as the U.S. and the British prepared for the D-Day invasion. The 5th Infantry Division landed in Normandy on Utah Beach on 10th of July 1944. Over the next several weeks, the 5th Division participated in numerous successful attacks, advancing from Normandy to Reims and seizing the city on 30 August 1944. The last battle that Louis fought in was the Battle of Fort Driant. It was during the Battle of Fort Driant that Louis, now a 20-year old staff sergeant, was captured on 7th of October 1944. He had been wounded and had shrapnel in his leg when he took refuge with a group of fellow soldiers. They were hiding in a small bunker built into the side of a mound of earth when they were overtaken by a tank command and forced to surrender. As a prisoner of war, Louis was initially processed at Stalag XII-A in Limburg, Germany. He was interrogated and assigned prisoner number 93244. It wasn’t long before he was shipped by train to Stalag III-C in Alt-Drewitz, Brandenburg, Prussia, now Poland. They travelled in cattle cars that were so full they were all forced to stand the entire way. Life at Stalag III-C was a very difficult experience. It was at this camp that he was not only interrogated but also tortured. Conditions at the prison were very bad. They had little to eat, and what food they did get was awful. They ate weeds, bugs, and mice to augment their diet. Housing was in wooden buildings with very little heat and they were given only one blanket for protection against the harsh winter. After several months of internment, the prisoners learned the Soviet Army was approaching and the Germans were planning to move the prisoners towards Berlin. On the 30th or 31st of January 1945, the Russian Army was nearing the prison camp and the Germans forced the prisoners out of the camp. They were on a forced march when they were suddenly fired upon by the Russians. Louis and another man were near the end of the line of prisoners and took advantage of the chaos to run into the woods. They were able to make their way to a farm and the Polish farmer gave them a couple of bicycles. Travelling away from the camp, they finally met up with the Russian Army and travelled with them to Odessa. After a long period of travelling from Odessa to Egypt, to Malta, to France, and then to Naples, Italy, he was finally sent home. His military records note that he participated in three European Campaigns: Normandy, North France, and Rhineland. He also received his first Combat Infantry Badge. After a 59-day furlough at home in Lansing, Michigan, he returned to duty and was honorably discharged on 10 July 1945. He reenlisted on 10th June 1946 and remained in the Army until retiring in 1962. During his service Louis earned the following: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Presidential Unit Citation (2), Prisoner of War Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal 1945-1990, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and United Nations Service Medal. In addition, he received two Combat Infantry Badges and eight Overseas Bars. Sherry Saites Add to this record. Tpr. Eric Reginald Smith Royal Tank Regiment Eric Smith enlisted as a professional soldier in the Royal Tank Regiment in 1930. He was at Dunkirk and later fought in the North African campaign against Rommel. He was captured at Mehili, Libya in 1941 whilst with the forward Reconnaissance Corps. Subsequently, he was held as a POW in Sulmona, Italy, then at a camp in Germany, and finally at Stalag 344 in Lambinowice, Poland as POW number 220281. With thousands of other POWs, he took part in the infamous Long March as Russian forces advanced westward. He was repatriated in 1945 and left the Army in 1946. Mike Smith Add to this record. S/Sgt. Armando Loya "Sam" Sambrano 18th Infantry Regiment Armando Sambrano was drafted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He became a Staff Sargent in the European Theater after his Lieutenant was shot for the third time and sent home. My father was 22 years old when he was drafted. He was in the Big Red One in 18th Infantry Regiment. During boot camp, he would iron the uniforms for other soldiers for extra money, and wrote letters for another soldier to his wife because he did not know how to read or write. He felt the brotherhood that was among all the soldiers. My father was of Mexican descent and the nickname they gave him was Black Boy. Once he became the Staff Sargent, he took the role of the older brother and would tell his men to stay alert and dig their foxholes deep in order to protect themselves from German snipers. He saw horrific scenes and never overcame the loss of two of his men. Eventually he put the horrors in the back of his mind because he had a war to fight, and his men to protect. While in Aachen, Germany in September of 1944, he and his men were using grenades to bomb the German pill boxes to fulfil their objective known as Crucifix Hill. His men were then sent to the Hurtgen Forrest and were almost out of ammunition. Upon approaching one of the pill boxes, it exploded. He woke up to a German medic taking care of his wounds. His pants were torn and shredded and his shirt had been torn off of his body. His ears were ringing loudly and his ear was bleeding. He became a POW of the Germans and was sent to Stalag 12C on 17th of October 1944. On 31st of January 1945 the Russians invaded the Stalag and they were free. They had to walk 1,000 miles to reach Odessa, Russia. He was taken by a Russian Ship to Naples, Italy. He arrived back on American soil on 20th of April 1945. Marie Sambrano Aguirre Add to this record. Pte. John James Hawarden Royal Signals John Hawarden known as Jack, was in the British Expeditionary Force and was captured at Dunkirk after being wounded by shrapnel. Records show he was held in Stalag XXB. He didn't talk much about his time as a POW but did say the Polish women were kind to the POWs running into the street to give them food when they were being marched out of Poland and towards Germany. Add to this record. Cpl. Robert Imperato 1st Btn. Welsh Regiment Robert Imperato enlisted into the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment. He served in Palestine and Egypt until 1940. He then joined 50th ME Commando. He was reported missing in action on the 1st of June 1941 on Crete. He had been injured in action and taken prisoner. He spent the rest of the war in Stalag V111B/344. He was involved in the long march. Add to this record. Spr. Richard James Drew 100th Field Company Royal Engineers My Grandfather Richard Drew was a Sapper for the Royal Engineers 100th Field Company, Royal Engineers. He was captured at Cassel 30th of May 1940 and kept as a Prisoner of War in Stalag 8b until they were repatriated in 1945 after the long march or death march. I have very little information on him apart from what I've found myself searching records. He died in 1966 from complications due to his time as a PoW and I never got to hear his story. Lindsay Hoare Add to this record. Cpl. Robert Ray 2nd Transvaal Scottish My Dad, Robert Ray, was captured at Tobuk on 21st of June 1942 by Rommel and was moved as a POW through Italy (Rome and Sardinia) to Stalag IVB (Muhlberg am Elbe) in 1943, nearby Stalag 304H (Zeithan) then later on to Torun in Poland which he said "hell it was cold there". Later with the Russians advancing he was moved to Fallingbostel, near Hannover and Bremen, from which he escaped and was picked up by British forces and repatriated. He lived till two weeks short of his 88th birthday. His son visited the sites Stalag IVB and 304H in 2000. Add to this record. Sgt. Cyril George Smethurst Royal Durban Light Infantry Uncle Cyril Smethurst was not very talkative about his experiences and, although married to Marge before the War, they did not have any children who could have been privy to his war-time exploits. In May 1945 he and some fellow Durban Light Infantry pals were not part of the Long March, so found their way as small group to a village or small town. He had managed to secure a discarded German Luger revolver without ammunition during the camp disruptions caused by the liberators which he used to good effect by hijacking a car from a poor fellow looking down the barrel of the empty Luger. This proved useful for transportation, but sadly, no destination is available for disclosure. It must have worked out well, as he returned to the Union of SA. and died in his home town aged 89. Mel Smethurst Pte. Harry Robert Winnals Pioneer Corps My Grandfather Harry Winnals signed up for the BEF on 3rd of October 1939 and I have a copy of his Attestation certificate showing this. I do not know where he completed his training but I have a B E Follies programme dated Saturday 16th of December 1939 from the Theatre Municipal Amiens so I presume he was in attendance there. According to the Programme there were 26 acts including Bish and His Boys, Bill Cooper The Silent Man, William Shirlaw The Scottish Singer Alec Scougal and RSM Speary and Gibson amongst others. I understand that he drove Petrol tankers whilst in France and never had any sort of firearm. He was captured on his way to Dunkirk I believe. From his many (sanitised for young ears) stories after Sunday dinner he mentioned that he got caught because he reached a river and couldn't swim. He then finally entered up at Stalag XXB but I do not know when. I have a large amount of Postkarte and Letters that he sent to my Grandmother and the earliest one I have is dated Jan 1941 but I'm sure he was there prior to that. He mentioned he worked on a farm as it got him out of the camp and to prove his worth he had to milk a cow after saying he had farming experience. In his own words he said he had never seen a cow let alone milk it. Luckily the farmer's daughter realised this and helped him out thus enabling him to work there. I know no other information about his stay apart from all his diaries he kept after the war. The only birthday he put in every year was this girls. Whilst a PoW in 1943 his wife (my Grandmother) died of an illness and I have no letters from then. He also talked about being on the long march when the Russians advanced . My Grandfather had a long scar on his nose which he said was when he got caught in a knife fight between 2 Russian PoWs and he said a German guard applied pressure on it until he could receive medical attention. I cannot recall anything else he said and when he came home in May 1945, a few months later, he remarried my Nan Violet who is still alive to this day. Pte. Christopher Robert Green 4th Btn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Christopher Green was reported to War Office as Prisoner of War on 24th of September 1940, Casualty list No.316, update from previous report no. 244. on 25th of June 1940 which reported him missing. He was a PoW held at Stalag 344 Lamsdorf, PoW No. 14770. With all other prisoners, was taken on The Long March in 1945. Casualty list 1807 reported that on 13th of July 1945 he had been released from German hands and was no longer a PoW. Robert Green Gnr. George Roye Lewis Royal Artillery George Lewis was a prisoner of war at Stalag XXa for 5 years. He was on the forced march from Stalag XXa to Germany from January to April 1945. Pte. Frederick John Pax Harding Royal Sussex Regiment Fred Harding told how he was on the Beach at Dunkirk carrying a pick helve where he was seriously wounded with 5 wounds from machine gunfire. He was left for dead. However, he was found by German Medics and treated in a local Military Hospital. He was then transported to Stalag XXB in Poland where he remained until being sent on what became the Long March. John Chilver Pte. Clifford Albert Rollings 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment (d.16th Apr 1945) My uncle Clifford Rollings (PoW number 11314), died on the forced march from Stallag XX-B, westwards. He died outside Magdeburg in Germany. He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. After marching 683km, he died approximately 97 km before the column met the US forces at Burns Wick. Kevin Rollings L/Cpl. Harold William Frederick Johnson Black Watch Harold Johnson, my wife's grandfather) was captured at St Valery with the Black Watch as part of 51st Highland Division. He told us how they were marched to Poland and imprisoned in Marienburg XXB. He was working with pigs while there and used to steal thin slices of bacon and hide them down his trousers so that his friends could eat better. He made two escape attempts and both ended in failure and his friends suffered as a result, so he stopped. He told us how angry they were that the French surrendered. He also expressed anger that Welsh speaking prisoners refused to share their food with the English speaking ones, this was poor form in his view. He was forced into a Death March when Soviet forces approached and forced to sign letters that were attempts to absolve guards of any crimes. He was rescued by British troops somewhere in France (we think) and flown home in a Lancaster. Sgt. Laurie Noel Price 3rd Echelon 2nd New Zealand Division I was about 16 years of age when my uncle, Laurie Price returned to New Zealand after the war. As far as I know this information is correct and is written from memory of conversations within the family. He was my mother's younger brother, one of four who went to the war. Luckily all returned, as did my brother. Sgt. Laurie Price, was with the 3rd Echelon from New Zealand, was sent to Egypt. His next of kin was his mother, Charlotte Maude Price. He was captured in Greece and shipped to Bari, Italy. In Italy he had surgery possibly an appendectomy? Then he was sent to Udine before being moved to Stalag 8A. My uncle was one of the many men who walked across Germany. I understand he spent time at Bournemouth to recover before being shipped back to his home in New Zealand. He said very little about his experiences, except that his surgery was painful, the injection for the surgery didn't work, but the one they gave him afterwards behind the knee allowed him to pull hair out for years later without any pain. The prevalence of lice was mentioned and how his finger nails became V-shaped because it was better to stroke them away rather than scratch and break the skin. On the march across Germany, he and his mates found a cellar with potatoes, they boiled the first lot, dirt and all, the second lot they washed, and the third they peeled before eating them. Unfortunately, I do not know where he met up with the Allied forces. However, he did comment that the American POWs struggled more than most on the long march. He was a very quiet man who never married and died approximately in the 1960-1970s. S/Sgt. Louis Nick Saites BSM Co. B, 1st Btn. 10th Infantry Regiment Thirteen months before Pearl Harbor was attacked, my father Louis Saites joined the Army at the age of sixteen. Life at home was not always easy and that prompted Louis to join the Army. He didn’t have his father’s permission, which was required, so he lied about his age. He needed proof of age and he offered his Greek baptismal certificate, which he had altered. He changed his birth year to make himself two years older. Despite the poor job he did in amending the date, the Army accepted it. So at sixteen, he was a private in the United States Army assigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Co. G. Louis was 18 when he was assigned to an intelligence unit in Reykjavik, Iceland. He arrived on 16th of September 1941. His job in intelligence was to befriend and get close to Icelandic persons who were suspected of spying for the Germans. Investigating one specific suspect proved very difficult. Louis went to great lengths to discover what he could about the man's activities, even dating the man's daughter while trying to gain entrance to their house. When he was still unable to get into the house, Louis decided to marry the daughter. Finally gaining entrance to the suspect's home, Louis was able to confirm the man was indeed aiding the Germans as a spy. On 20 August 1942, Louis was reassigned to the 5th Infantry Division, 10th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Co. B and remained in intelligence. The 5th Division was transferred to the European Theater, and his military records show that he arrived in England on 8th of August 1943. In England and later North Ireland, his work in intelligence was searching for German sympathizers among his fellow soldiers. He felt good that none was ever found. During the two years he was in Great Britain, he also participated in infantry training as the U.S. and the British prepared for the D-Day invasion. The 5th Infantry Division landed in Normandy on Utah Beach on 10th of July 1944. Over the next several weeks, the 5th Division participated in numerous successful attacks, advancing from Normandy to Reims and seizing the city on 30 August 1944. The last battle that Louis fought in was the Battle of Fort Driant. It was during the Battle of Fort Driant that Louis, now a 20-year old staff sergeant, was captured on 7th of October 1944. He had been wounded and had shrapnel in his leg when he took refuge with a group of fellow soldiers. They were hiding in a small bunker built into the side of a mound of earth when they were overtaken by a tank command and forced to surrender. As a prisoner of war, Louis was initially processed at Stalag XII-A in Limburg, Germany. He was interrogated and assigned prisoner number 93244. It wasn’t long before he was shipped by train to Stalag III-C in Alt-Drewitz, Brandenburg, Prussia, now Poland. They travelled in cattle cars that were so full they were all forced to stand the entire way. Life at Stalag III-C was a very difficult experience. It was at this camp that he was not only interrogated but also tortured. Conditions at the prison were very bad. They had little to eat, and what food they did get was awful. They ate weeds, bugs, and mice to augment their diet. Housing was in wooden buildings with very little heat and they were given only one blanket for protection against the harsh winter. After several months of internment, the prisoners learned the Soviet Army was approaching and the Germans were planning to move the prisoners towards Berlin. On the 30th or 31st of January 1945, the Russian Army was nearing the prison camp and the Germans forced the prisoners out of the camp. They were on a forced march when they were suddenly fired upon by the Russians. Louis and another man were near the end of the line of prisoners and took advantage of the chaos to run into the woods. They were able to make their way to a farm and the Polish farmer gave them a couple of bicycles. Travelling away from the camp, they finally met up with the Russian Army and travelled with them to Odessa. After a long period of travelling from Odessa to Egypt, to Malta, to France, and then to Naples, Italy, he was finally sent home. His military records note that he participated in three European Campaigns: Normandy, North France, and Rhineland. He also received his first Combat Infantry Badge. After a 59-day furlough at home in Lansing, Michigan, he returned to duty and was honorably discharged on 10 July 1945. He reenlisted on 10th June 1946 and remained in the Army until retiring in 1962. During his service Louis earned the following: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Presidential Unit Citation (2), Prisoner of War Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal 1945-1990, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and United Nations Service Medal. In addition, he received two Combat Infantry Badges and eight Overseas Bars. Sherry Saites Tpr. Eric Reginald Smith Royal Tank Regiment Eric Smith enlisted as a professional soldier in the Royal Tank Regiment in 1930. He was at Dunkirk and later fought in the North African campaign against Rommel. He was captured at Mehili, Libya in 1941 whilst with the forward Reconnaissance Corps. Subsequently, he was held as a POW in Sulmona, Italy, then at a camp in Germany, and finally at Stalag 344 in Lambinowice, Poland as POW number 220281. With thousands of other POWs, he took part in the infamous Long March as Russian forces advanced westward. He was repatriated in 1945 and left the Army in 1946. Mike Smith S/Sgt. Armando Loya "Sam" Sambrano 18th Infantry Regiment Armando Sambrano was drafted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He became a Staff Sargent in the European Theater after his Lieutenant was shot for the third time and sent home. My father was 22 years old when he was drafted. He was in the Big Red One in 18th Infantry Regiment. During boot camp, he would iron the uniforms for other soldiers for extra money, and wrote letters for another soldier to his wife because he did not know how to read or write. He felt the brotherhood that was among all the soldiers. My father was of Mexican descent and the nickname they gave him was Black Boy. Once he became the Staff Sargent, he took the role of the older brother and would tell his men to stay alert and dig their foxholes deep in order to protect themselves from German snipers. He saw horrific scenes and never overcame the loss of two of his men. Eventually he put the horrors in the back of his mind because he had a war to fight, and his men to protect. While in Aachen, Germany in September of 1944, he and his men were using grenades to bomb the German pill boxes to fulfil their objective known as Crucifix Hill. His men were then sent to the Hurtgen Forrest and were almost out of ammunition. Upon approaching one of the pill boxes, it exploded. He woke up to a German medic taking care of his wounds. His pants were torn and shredded and his shirt had been torn off of his body. His ears were ringing loudly and his ear was bleeding. He became a POW of the Germans and was sent to Stalag 12C on 17th of October 1944. On 31st of January 1945 the Russians invaded the Stalag and they were free. They had to walk 1,000 miles to reach Odessa, Russia. He was taken by a Russian Ship to Naples, Italy. He arrived back on American soil on 20th of April 1945. Marie Sambrano Aguirre Pte. John James Hawarden Royal Signals John Hawarden known as Jack, was in the British Expeditionary Force and was captured at Dunkirk after being wounded by shrapnel. Records show he was held in Stalag XXB. He didn't talk much about his time as a POW but did say the Polish women were kind to the POWs running into the street to give them food when they were being marched out of Poland and towards Germany. Cpl. Robert Imperato 1st Btn. Welsh Regiment Robert Imperato enlisted into the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment. He served in Palestine and Egypt until 1940. He then joined 50th ME Commando. He was reported missing in action on the 1st of June 1941 on Crete. He had been injured in action and taken prisoner. He spent the rest of the war in Stalag V111B/344. He was involved in the long march. Spr. Richard James Drew 100th Field Company Royal Engineers My Grandfather Richard Drew was a Sapper for the Royal Engineers 100th Field Company, Royal Engineers. He was captured at Cassel 30th of May 1940 and kept as a Prisoner of War in Stalag 8b until they were repatriated in 1945 after the long march or death march. I have very little information on him apart from what I've found myself searching records. He died in 1966 from complications due to his time as a PoW and I never got to hear his story. Lindsay Hoare Cpl. Robert Ray 2nd Transvaal Scottish My Dad, Robert Ray, was captured at Tobuk on 21st of June 1942 by Rommel and was moved as a POW through Italy (Rome and Sardinia) to Stalag IVB (Muhlberg am Elbe) in 1943, nearby Stalag 304H (Zeithan) then later on to Torun in Poland which he said "hell it was cold there". Later with the Russians advancing he was moved to Fallingbostel, near Hannover and Bremen, from which he escaped and was picked up by British forces and repatriated. He lived till two weeks short of his 88th birthday. His son visited the sites Stalag IVB and 304H in 2000. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

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