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223164Gnr. William David "Ginger" Smith
British Army Royal Artillery
from:Huyton, Merseyside
My father William Smith would never talk about his time as a POW until my mother died in 1969 when after a few years he came to live with me. I asked him one day if he would tell me about the terrible POW years and he told me his story which I decided I would write one day. I have just found the notes I took on this day together with telegrams, letters, photographs and drawings that he sent home so have decided it is now time to try and write my book.Two drawings I have were done by Thomas Burke at Stalag XXA entitled 'A Merry Christmas to all', and the other is by K V Wood which is just entitled 'The Camp'. I don't know where the 1st drawing was sent from, but the second one was sent from Blechhammer. I would be interested to know if anyone knows the two men who drew them.
My father was in Stalag XX1B, XX11A and V11A. He was captured on the 20 May 1940 in Albert which might be in Belgium but I'm not sure and was on the Death March from Poland to Germany. His best friend who was captured with him and went all through the POW system with him, was called Albert and I think he lived in Rotherham.
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