Black Watch P.O.Ws

[gordontaos]

I could not have said it more clearly.

Gordon

[Ismelda]

Dundeesown, I know this thread is quite old, but you mention early on L/Cpl (or Pte) A Drury from 1/5th Black Watch. Was he listed as a POW? Did it say which camp?

Thanks

Jo

[dundeesown]

Hi Jo

The book had him as a POW in Gustrow. ( the book is not 100% with the information,it has lads KIA in it & some of the service numbers are way off.)

Gary

[gordontaos]

New Information on Pte Thomas Spence has surfaced thanks to the Red Cross records and the work of one of his relatives in Scotland, Ms. Lisa Spence.

The Red Cross records indicate that he was captured on March 23, 1918 at Beugny, France. He had a shrapnel wound in his right upper thigh. According to this document he died at the German Field Hospital at Abancourt, Nord, on April 2, 1918 from Tetanus. It also says that he "arrived from front at Limburg". The entry about his death says "came from Limburg".

So... two questions in my mind are:

1-Would he have had a wound when he was captured that became infected after he was assigned to a work detail at Abancourt, which is why he died in a field hospital rather than having been sent to a better medical facility? I say this because he would have gone right through Cambrai to get from where he was captured to where he died 10 days later.

2- Where the heck was Limburg around Cambrai? I have tried to be creative in my spelling but to no avail.

Finally, In the "concentration" record that was added to his CWGC site it states that identification was made because of a paper in a bottle in his grave. I guess that it was pretty common to put the name of the dead in a bottle for later identification? Any further information on this "custom"?

Thanks in advance for all of your assistance.

[gordontaos]

I may be jumping the gun, but I think that I have figured out the "Limburg" portion of this record, thanks to other discussions on this forum. Apparently, Limburg, just east of Koblenz, was a very large POW Camp. One might assume that these POW records indicate that Pte Spence was first sent to Limberg, then back to Abancourt where he died. However, I was stationed at Flugplatz Hahn (now Frankfurt-Hahn Flughafen) in 1973, which is not to far from Limberg. At that time I made the trip from Hahn to Flesquieres, which is not far from Abancourt. It was a trek in 1973, and I can only imagine the difficulty in travelling that distance in 1918, roundtrip in a matter of days. So, my guess is that the IRC was notified of Pte Spence's disposition from the POW office at Limburg, which probably got the information sent to them from Abancourt. Just an example of a clerk making notations that are confusing to us today.

[Guest]

Hiya

 

Thank You

 

Due to your hard work, time and effort, you have given me my Grandads Prisoner Of War data - Pte James Richardson 240836 4/5th ( Form K.O.S.B 50126) 4 Park Street Hawick

 

It doesn't list which camp he was in, is there any other way I can find this out? Also when and where was he captured? We only knew he had been POW due to the letter at the end of the war, Welcoming him home from King George

 

He went on to become a Warrant Officer Class 1, Regimental Sergeant Major from 15th Dec 1935, No.3179766 attached to H.Q Wing K.O.S.B

 

Cheers

 

Carolyn

[clk]

Hi Carolyn,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

If you use this link, and then put the 'PA' number shown on the index card into the search box, it will take you through to a PoW register page. It would appear that James was captured at Baugnies on 21st March 1918 whilst serving with 'B' company. The register relates to being at (or administered by) a camp in Frankfurt, having previously been at Douain.

 

The Battalion war diary for the time is here at the National Archives, or here on Ancestry. The 21st March 1918 was the first day of the massive German Spring Offensive. It might be worth adding context to the Battalion diary by looking at the Brigade HQ, and Division HQ (General Staff) diaries - TNA search page here, Ancestry here

 

What remains of his probably heavily weeded service record is held by the MoD.

 

If you would like to get a copy, there is advice here, and a helpdesk phone number here.

 

Good luck with your research.

 

Regards

Chris

[Guest]

Hiya

 

Today I have just received my Grandfathers military records, including his POW info. He was in the 6th Battalion of the Black Watch, its states he was captured on the 21st March 1918 in "Beugany" and held in Frankfurt, not sure of the spelling but have posted a copy of the records, this is allowing anybody else with somebody in his Battalion a chance to see where they were caught

 

It was your post that showed him listed as a POW, so I'm hoping this helps others too

 

Carolyn x

Sorry Chris, Have only just seen your reply, Thank You xx

[Sjack91]

There is a book about men from Hawick & District written by Derek Robertson that might add further information 

[MaxD]

 The place of capture was Beugny on the (now) RN D930 a third of the way from Bapaume to Cambrai and the camp he was held in was at Frankfurt an der Oder not Frankfurt am Main which is the one usually thought of.  (Sheet 57CNW4 I 16)

 

Max

Edited 28 February , 2019 by MaxD