Pte. Hugh White
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:48 Spencer Street, Belfast
Hello I am researching my family history and have just discovered my grandfather's cousin, Hugh White was taken prisoner in 1940
This extract was printed in a local paper on June 24, 1940.
"Mrs.Hanna White, 34 Spencer Street, Belfast, has received official notification that her son, Fusilier Hugh White, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, is missing. Fusilier White has been with the Inniskilling's for almost two years. He was formerly employed by the Belfast Corporation."
Hugh was reported as missing the day before his brother Samuel was killed in action. He was taken Prisoner of War in 1940 at Dunkirk and spent 5 years as a prisoner in one of the harshest POW camps, Stalag 344 at Lambinowice, Poland. This camp was in the Wehrkreis VIII region, Breslau (Wroclaw). Breslau became a fortress under Hitler's orders, as I read the personal accounts of the veterans who had been taken there along the 6 month death march from Dunkirk my stomach churns at what those guys had to suffer. It was the last camp to be liberated which was on St Patrick's Day the 17th March 1945.
With time we can forgive but we must never forget the sacrifices made for our country through all the conflicts by both Men Woman and Child both in our forces and on our Land.
