50019 Tpr. Anthony Wiles Army East Yorks Yeomanry I believe that my Grandfather, Anthony Wiles was imprisioned in Stalag 8b (344) from 1940 to 1945 (he is the only Tpr A Wiles listed - though the A Wiles listed is R.A.C). Sadly, he died in 1989. He was captured in 1940 in France (probably as part of the BEF). He told me he was captured in a cornfield and surrendered after the Germans surrounded the field and threatended to burn them out. He talked of working in Poland, a long march (during which they were abused by the locals), being fed on Beetroot Soup and working near a river. He was fluent in German on his return and I think he served a while as a dispatch rider after the war. He brought back a few mementoes (which he said he picked up on his walk back) including a German army bayonet and flag (both of which I still have). For anyone who may remember him, he was a bandsman (accomplished trumpet player), would have been in his early 20s, was from the Hull area and was referred to as Tony.
|