Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Second World War on The Wartime Memories Project Website

Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Second World War on The Wartime Memories Project Website



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500978

"Geordie" Whitwell

Army Black Watch

I was captured at Anzio and eventually transported to Stalag 4b at Mulberg. Two incidents spring to mind apart from the general starvation.

A German plane one day straffed the prisoners walking around the compound and coming in far too low struck and Airforce corporal (I think his name was Brown) killing him.

Another when one of the prisoners crawled through the broken fence between two compounds to retrieve a football and was wantonly shot dead by one of the guards. One name of Blondie who then took off chased by a mob of prisoners who would have torn him apart had they caught him. I understand that he eventually copped his just deserts.

I then was transferred with others to Stalag 357 at Fallingbostel and vividly remember having a luger shoved up my nose by one of the guards aptly called The Bull when lying in bed when I should have been on roll call. I was one of the lucky ones who was in the last party to leave the camp when the allies were approaching and which the Germans failed to get over the Elbe and sent back under their own devices to the camp. We were eventually relieved by The Royal Scots and flown back to England in Dakotas. The Man of Confidence was named Dixie Dean an Australian Airforce warrant officer and a great guy. Died about ten years ago here in Sydney Australia. I understand that the idea for Hogans Heroes was based on Dixie's sabotage work.

My muckers were Middy Middleton (Green Howards) Jeff, Taffy, Wally and Sailor and I still have the birthday card they made for me on my 21st Birthday. Sorry that I lost touch with them when the war finished as they looked after me as compared to them I was a kid.to know more about this Stalag.



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