503842 Daniel Robert Stichbury British Army Grenadier Guards My Father Daniel Robert Stichbury was caught May 30th 1940 near Brussels
Belguim and was part of the BEF forces and was a Grenadier Guardsman, he
survived extremely horrendous conditions, forced marched to the German
border without food or water and only by the generousity of the local
red cross barely survived the journey.
Suffering a ear infection from a motor attack which turned into a
mastoid he was sent to a militarily hospital and treated for about 10
weeks, he was the only British soldier in amongst about 20 luftwaftte
pilots who tried to make conversation in English with him.
Whilst there he saw the big military build-up of the German military
forces sent to Russia and after going back to the camp he was in it was
closed because of the very bad conditions. The treatment and food given
to him in hospital most probably saved him and after working in the
mines of Sternberg and building roads with the barest of food rations he
managed to see liberty on May 10th 1945 and was repratriated by the
American forces back to Britain and came home one night where I met my
Father at the age of 6 years.
Many British soldiers died of poor treatment as they were not fed or
clothed properly in captivity, it was a tough man and a matter of
survival for those who came back. My Father lived to the age of 79 years and died in 1993.
He was a tough man and served his country and mankind well. I never saw
any medal given for all that service and suffering
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