The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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231130 Pte. Alfred Frederick Rollason British Army 3rd Parachute Brigade Army Air Corps from:Northfield, Birmingham Alfred F Rollason, my father, enlisted with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 19th Feb 1942 which was converted to 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion. He trained as a paratrooper and earned his wings in January 1943. He was assigned to the HQ Defence Platoon of 3rd Parachute Brigade prior to D-Day, it is not certain whether he dropped in France by parachute or glider. His role was that of a 'runner' and his platoon were responsible for defending the Brigade HQ at Le Mesnil crossroads near Ranville in Normandy. It is unknown whether he was dropped in the correct zone and/or whether he actually made it to the HQ area, he was taken Prisoner of War on D-Day 6th June 1944. By 30th Jul 1944 it was confirmed that he had arrived at Stalag X11A Limberg a 'transit' camp where new POW's were processed prior to being transferred to other camps. He left Limberg on the 25th Aug 1944 and was transferred to Stalag 1VD Torgau where he arrived on 13th Sept 1944. Torgau was an 'administratiion camp' that organised prisoners to be sent out to surrounding Arbeits Kommandos (Work Camps) to be used as forced labour. Alfred Rollason was sent to BE12 Bitterfeld where he was set to work in an open caste lignite (brown coal) mine Grube Golpa that fuelled a major power station. He was liberated by the US army on 14th April 1945 as they moved east, he was eventually repatriated on 13th May 1945, where after a period of extended leave was posted to Royal Artillery, Kinmel Camp, North Wales on 4th Sept 1945 where he reverted to his trade as a carpenter and trained as a driver subsequently being demobbed and transferring to the Army Reserve on 18th Jan 1947. Upon leaving the Torgau Prison Camp he collected a number of interesting literature souvenirs including a hand written camp magazine prepared by the prisoners, the Christmas pantomime programme, sample menus with listings of contents of the various red cross parcels and prison camp newspapers. POW notification Confirmation letter Stalag 1VD     Tony Rollason Add to this record.  Related Content: Royal Warwickshire Regiment Stalag 12A Prisoner of War Camp Stalag 4d Prisoner of War Camp Stalag 4D Prisoner of War Camp Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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