The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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247889 Pte. Fred Victor Brooks British Army 4th Btn. Green Howards from:Leeds Fred Brooks joined the 4th Battalion, Green Howards in 1941. He went with the 50th Division, first to Egypt and then to Cyprus. After this 50th Division went to Palestine before being transferred to the Western Desert in February 1942. The Division took up a position in the Gazala line ready to face Rommel and his Afrika Corps. The Division was in a box area and lacked any kind of mutual support. Fred and his comrades faced the might of Rommel's troops after they attacked following their avoidance of the Gazala line and eventually locating the Brigade. Rommel launched his assault with 3 German and 2 Italian Divisions. After using up all of their munitions the Brigade was overrun on 1st June 1942 and most, including Fred, were taken prisoner. Rommel and his Afrika Corps then moved on to capture Tobruk. Fred Brooks was transported to Italy as a P.O.W. and was incarcerated in P.O.W. Campo No. 65 Cressina (Bari) (also listed as Gravina, Altamura). To the War Office he was initially listed as missing on casualty list 869 on the 4th June 1942. This was then communicated to his family who had two and a half months of anxiety regarding his fate until the War Office received news on 24th August 1942 that he was officially a P.O.W. (Casualty list no. 910). Fred was still at Cressina in 1943 (P.O.W. no. 253414) and remained there until the British invaded Italy in 1944. With the British advancing the Italian P.O.W's were moved north and in to Germany, many went to Stalag 8B, but Fred went to Stalag 4F located at Hartmansdorf Chemnitz. The camp was liberated by the Americans in March 1945 and Fred was repatriated home later that year. Elizabeth Hill Add to this record.  Related Content: 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) Italian Campaign Prigione di Guerra (Campo) P.G. 65 Prisoner of War Camp Stalag 4F Prisoner of War Camp 50th (Northumbrian) Division 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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