213138 Sgt. Martin Joseph Keane British Army Welsh Regiment from:London My late Father, Sgt Martin Keane, was captured at Tobruk by Rommel's forces around 1942 and sent to Italy where the prisoners were not very well treated.
After an escape and recapture he was sent to Stalag 1VB and spent the rest of the war there.
He did not speak about it much, but as he grew older little snippets used to come out - about hiding radios and putting on shows to entertain other prisoners.
I am not sure how he got home but the Americans got him out of Berlin and back to the UK suffering from malnutrition and in very poor health. He recovered very well due to my Mothers cooking and care. He did say that food was very scarce near the end and he suffered from the cold weather badly as he had been in North Africa with his unit, the Welsh Regiment.
I do have his POW tag and I have traced his name on the prisoner list. He had served in India before WW2 so was called back to duty before war was declared in 1939 leaving my mother and 2 babies in London.
Thankfully he lived a long and happy life. He and my mother supported the Royal British Legion all their lives and Dad wore his medals and Welsh Regiment cap badge with great pride. He was flag bearer at many funerals (sadly).
If anyone knew him or can elaborate on his time in Stalag 1VB I would love to hear from them.
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