239676 WO1 George Ernest "Mickie" Raw British Army Royal Artillery from:Sunderland My father, George Ernest Raw, was captured during the defence of Dunkirk in April 1940 and was held as a POW at Stalag 344 (8b) until March 1945. However, in July 1942 until April 1943 he was transferred to Stalag 319. I am unable to find any reason for this, as the historians inform me only Russian or Jewish POWs were transferred to 319 from 344. Thankfully my father returned home safely.
Any information during this time will be of interest to my research.
Additional Information: | 'By late August 1942, as a result of our escaping from Falkenburg and other camps, about two hundred of us were selected by the Germans as being ‘extra difficult’ and were told that we were being sent to a very strict prison camp.' It was now January 1943 and as a result of the letter we had smuggled out of the camp, the International Red Cross knew of our existence. We finally were on route back to our previous camp at Lamsdorf, it had been eight months of Hell we had suffered in Eastern Poland and I had lost over thirty pounds in weight during my time there.
A SOLDIER’S TALE OF LIFE IN THE BRITISH ARMY, 1925 - 1947
R.S.M. F.C. READ, M.B.E. - BRITISH CAMP LEADER, CHEIM, POLAND 1942-3 BRITISH CAMP LEADER, TESCHEN, STALAG 8B 1943-5
Congratulations on your father being returned to his family. Lynn Grayden
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