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Sgt. John William "Jack" Halsted
South African Army Artillery
from:Durban, South Africa
My late father, Jack Halsted, was in the Artillery and part of the South African and Rhodesian Army which fought the Italians in East Africa. After being shipped up to Beira, Mozambique. Thereafter they drove overland to engage the Italians in Abyssinia (Tanzania), pushing them back into Ethiopia. Once the Italian threat had been dealt with, the Southern African Army was shipped to Cairo where they were re-equipped and assigned to the 8th Army, effectively becoming a Desert Rat.
He was wounded at El Alamein and captured. After a short convalescence, he and many others were shipped across the Mediterranean to Italy and transported by rail up through Italy, over the Alps and into Germany. Then across Germany to Stalag VIII-C in Silesia near the current day town of Sagan.
Stalag VIII-C was directly opposite Stalag Luft III. He sold his watch to one of the Great Escapees who, unfortunately, was never heard of again. In February 1945, he and many other POW's, were force marched 400 miles across Poland and Germany as part of the Death Marches, ending in Bad-Orb near Frankfurt. It was here that they were liberated by the Americans.
He, and many others, were evacuated to England where he convalesced for 3 months before being shipped back to South Africa. On arrival his father presented him with a new watch, which I still have.
