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Chanan Singh Dhillon
Indian Army Bengal Sappers
from:Ludhiana, Punjab
My father Chanan Singh Dhillon was serving in the British Indian Army with 41st Field Park Coy, Royal Engineers, 8th Army and was captured on the 9th of June 1942 at around 1657 Hrs near El-Daba (Altaba?) airport between Mersa Matruh and El-Alamein. After a long trip with many adventures on the way; including the torpedoeing of his POW transport vessel Loreto on 13th of October 1942 by a British submarine HMS Unruffled, he finally reached Stalag 12A. He went through a hard time until the camp (as per his account) was liberated by the American army in 1945.
We found several pictures of him from the camp in an account with the following link: http://old.506infantry.org/hiswwii/his3rdbnwwiiphoto25.html from the POW Notebook of 1SG Woodrow H. Smith, G Company, 3rd BN, 506th PIR, 1942-1945 POW June 44-April 45 I am not sure if the pictures were taken by Woodrow H. Smith; but hats off; it was a lucky find and we are grateful to whoever took these.
My father came back from the war and finally received his officers commission in 1960; finally retiring as a Lt. Col. from the Indian Army in 1975. He was, as were men of his generation, a man of few words but did manage to pen down his life's journey, the publication of which is underway. I want to visit Stalag 12A and hope to do so soon. Anyone who knew him or can tell me more, is welcome to respond.
