255565 Pte Thomas "Tommy" Dorrington British Army Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry from:Canning Town, London (d.17th May 1984) My Father Tom was part of the BEF and escaped from Dunkirk in May 1940. His regiment, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry fought with the Western Forces in Egypt and Libya which became part of the British 8th Army.
Tom took part in the battle of El Alamein and then in the final action in North Africa in the area of the Cape Bon Peninsula in Tunisia.
Tom's regiment saw action in Sicily and in the invasion of Italy. He was in Rome at the time of D Day on 1944-06-06.
Tom was captured by the Germans near Florence in October 1944. He was transferred via the Brenner Pass to Stalag VII A at Moosburg near Munich.
He took part in the clearing of bomb damage in the surrounding area.
My Grandmother Margaret was advised that Tom was missing in action. It wasn't until two months later that Margaret heard that Tom was a prisoner of war when his Army serial number was obtained by the Red Cross and read out over the radio on Christmas Day 1944.
Tom said he survived in the POW camp on potatoes and black bread, there was never any meat available. Although the German guards treated the Russian prisoners badly there was never any problems for Tom.
The Americans liberated Tom and the others at the end of April 1944. Tom died age 65 on 1984-05-17. We will celebrate 100 years of his birth on 2019-01-21.
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