Another page from my Dad's P.O.W. log.

[David Layne]

I have not put anything new on here for a while so here is a sketch from my Fathers log. It show all of the camps he was imprisoned in.

[kfz]

You must love that diary.

Did they really move POWs around that much, why???

[David Layne]

You are right I really do love it.

My father moved around a lot, some of it I understand some is a mystery to me.

Shot down over Mannheim Germany in September of 1943 he was on the run for 10 days. He survived by committing 'friendly burglaries" taking clothes and food. He relieved a scarecrow of his hat, ate root crops from the fields and got as far as Nancy in France before being arrested.

Thrown into jail he was left there naked and eventually informed "You are to be shot". I am not sure where this happened, it could have been immediately after his capture or at Dulug Luft in Frankfurt. Dulug Luft was the camp where all newly captured airman were processed.

After processing at Dulug Luft he was sent to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug. He stayed there for a few short weeks and then for some reason unknown to me was sent to Stalag Luft III North Compound.

His stay at Stalag Luft III was only for a few days before he was again shipped back to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug. He stayed there until June 1944.

With the advance of the Russians on the Eastern Front Heydekrug was evacuated. In my Fathers case he was shipped to Thorn and then to Fallingbostel (Stalag 357).

He remained at Fallinbostel until January 1945. Some months previously his commission had come through and Fallingbostel was a camp for enlisted men so he was transferred back to Stalag Luft III, an officers camp.

His stay at East Compound Stalag Luft III was from January 23rd 1945 until January 28th 1945 until this camp too was evacuated due to the Russian advance.

He then endured one of the "Death Marches" before ending up at Marlag/Tarmsdedt and eventual release May 2nd. 1945 10 miles s.w. of Lubeck.

[Leslie]

I found your comments of your father's POW locations etc. interesting David. My father was also in the east compound at Stalag Luft III and ended up at Marlag Milag Nord at the end.

Leslie

[David Layne]

Originally Posted by Leslie

I found your comments of your father's POW locations etc. interesting David. My father was also in the east compound at Stalag Luft III and ended up at Marlag Milag Nord at the end.

Leslie

Our Dad's must have rubbed shoulders somewhere along the line.

[NickFenton]

These movements about the camps are quite normal. Having reviewed many liberation questionaires the same route is followed by many so there must have been reason to the madness.

David's Father's return to SL 3 is explained by the commission but this was not always the case.

My Father went from Dulag Luft to Stalag IXc to SL 3 to SL 6 to Stalag 357 Thorn and then the short move to Stalag 357 Fallenbostal over a four year period. The movement dates are very similar, only out by a couple of days which could be down to memory or just in the telling.

They all had their YMCA logs but on the various marches, with disentry the norm., keeping them intact would have been difficuly.

Regards,

Nick