Needing some help with a family postcard from Stalag XXA which recently came to light. It was sent to my grandfather (Douglas Young) by a Corporal T (presumably Thomas) Young, Army number 15824. I don't know which man in the photograph is T Young. But I reckon he must be a relative. The army number seems to indicate he was enlisted into the RASC. I think this must have been before WW2 given his relatively low number (but I could be wrong). The postmark on the rear is, I think, July 1942. Can any members shed any further light on any of this? Thanks Ian [Edit - Just discovered the number could be a POW number rather than an army number]
Hi Ian Looking through the Ancestry database I cannot find a T Young with that number as either a service number or a POW number ???? TD
There is a newspaper article in the Dundee Courier 23rd Septemebr 1944. It relates to Cpl T Young captured at St Valery in 1940 and held in Stalag XX A. He was repatriated via Sweden in 1944. He was attached to HQ Medical services of the 51st highland Division.
If he was repatriated then that could be the reason he does not appear on the database which was done, I think, towards the end of 1944 Thanks Guy TD
Here he is: WO 392/1 - Prisoners of War Camp No: 20A POW No: 15824 Name: Young T Rank: Cpl Army No:7344346 Regt: RAMC RO No: 30 Casualty list 258 Dated 18 July 1940 France Missing Royal Army Medical Corps 7344346 Young Cpl TP, Date of casualty 25.6.40 Hope that's of use.
You chaps are absolutely brilliant! Thanks for all this information, as a result of which I've managed to identify not only who this is but what relation he is. Turns out my grandfather had a younger brother, Thomas Philip Dryden Young, born 1915 in Dundee. I'm not sure my father even knew this. His father had a lot of step brothers and sisters (his father having been married twice). We knew he had a fullblood sister but not about this brother. Still don't know which man he is in the photo but we're working on it. Many, many thanks again to all who've helped. Cheers Ian
Thomas was born in the St. Peter's district in 1915 and married an Elizabeth McCord in the St. Andrews (Dundee) district and died 1978 Dundee. There was a Thomas Young born in the St. Andrews district 1935, died 1994. Think he may have married Robina Armstrong in Dundee East 1958 and a Thomas Armstrong Young was born Dundee West in 1959. All to be found at the Scotlandspeople website. Cheers Maria
There may (or may not) be something of interest in: British army PoWs repatriated to UK | The National Archives Reference: WO 365/116 Description: British army PoWs repatriated to UK Date: 1943-1944 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Former reference in its original department 85/118 Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description There may be other files TD
Thanks, Maria. I've now got this from Scotlandspeople too (as far as it will let me online). Interesting, the 1935 marriage was an "irregular" - by declaration in front of two witnesses. Such marriages were banned in Scotland after 1940, replaced by civil, Registry Office marriages. Cheers Ian
Thanks Guy Looks like Colonel Robertson is Colonel William Albert Robertson, CBE, MC, TD, ADMS of the 51st Highland Division. Died in captivity on 26 March 1942 and buried in Poland. Originally from Broughty Ferry near Dundee.
Thanks again, Tony. Looks like his army number was actually 7344364. There was a correction in Casualty List 300 (WO 417/17). Cheers Ian
Now had a reply from the ICRC. Confirms he was HQ 51st Division RAMC, captured at St Valery on 12 June 1940. Was in Stalag XXA as of 14 July 1940. Transferred to Stalag IV D/Z (Heilag) on 12 April 1944, then transferred out on 7 September 1944 for repatriation via Gothenburg in Sweden.