Hi my dad was a RM Commando at Normandy, part of Lord Lovatt's 1st Special Service Brigade. He was captured and sent to a POW Camp. On his records it states that he escaped on 16th April 1945 but i cant find anything about it. Can anyone give me any advice where to look or information please. When i sent for his Service records, this is all i got back, which is disapointing. i thought there would be more Kindest Regards
For information UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: S Worsley Rank: Marine Army Number: PO/X121876 Regiment: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings POW Number: 80157 Camp Number: Mar. T. Section: Naval Forces : Officers & Ratings You may be able to find out more by investigating POW records via - INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS - unfortunately I do not have the link, and they are being inundated with requests, so patience is important Marlag and Milag Nord Camp | Frank Falla Archive The camp guards fled Marlag & Milag Nord on 9 April 1945 and were replaced by elderly civilian guards — probably Volkssturm, a group of untrained and poorly-armed civilians thrown together by the Nazis in the last hour as a desperate attempt to defend the homeland There are many sites devoted to POW camps of WW2 TD
You could check to see if the National Archives has a camp history for the camp compiled by the men in the camp for MI9. I’ve read a few lately as part of my own research and they often have accounts of escape attempts. Also worth finding out if he completed a Liberation questionnaire. I’m assuming his escape was successful but he might have completed one as part of his debriefing. The next opportunity to apply for Red Cross records is 17th September. They only take a limited number of requests every quarter and I think if you don’t get one in on the day you will probably miss out.
He would have escaped from the 'Forced March' to Lubeck which started out on 10 April. See Walter Henry Layne, http://wallyswar.wordpress.com E.R.A. Bill Morris and E.R.A. Cecil 'Paddy' Neill, HM Submarine Saracen, escaped on 11 April near Zeven and made their way back to Marlag und Milag Nord. (Liberation reports, WO 344/232/1 and WO 344/225/2) Regards, Vitellino
