Info Pilot Alfred K Munnings's time in France.

I have recently been handed a 6 page document which I am informed apparently part of memoirs of Pilot Alfred K Munnings who was born in Tyneham, South Devon. According to the document he was originally in 58 squadron flying Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers but then apparently flew Hurricaines with 56 squadron.

In 1941 he was on a mission heading in the direction of the Caen area. He bailed out after being hit and hit the ground near Cuverville-Sur-Yerres. According to the document he spent the rest of of the war avading capture in France. The document I was given is very vague, no service number etc. Apparently he did not return to the UK until after the war.

I want to learn more about his movements if possible. He apparently passed through the forest of Lyons (surrounding Lyons La Forêt) during which time he came across the body of another fighter pilot. He says that the body did not have any ID tags and therefore there is no name mentioned on the typed info I have.

I am involved with a project whereby a memorial is to be erected in the area with the names of the crew of a 102 Hanley Paige Halifax (LW143 DY-O) who died when their plane crashed. We now want to mention the dead fighter pilot's name along with the names of three soldiers from 53rd Reconnaissance Division.

Apart from the fact that Munnings crashed in 1941 I have no other dates. Is there anyone that can help?

 

I cannot find an Alfred Munning(s) born in Devon on any database

Recherche de France-Crashes 39-45 has no record of a Munning(s) having crashed & evaded in France

TD

 

I will go back to the person that gave me the document and ask her can check the spelling etc.

 

Just speculating but is it Tyneham in Dorset, not sure there is one in Devon?

There is a Munnings family in nearby Poole with a female Alfreda A Munnings born 6 November 1910, but can't find a brother Alfred. (Edit: from 1939 Register)

 

I have asked for more details on Mr Munnings and will post them as soon as I receive them.

 

I have spoken to the person who gave me the documents on Mr Munnings and he said that mr Munnings returned to Normandy in 1995 as the Dorset Echo was writing an article on his war time experiences.

 

An obvious suggestion as I can't find anything on their website:
Contact Us news from the Dorset Echo

 

Why not post the documents

TD

 

1st port of call was AIR78, and i cannot find him in there anywhere. Next, i have checked through my copy of the 58sqdn ORB, and not found him in any aircrew lists there. Have also checked with 58sqdn appendices, which has detailed lists of air and ground crew and their jobs, still no sign. Have also looked at "some" 56sqdn ORB pages that i have for early 1941, no sign but !!!. If he had evaded for such a long period of time i would have thought he would have earned a mention in an Esc/Ev report somewhere but have checked N/A without luck.

 

The name is not referenced in Fighter Command losses for 1941.

No 58 Squadron started the war based at Boscombe Down with the Whitley Mark 111 within No 4 Group. When No 4 Group was relocated to Yorkshire airfields it became based at Linton on Ouse from February 1940.The squadron was located here until April 1942 when it was transferred to Coastal Command,albeit reluctantly by Harris when there was a call for an increased effort against the UBoat fleets.For the rest of the war the squadron remained within the Coastal Command structure.

 

I will do just as soon as we sort out the problem is my computer (using my phone to.post this reply).

Apparently there was an article about his adventute in France in 1995 in the Dorset Echo.

 

Sorry for the lateness of this. Here is a typed copy of mr Alfred K Muning's (please note my previous spelling mistake as there is only one N and not two, complete moron that I am) that I was given. The person who gave me these is returning to Tyneham to see what else he can uncover. There is one thing which not mentioned in the notes bellow which I just found out today is that apparently there was another plane that crashed in a place called Les Callouettes about 5Km North of Lyons La Foret. Apparently a close friend of his was in this plane but again I have no dates or names, if anyone can find out any info on this plane I would love to know.

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- Originally part of No. 58 Squadron flying Witney bombers. Due to Alfred’s exceptional and recognised flying skills he was given the rare task of joining No. 56 Squadron with flying a Hurricane bomber for the duty of a mission along the high Normandie coast. (June 1941)

- Hurricane’s set off from the British coast and it was missioned to part roughly half way over the channel, half of the Hurricane’s set off towards the direction of Dunkirk and Lille, with the other half heading west to Caen.

- After being hit and bailing out of his aircraft Alfred hit the ground somewhere around ‘Cuverville-sur-Yeres,’ roughly between’ Le Treport and Dieppe.’ When he hit the ground he was astonished the enemy were not looking directly into his eyes!

This event was only the start of Alfred’s survival in France, un noticed, un detected and able to eventually return to Britain after WW2 was finally over, his story is well documented further at ‘Tyneham, South Dorest’ his place of birth and ironically the only coastal village in Britain to have been requisitioned in 1943 in order for army training for the D-D Landings. It was said this village and coastline was the most similar to where the D-Day landing eventually took place.

As Alfred’s account opens he says, ‘I may never have been able to tell this story if it wasn’t down to luck; his hurricane was hit and although he survived another Hurricane came down to an area of ‘Penly’ that was being heavily watched by German soldiers (he has no idea as to why) therefore after looking up from the bail out, he expected to be surrounded. No one was to be seen and Alfred immediately looked for some sort of cover, which he found; not knowing where to go or what to do, Alfred’s senses immediately told him to head away from the coast, inland. The enemy would immediately concentrate a search towards the coast, knowing the instinct of a British pilot would try and head back, looking for a way back over the channel. Why Alfred did this he had no idea, it was something that was obviously not planned – ‘I had a premonition, is that the correct word’ Alfred asks as he apologises for his lack of knowledge of modern terms.


‘ I knew the ground fell away towards the coast and looked for ground heading uphill from the cover of the woods and left keeping tight to a river bank heading up stream, where I came to a farm with a water wheel at ‘Pierrepont,’ my feet had expanded to such an extent with the heat of walking that I finally gave in and walked back to the farm, I was in so much pain I was not worried with being seen now. The main extent of the farm looked back then to have a long barn, which I am told was where the produce was kept and the living quarters where incorporated at the very end of it. Alfred planned on spending 2 days and 2 nights here trying to recover from his severe pain within both of his feet. He explains at first instance he did not know there was produce available within the barn where both double doors were locked although as he kept watch from a small distance, no one appeared for the remainder of that day. He slept rough that night and was woken by the noise of a motorcycle. Being pitch dark the motorcycle appeared to stop somewhere towards the direction of the barn. The night was dark with heavy cloud cover, after moving in for a closer view it was only then Alfred could hear two people speaking with German accents, both got up on the motorcycle and the guy at the back had what Alfred could only explain as a large duffle bag. Away the motorcycle went and with what Alfred explains more voices could be heard once again towards the direction of the barn, again he moved in towards the directions of the large doors of the barn and no one appeared although he was sure he could hear movement within the barn. After what appeared to be voices, a howling cry of pain was heard and then total silence continued until he saw another two people through the break of cloud in the darkness of the sky, who came from behind the barn with what looked like some sort of straw made sacks, they were silent and walked off at a very brisk pace heading away in what Alfred believed to be a northly direction. Alfred told me how he had investigated the barn further and found a loose blank of wood at the back of it, therefore found himself inside in total blackness. “ I bumped into several bits and bobs but without matches I simply could not see a thing although I could hear some sort of scuttling around which I put down to Rats running around.

I stayed outside that night until first light and took the chance of going back inside the barn due to the cold conditions, numb feet and fingers; what I found was wooden boxes full of vegetables, churns of milk and churns full of some sort of reddish liquid, although it did not smell like alcohol and to my amazement a large cage full of must have been 150 Rabbits. Boxes contained Rhubarb leaves, many boxes contained Carrots, turnip’s. There were several boxes of what was a herb looking leaf plant called Chicory, although at the time I had no clue as to what this was, in fact I had never set eyes upon it before! Eggs were in abundance, of what looked like sand bags made from hessian were in fact piled high and full of Salt. A large sheet covered several boxes and to the naked eye one would not have seen them behind the existing boxes of root veg, theses boxes were full of potatoes. Bread was wrapped in hessian as well although not the standard baguette in shape, there must have been 10 loafs (something like the traditional ‘cottage loaf). Sugar was also housed in hessian.

At first I knew I was looking around the barn perhaps too long although I was not in a good position to worry too much about that, I simply found a small iron pan of which I filled with milk, drank it and made sure I put this back clean and dry. I took 3 carrots, a loaf of bread of which I prised a hole in each of its ends, one side I filled it with a very small amount of sugar the other a very small amount of salt. It was not until I returned outside that I became very apprehensive about where I had just been and what would happen if I was caught with the goods in my arms. I knew logically that if I was going to even try and survive I would have to eat and drink to do this! I returned to the small wood and stayed there all day, trying to rest, watch and assess the current situation with any movement happenings around me. With everything that has happened during my life, this I class as the strangest day of all. I had been shot with enemy fire, spent most of the night outside although I found a strange comfort in finding peace and quietness there… other than the odd noise of enemy aircraft passing overheard the whole day was quiet, no movement other than just before darkness fell…two gentlemen both carrying what looked like full churns, whether they contained milk or the reddish liquid I saw inside?

Once both these gentleman had left the barn carrying what now looked like two empty churns, darkness fell and Alfred returned to the inside of the barn, now able to rely on his photographic vision within his head as to what was in what area within the boxes, sack’s etc. Again he found his iron pan filled it with milk and drank more of this, he again grabbed some carrots, although his legs seemed to slip as he returned through what he though was a hole in the ground. He put his hand down to free his leg from what ever it was caught on, to find it was a net of apples and in the morning further find out it was several nets of apples hidden in this flooring void. (Alfred also found several large hessian sacks empty that he would use to his advantage and sleep within one, covering his feet up to his waste and wrap the other around his upper body area. He took two apples along with him and settled for the night from his advanced viewing point overlooking the barn within the wood. Feeling very contempt if that is the right word to use (I was by now not a tiny bit anxious, just tired) I fell asleep to be awoken by the noise of a motorcycle again. I could hear voices and once again sounded like German accents. They opened the main doors of the barn and performed exactly the same operation, although after I heard the howling squeak, I could just make out small flames within the barn. These burnt steadily for around 3 hours I would say, the small glow from within seemed to dull and I heard both doors being slammed and the motorcycle drove off. Once again more voices could be heard just like the previous night, they had obviously entered the barn from the back, although no howling noise was heard, two guys went away holding a duffle bag. This was totally the reverse to the night before (the two gentlemen with German accents; no strange noise, but they went away with a duffle bag, the two gentlemen without German accents; a strange noise and no duffle bag. Night two; German accent gentleman, strange noise, no duffle bag – two gentlemen without German accents, no strange noise but carried with them a duffle bag. “Until this day I have no idea why this was, I stayed around the area for nearly two weeks, saw no one other than the two people, bringing and taking churns, the night manoeuvres continued in the same manner. This was until a night operation using large flat beds vans came and emptied the barn of all its produce, I could hear several people all with strong German accents that night. I decided to stay until morning although when I thought all had gone, I could still hear a couple of voices. These went quiet although no vehicle left, this was probably the most anxious I was as I knew they were very handy to me. Suddenly I heard the voices of the same two persons without German accents they entered the barn from the normal way and within seconds, two single shots rang out. Short moments passed without noise and a motorcycle started up and appeared to drive away. Everything went quiet and I waited to first light to go into the barn and look for any remaining food. I found two dead men, both dressed in dungarees, thick breeks on under these and black stout boots. Both seemed very clean kills, a shot to the head each, not much mess if this is the correct termination of the scene. (On further thinking while much time has passed Alfred thinks he has an explanation for this; both of the French farmers were responsible for bringing fresh milk daily and produce when it was ready. The Germans occupying that particular area were using the food on a daily basis for themselves and their regiment, the Germans somehow found out both French farmers were helping themselves and took the step of moving all the produce to another unknown area/barn locally with both farmers paying the ultimate price. “I was and still am surprised at why they shot both farmers, especially with them bringing across the daily produce of milk etc” I have been told since the Rhubarb was a sugary drink, the Chicory was made into a sort of coffee drink and the rabbits were bred and killed as meat was very scarce. This was the strange noises I kept hearing, rabbits being killed and I guess the Germans cooked and ate one the night I saw a small fire.”

I left, having changed into one of the farmers clothing, my feet were probably the worse condition of the whole of my body. I put my regiment clothes into the void and closed it, thinking the Germans would not return as there was nothing of interest for them now. Other than giving my feet a good clean before I left my body felt in good condition, strong having had plentiful food and liquid amounts. I left not knowing my next step and eventually ended up at a place called ‘Dancourt’ I had walked so far this day, I did not know what to do. I found water and slept rough bringing along my hessian sacks, along with a tall pitch fork I took from the barn. This day I passed many people and changed direction and to my thinking was southerly. This was in the Forest of Eu so I have been told it’s name as of today, German Military were occupying a position around the wood/forest for some reason. Having only just water on first light I set off with a plan to get back towards the north coast of France, somewhere around the Calais direction, why I did not think at the time “would that be a main area for German troops I do not know? I guess instinct set back in and I longed to be back in England’s green and pleasant lands!

This day I had several set back’s, I firstly had to do a large de tour somewhere near Richemont, German soldiers were everywhere. I passed one of them at the bottom of a mill leat. Perhaps I was very lucky here. He did not want to see my papers (well I didn’t and never had any) and in fact just let me pass by. Maybe because I had the fork in my hand and my clothing was covered in all shades of mud, he presumed I was the farmer I was portraying?

I spent the next four days living rough and only off water, I kept inside any covert or wood I could, I had to cross a large road below ‘Vatierville’ just once and finally ran out of all steam at a farmstead near ‘Beauvoir en Lyons.’ “ I had walked for days only just on water and I came to this farmstead and my first memory was waking up in a small room although it was very dark, I was covered in blankets and truly thought I had been captured by the German side. I was too weak too get up and fell over a bucket full of water, this must of aroused noise to my captures or so I thought and two ladies appeared with lanterns, spoke to me although I could not understand them and thought better to keep quiet. One lady left and brought me what looked like some sort of soupy broth, I was very hungry and ate this. I was given two biscuits after (which I now think having seen pictures of them since, were vitamin biscuits) I was given a hot sweet favoured drink) both elderly ladies went out I must of fell asleep. I stayed in this room which was a cellar I found out afterwards for 3 days and on the fourth night one of the elderly ladies came in, shouting and showing me to get dressed back into my clothes they had washed and dried for me since I had arrived (they gave me a warm gown and robe to wear while I was there guest so to speak)! I was ushered out at very quick notice, although very shocked at there actions I certainly felt a lot better in myself. I stayed local hoping to return to the old ladies in the morning. Heavy air fire was heard over heard and I presumed therefore I was once again close to the coast. I returned in the morning to the farmstead and found no one around, everything was open and the place now like a ghost town! (I did never know why).

I walked on thinking I was getting near to the coast and came across a dead British airman. He had no I.D on him his clothes were ripped although I found a very small card on him written in English, with a drawing by hand showing a rough outline of the country of France, roughly where his position was and instructions not to return to Northern French coasts as the enemy were there in number.
The drawing showed an arrow towards the Southern or South Western part of France; on the reverse it had a rough drawing of the outline of the country of Spain and this arrow continued to Gibraltar, with instructions further ‘get to Gibraltar and that will be the safest route back to England.’

It did not look like the fallen airman had fell to his death here, there was no sign of the enemy, no parachute and no signs that the ground had been disturbed by a fall. In fact it was a very sheltered spot, not with tree canopy but a good source of water from a nice flowing beck. I would imagine he had fallen as I did and survived the fall, walked into French resistance or friendly company and been given this card as a way of returning home. This made me think and it was only then it dawned on me NOT to walk to the northern French coast (still today I question why I was walking to the coast although in fact I was glad I had got my sense of direction completely wrong).

So I set off for ‘Gibraltar’ and got as far as ‘Ernemont’ and stayed for the night in what I can only describe as a pigeonry. The whole area was very quiet and found apples hidden inside the pigeonry.

I crossed another large road which was quiet and was collared by two men walking down a small lane which I have since found out was ‘Alges’ a small stead just south of ‘Gournay en Bray.’ The guy was part of the ‘resistance’ and directed Alfred to come with him very quickly. He was put into another dark room somewhere within the ‘Alges’ collection of buildings. He waited there all night with a large bucket of cold water along with a pan to drink it with. He was also given two biscuits which again must have been vitamin biscuits. The light shone through a split panel within the wooden frame building as morning came, within a matter of minutes the door opened and two gentlemen were now looking in on him. Bearing in mind Alfred had not said a word yesterday to the gentlemen he bumped into on the lane, the other man now stood with the original gentlemen made a hand gesture to Alfred. Alfred did not have a clue as to what it meant and they guy spoke in French he later found out, then in German and then in English. Alfred still did not say a thing as he did know of there identity, it was only when very low aircraft overheard was heard the two gentleman came inside, shut the door and stayed quiet for a reasonable period of time. (I think I realised they were not Germans and spoke to them in English) They told me they would get me to a safe area and in return give me food to survive if I was able to shoe the only two cattle they had. (apparently they both had some sort of blood disease and could not get large cuts as it would not heal, I am guessing nowadays it would be called; haemophilia where the blood does not clot)! (“I have always wondered if somebody like that was taking a major risk in being part of the resistance”)

The cows were the only two remaining in the herd due to disease and theft, with horses in very short supply, cows were shod to enable them to pull the harrows through ground. Both of these cows would kick out and simply both gentlemen were desperate to get the land worked to survive in the first instance and keep there families fed. They had the equipment on site to shoe the cows although Alfred spent at least two weeks walking to a from ‘Alges’ trying to get near them. Pressure was on to get the land worked and ready. Alfred was living in woods next to open land both these gentlemen owned or rented he guessed!

Alfred has since returned to the spot where he lived until the end of the war proper. The back wall of the building remained in 1995. It was a 16th Century Cleit but with local stone and straw and used as a smoke house, set down below ground level in the wood, with an open chimney to deter Wolves and such like coming into close proximity with it at ground level. Any game caught would have been taken here, the smoking chimney with smoke entering the air at ground level would deter the like of Wolves.


Alfred came up with the idea of bringing both cows up to the wood near his Cleit, hoping to bond with them, this worked and he was able to shoe both cows regularly. He would work ground all around the outsides of the woods where he lived, ground down at ‘Alges’ and as far as ‘Hebecourt’ and a large acreage near ‘Montroty.’ He was taught basic French with an accent by one of the gentlemen farmers and passed German soldiers regularly when he was walking cows from place to place.
The closest he came to blowing his cover was when another British fighter plane was downed and fell next to a cross roads in the ‘Forest of Lyons’ called “Les Quatre Cantons” he rushed to see if a pilot could be saved and was told to hold back at gunpoint by German authority. Alfred has since returned to the’ Forest of Lyons’ and has pointed out exactly where the aircraft fell, an incredible fact considering the canopy of trees have swamped the area, you can clearly see the creator where the downed plane fell at first instance. As you run you eyes across the level of root systems, the creator is full of briars and on investigation is considerably deep underneath them. There appears to be no obvious waterways or blanket bog, therefore this must be the exact site.

With no identification papers, Alfred regularly passed German Soldiers on operation, which seems ironic nowadays with tales of the Germans on the ball so to speak. Alfred thinks the German soldiers he passed regularly did not bother him as he was a known figure working areas and walking his two cows many times. You have to remember these Germans would eat well and take all the best produce, they had to have people to produce this and Alfred was one of them doing that for them!

After the War Alfred returned to England (much to his families surprise) and although his health is not as it once was, remembers his time in France as one of good memories, rather than all the bad stories that have been documented so regularly since times passed.

Sketches from photographs taken by Alfred in 1995 will follow as to the site of his home in the Forest and the spot the British Fighter plane fell at the four cantons. A sketch has been undertaken by Alfred, of where he placed a stone in a lane at ‘Alges’ trying to save a girl from being killed by a Wolf. He was told when he returned to the area in 1995 ‘this was as far as knowledge was known one of the last remaining Wolves to inhabit this area of Normandie.

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There you have it guys, all the info is there now. I went to the area marked on the map with the regional chief of the Office National des Forêts last weekend to see what we could see. There were no real tell tale signs of a plane crash, a couple of small trenches but nothing that stuck out, so to speak. I have also contacted an Association by the name of ANSA 39/45 (Association Normand de Souvenirs Aérien (Normandy Association of Aviation Souvenirs 39/45) to enlist their help and I am now await their reply.

Alex.

’

 

Alex, 56sqdn was a fighter unit and did not operate Hurricanes in a "bomber" role, and the only time in June that they crossed into France, was as fighter cover for two bomber sweeps, to Bethune on 17th June and Hazebrouk on 22/6. Having checked the 56sqdn Operations Record book for June 41, there is no pilot on the squadron by the name of Munnings. As i pointed out in my earlier reply, if the above description of his evasion was true, then i would have thought that it would have been recorded along with the many other Esc/Ev reports that are listed at the National Archives. To put it bluntly, i have my doubts about Alfreds story, mainly because of the lack of any evidence at all... no listing in RAF Service numbers, not listed with aircrew with 58sqdn or 56sqdn, not listed in Fighter Command Losses 1941. For an example, approx 7 years ago, i had the "misfortune" to be asked by a retired policeman, to look up details on his uncle, who was deemed a war hero by his entire family. He had told them that he served with 50sqdn on Hampdens and was shot down over France and evaded back to the UK. He rejoined 50sqdn and flew in Lancasters before being posted to a Special Ops squadron flying Stirlings and was again shot down and evaded back to the UK once more. He finished the war as a Squadron Leader, with DFM, DFC and a Criox de Guerre for his work with the special ops squadron. To cut a long story short, after extensive research by myself, i found that none of his exploits were true, it was all fabricated. and he never progressed above ACH rank. His nephew (the policeman) when informed of my findings, was so disappointed with my news, that he poured abuse at me simply for telling the truth. There are many more who have slipped through the net, and it is down to the fact that they thought that they could enhance their wartime careers without anyone finding out, little realising that one day in the future, there would be documents freely available to researchers to prove their stories as false. Sorry to say but, i fully believe that Alfreds story is on of these.

 

Doing a birth search for Alfred (not exact but to include similar) Munings (broad scope to include all possible variations) born in Dorset or any of the surrounding counties and born 1918 +/- 10 years [1908 - 1928]

All England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 results for Alfred Munings
Alfred Manning 1908 Apr-May-Jun Barnstaple Devon

Alfred Manning 1913 Oct-Nov-Dec Pewsey Wiltshire

Alfred W Manning 1914 Jul-Aug-Sep Bath Somerset

Alfreda A Munnings 1910 Oct-Nov-Dec Poole Dorset

Herbert EAlfred Manning 1909 Jul-Aug-Sep Portsmouth Hampshire


All England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 results for Alfred Munings
Alfred D Mannings 1916 Bath Avon

Alfred M Manning 1917 Crediton Devon

Alfred G H Manning 1925 Newton Abbot Devon


TD

 

I came to this conclusion last night and went to bed reading about F/L F W Higginson of No 56 Squadron who was lost on the evening of 17 June 1941 on a Circus 14 operation over Lille. He was lucky that he evaded and escaped down the line with help from resisters into Spain and home.

Not so lucky were two fellow pilots of No 56 Squadron,P/O P E M Robinson and Sgt R D Carville who lost their lives on this patrol.All three losses were as a result of being intercepted by ME 109s.

At the time No 56 Squadron,a squadron within No 11 Group,Fighter Command and equipped with the Hurricane 11a and 11b was based at North Weald.(I cannot see North Weald referenced in the notes)

I have previously scanned for No 56 Squadron losses,referencing Munnings for the whole of 1941 without success (Post #10).

The fundamentals of an individuals personal service supported by official records can easily be ascertained but in this case there is nothing to establish for the account to be accepted..

 

Has anyone come accross this kind of case before where no information could be found about a pilot. I find it odd that no information can be found on Mr Munnings.

Hopefully this might help, I heard this week that there was an article writen in the Dorset Echo in 1995 about mr Munnings. I am going to try and find the article.

 

Oldleg

I had a search of the Dorset Echo archives.Unfortunately they are only available online back to 1997.

Probably the best route is to write to them

 

I have sent an email to the editor via their site asking for help.

 

Thinking further about this case.

After the war the British military authorities went to extreme lengths to account for anyone who had disappeared from their unit no matter what the circumstances were.As yet no evidence to support any service background exists in this case.

As regards the commissioning of P/O Munnings,I would have thought that this would have been published in the London Gazette.

It's a strange case but the key to it may well be the Dorset Echo who it is said covered the case with an article.One would think they if they did generate an article on the case,they would have researched the case in depth for truth and accuracy before publishing.

I look forward to hearing what the paper has to reveal.

 

That fact remains that there is very accurate information in the notes and the map, so there has to be truth in this story somewhere. I am wondering if he arrived in this area in 1944 because from what I have been told is that between 1940 and '44 there was not a huge presence concerning the German army here but yer in '44 during the battle of Normandy they came through this way. In saying that though I understand there was an allied POW camp set up. Coincidentally, how can I find out info on German POW camps here?