Hi folks. I'm in the National Archives in Kew, looking at the document WO 344/360 (printed Imperial Prisoners of War Alphabetical Lists). Very interesting documents that list all the POWs in Germany and in Italy. Specifically I'm interested in Indian POWs. My question is: when and how were these lists produced? The date says 1945-46. I'm wondering: is this a list of POWs that the Allies expected to find in the camps, or a list of the men that they actually found. Does anyone know?
I suspect its not a list of all POW's as the description under the heading WO 344 - War Office: Directorate of Military Intelligence: Liberated Prisoner of War Interrogation Questionnaires is Miscellaneous A-W including Army, Navy, RAF, air personnel other than RAF, Marines, Merchant Navy and Civilians. Includes various printed Imperial Prisoners of War Alphabetical Lists: Italy: British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, South African, Indian and Palestinian. Germany and German Occupied Territories: British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, South African, Indian, and Miscellaneous. I would have thought they were liberation questionnaires that were not collated in N W Europe, and would be a sweep up of bits & pieces missed previously - but then I'm not standing in your position TD
The Germans submitted lists of prisoners and their locations to the ICRC who then passed these to the British government who updated their lists accordingly as POWS sometimes moved camps for various reasons. SBOs and Men of Confidence also compiled lists. Presumably the file you’re looking at collects all these?
Liberation questionnaires would be a separate file and is of course far from complete as only some returning POWs bothered to complete them. Likely the files you are looking at were the source for this https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/223075754242
The e bay link document is a straight copy of WO 392/1 - just checked against my copy - its purley for British POW's only TD
Thanks Incredibledisc and Tricky Dicky. I've photographed the whole of the Indian POWs in germany file. On the whole I think this is a list compiled after liberation. I don't think the lists before liberation would have been so complete. And anyway, why print a list like that? If you'd like me to check anything while I've got the list, do ask!
These are the lists that have been transcribed by FindMyPast, etc. There are a couple of editions printed in late 1944 and early 1945. The camp information is not very accurate and most POWs changed camps a number of times. The liberation questionnaires and/or ICRC records will have more detail. Lee
Hello Rumdoodle, The two NA files you need regarding Indian prisoners of war in Germany/German occupied territories are: WO 392/6 (September 1944) and WO 392/16 (April 1945) The Indians in Italy list (document dated August 1943 but that does not man that the men were in the named camp on that date) is in WO 392/21. As has been said, the lists were compiled by the International Red Cross Committee - in the case of the September 1944 and August 1943 documents clearly before liberation. Vitellino
A thousand thanks Vitellino - that's really useful! I didn't know about those 2 files. I'll look at them tomorrow
Given that my main interest in WW2 is prisoners of war in Italy, what are you looking for specifically in relation to the Indians? If you don't have time to see WO 392/21 send me a private message as I have the list, Vitellino
Thanks Vitellino - I'll send you a message. BTW, I looked at WO 392/6 and WO 392/16, which are available on findmypast here at TNA. The list looks identical to WO 344/360!
Hi there Rumdoole and Tricky Dicky I was woundering whether you know any one on the site that could help me find out which P.O.W camp in Italy in 1942-1943 my Late Father was in or any other relevant Info connected to my Father I will post all the relevant Info past posts and I've uploaded some Documents on my Father below thanks Michael Hi there von Poop Otto posted on WW11FORUMS that you were the expert on WW11 P.O.W. camps could you probable trace the camp that my late Father was in and any extra info you can get If you could it would be very much appreciated as I have tried at length with no success, I will copy and paste all the Info about my Father that I wrote on the WW11FORUMS web site many thanks for any help you can give . Message 1 Hi Oscar my Father was RQMS Green Howards In Malaya/Malaysia 1948-1952 and he was in a POW camp in Italy in 1942 and escaped in July 1943 then joined the Italian Partisans for three years until he was able to meet up with a South African unit in Turin in 1945 Best wishes Michael Message 2 My Father was Born 1911-1975 I was born in B.M.H. KIMRARA K L Malaysia in1951 then moved to west Germany and didn't get to the UK until the mid 60's I joined the Army in 1969 and served in Germany and Cyprus with the U.N. they were great times I will never forget. Michael Message 3 I think my Father was a Corporal in 1942 he was R.Q.M.S. in the 1950's and in the 1960's he was busted down I think after the War he got into a lot of trouble with his heavy drinking in the Sgt Mess then he made it to Staff/Sgt C/Sgt before he was demobbed
