Stalag Luft 3 march to Lubeck

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by 8002reverse, Aug 19, 2009.

  1. 8002reverse

    8002reverse Junior Member

    Greetings fellow ww2talkers.

    In 2010 a chum and I will retrace the march from Stalag Luft 3's Northern Compound (RAF) to Lubeck. We will be doing this by car and in summer.

    The attached 3 images are a mix of 2 accounts of the march.

    Green = Found on Google Maps.
    Red = Not yet found.

    If anybody has any corrections, ideas or any other information, we would be extremely grateful.

    Recently someone else put up 'photos of the same march but didn't leave an email address. Pity. I now can't find the site. (●⁔●)

    EDIT:- Direct links to the 3 images on Imageshack are:-

    http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8483/sl3march1945.jpg

    http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9168/marchtext1.jpg

    http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8722/marchtext2.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  2. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    An interesting post as my father was on both the "Winter" and "Spring" Marches of Stalag Luft III.
     
  3. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Do keep us posted on this very interest project.
     
  4. ADM199

    ADM199 Well-Known Member

    Welcome to the Forum.

    For information regarding the March I think you should be looking at T.N.A.
    Perhaps there will be details of the March you are looking for in the Camp Histories-The Files are-WO208/3283 Luft 111 Sagan R.A.F Personnel. 1942 - 45
    WO208/3284 Luft 111 Belaria 1944 - 45 WO208/3285 Luft 111 E Doberlug - Kirchain. 1941 -42.
    There is at least one File that refers to a March. WO311/1110--Ill treatment of P.O.W. on March from Luft 111 Sagan to Luchenwalde. Jan - Feb 1945.
     
  5. fishwife

    fishwife Junior Member

    I have just joined this forum so I am not sure if I am posting this question correctly. My father was a Spitfire fighter pilot posted to 232 Squadron and shot down over North Africa in 1943. He was sent to Stalag Luft III and involved himself in the tunnel digging as a penguin. He was among the first 100 set to go down the tunnel when it was discovered, fortunately for him he did not get out. He died last year and my aunt was instrumental in ensuring we locate letters that he wrote home during the war. My brothers and I knew nothing of these letters however, found them with many other treasures that I never saw until now. I have been reading and transcribing the letters to Word documents for easy reading. I'm hoping someone here can help me with something that he has written about the forced march, as I can't read his writing. In a letter he wrote to his brother after being repatriated to Canada "By the way our second march from Vestertunk (near Bremen where Himmler was sent to) to Lubeck was quite a vandretur (Danish for hike) compared with the first one. We crossed the Elbe north of Hamburg. I wish I had stayed on one of the tanks that liberated us and gone up to Denmark with them." The word I can't make out is Vestertunk. I haven't been able to find anything on the internet about this location, so I'm sure I have not interpreted it correctly.
     
  6. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    Fishwife would you mind posting your fathers name?
     
  7. fishwife

    fishwife Junior Member

    This forum and how the threads work confuses me. My father's name was Colin Frank Sorensen. His service number was J15811 and his POW ID number was 1088.
     
  8. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    Thanks. Our fathers were in the same camps at the same time although his name is not amongst those named in my father's P.O.W. Red Cross "Wartime Log."

    Did your father have a Red Cross "Wartime Log" that survived the marches?
     
  9. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    hi david

    im wondering if you could check your fathers log for a name im looking into.

    the guy in question is flt sgt atkin 427 sqn rcaf he was at stalag luft 3 from oct 44. J90299

    many thanks
     
  10. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    hi david

    im wondering if you could check your fathers log for a name im looking into.

    the guy in question is flt sgt atkin 427 sqn rcaf he was at stalag luft 3 from oct 44. J90299

    many thanks

    Unfortunately he is not listed. Below are the prisoners listed in my father's log and their home addresses at that time. These prisoners were in either Stalag Luft VI of Stalag Luft III.

    Robert Hancock, Woodhouse Farm, Leconfield, E. Yorks.

    R. Utteridge, 13 Harpenden Road, W. Norwood, SE 27

    Jim D. Skinner, 10 Earl Street, New Brumby, Scunthorpe.

    Johnny Howes, Peacehaven, Sussex.

    George W. Hand, Morcott, near Uppingham, Rutland.

    D.N. Lee, Brentford Middelsex.

    Laurie W. Collins, "Sackville House." 4 Littlefields Land, Grimsby, Lincs.

    G.F. Ruddock, 16 Alforton Ave., West Green, London. N15.

    William A. Roe, 45 Mansfield rd. Guilford, Surry.

    Gordan Jack, 14 Eridgeway, Foresttown, Johannesburg S.A.

    G.R. Simich, West Coast Rd. Oratia. Auckland. N.Z.

    Roger G. Simmons, 57 Manor Way, Woodmanstowe, Surrey.

    Donald Prentice, 124 Caledon St. Uiterhage, Cape Province. S.A.

    W. James Hunter, 123 Winifred Rd. Coulson, Surrey.

    Louis B. Gunter, Binsley Rd. Coventry.

    E.H.L. Shore, 31 The Parade, Barry, Glamorgan.

    Alex McCullock, 63 Twyford Ave. Fosters Green, London.

    (Titch) Lockyer, Chorley, Lancs.

    D. Meyrick, 38 Coronation Rd. Gilfach Goch, Glamorgan.

    Benson, "OK" Goondriwindi, Queensland.

    J.N. Denton, 4 The Terrace, Chyandous, Penzance, Cornwall.

    Chas Allen (Tim) 70 Warren road, Washwood Heath, Birmingham.

    J. Seedhouse, c/o Morton, Skillington, nr. Grantham.

    R.J. Jackson, 20 Maytree Crescent, Warford, Herts.

    Frank S. Read, 45 Mansfield Rd. Guilford, Surrey.

    George F. Calvert, 11 Mallett Crescent, Bolton.

    F.L. Ringham, 123 Borden Rd. Tunbridge, Kent.
    .
    Les Calvert.

    W. Petch 23 Hamilton Rd. Scunthorpe.

    Bob Beeston.

    G.R.D.B. Hobsbawn, Santiago, Chile.

    Ronald Walker, 106 Sunderland Ave. Lickhill, Doncster.

    J.E. Nelson, 15 Parkfield Rd. Bolton. (One of the crew members when my father was shot down)

    J. Beesley, 176 Woodland Ave. Handsworth, Birmingham. (One of the crew members when my father was shot down)

    C. Hanrahan, 5 Norbreck Close, Cinder Hill, Notts.

    L. Sadezky, Aldenham, Elstree, Herts.

    L. Littlewood, 43 Rothschild St., West Norwood, London. SE 27

    J. Allen Charlton, Dick Road, Kilmarnock.

    R. Coulbeck, 97 Reavensdale St. Scunthorpe.

    P. Gurnell, Sturton, Brigg.

    J. Kenny, 27 Featherstall Rd.Oldham.

    McDonald, 24 Brookland Drive, London, NW.11
     
  11. fishwife

    fishwife Junior Member

    My father never mentioned the Wartime Log and we don't know if he kept one. He did acquire a copy of one in 1996 when he joined the R.C.A.F. Ex-Prisoners of War Association after he retired and moved to British Columbia. It was John Colwell's, in which he made copies and provided them to whoever wanted one. I don't know which hut my father was in. Would it be recorded on his POW ID? If you google my father's name you will get a few hits - mostly related to his obituary.
     
  12. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    thanks dave, it was worth a try.
     
  13. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    No problem, perhaps the names will be of use to someone else.
     
  14. fishwife

    fishwife Junior Member

    After my father, along with other POWs, was liberated at Lubeck, he was taken to England to await repatriation to Canada. In a letter dated May 15, 1945 bound for family in Kingston, Ontario, he describes the liberation at Lubeck. I always tear up when I read this.

    "It looks as if I’ll have to wait a while before returning to Denmark. If I hadn’t been so keen to get back to England in a hurry I would have jumped on the tanks that liberated us and gone with them through Denmark. They were some of my happiest moments in my life when I climbed up on the first British tank and had my picture taken by the tank commander together with a whole tank load of yelling and crying Kriegies. It was around noon. We had seen our tanks in the distance earlier in the morning then suddenly everybody started to run (we were at a large farm near Lubeck) then I heard them shout “the tanks, they are here” and I ran also and when I got there all I could see of a tank was a dirty big gun sticking out in front, the rest of the tank was covered with Krieges. A week later I was in England from the 2nd of May to 9th of May we were in trucks going west."

    The first time I read this letter, I vaguely remembered seeing a movie depicting this scene. Does anyone know what movie this might be?
     
  15. POW's Son

    POW's Son Junior Member

    My Father, Joseph M Bourke was also a POW in Stalag Luft III. He was a Canadian pilot who served in RAF Squadrons 620 on Stirlings and later converted to Lancasters in Squadron 514. He and his crew were shot down in Jan of 1943 by the leading Night fighter ace of the time. Two crew members perished. I have a copy of his POW Log book. Any connections?
     
  16. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    My Father, Joseph M Bourke was also a POW in Stalag Luft III. He was a Canadian pilot who served in RAF Squadrons 620 on Stirlings and later converted to Lancasters in Squadron 514. He and his crew were shot down in Jan of 1943 by the leading Night fighter ace of the time. Two crew members perished. I have a copy of his POW Log book. Any connections?

    There are no connections between our fathers that I know of but they must have "rubbed shoulders." I would be interested in seeing your father's POW Log Book.
     
  17. driftlessme

    driftlessme Junior Member

    I have just joined WW2 talk as I followed a google search concerning the Stalag Lufte 3 Jan. 1945 march to this site. My father was in SL3 for 2 years and participated in this march. I am curious about your retracing of the march as I am interested in doing the same. Can you share information about your trip?
     
  18. driftlessme

    driftlessme Junior Member

    Here is a blog my brother started to put together concerning my father and a recent experience that led to my escorting him back to Holland where his B26 was shot down. He was captured when he swam to shore and taken to Stalag Lufte 3. I have recently moved him into an assisted living facility. He continues to share very lucid details of his experiences. When he moved into this facility he gave me his dog tag and prison id plate. I am glad to have it in my possession...

    warandtime.blogspot.com/2009/03/matter-of-time.html
     
  19. Barry L

    Barry L Junior Member

    My Grandfather, Flt Sgt 'Jack' P Love, late of Ashington, Northumberland, was also at SL III from around June 1942 - 1944 - his memoirs mention his taking part in the Long March (I'm currently working on the manuscript)
     
  20. BEEP

    BEEP Junior Member

    pauldawn,

    Yes, Atkin serv/no J90299 was in Stalag Luft III, I can confirm that. I hope that helps in your search.

    I have a list of POWs in Stalag Luft III and ATKIN LW166 J/90299 is on the list.

    If you'd like the list you can contact me through the website set up for another Stalag Luft 3 POW by the name of Don Edy, simply google Don's name and the title of his memoir GOON IN THE BLOCK and there is a contact email. I can send you the complete list of Stalag Luft III POWs and also put you in touch with other sons and daughters of Stalag Luft III POW.
     

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