Stalag XV111-A (Stalag 18A)

Fascinating stuff Ron,
I have ordered that book, post 18 "Loopy" they had it on e.bay £2-44 including free postage.(pre owned) but in good condition.
Cheap as chips,as they say.

Graham.

 

Graham

You will find the book fascinating 1

I've found a few entries in the War Diaries that relate to our time in Austria rounding up the SS

Ron

 

Thanks for that Ron.
If my notes are correct, the british intelligence reopened camp 18A (Stalag XV111-A) after all the POW'S had been evacuated, and used it as a holding centre for some 7000 captured germans.Most of whom were released after investigation.
nb, The camp was under a different name and number then.
I'm guessing now,your unit, may of left the area by then.( do correct me if I'm wrong)

many thanks......Graham.

 

Graham

Checked up with my own diaries and the Regimental Diary(see below) and see that we moved back to Italy in September 1945 :

Sep 25th - Major JG Vaughan left on PYTHON for the UK.
Wednesday 26th. September 1945
Back over the frontier into Italy --- Damn it! Destination was Palmanova
where the whole Regiment is. Billets are really deadly.

Sep 26th - A Sqn rejoined the Regt.
Sep 27th - Lt Adely, 1st DY and Lt Morrison, Recce Regt, joined the
Regt.
Sep 28th - Lt Jackson obtained a Class B release whilst on LIAP.
Sep 30th - The departure of the Regt from Austria is generally
regretted. However the Regt has benefited from the move with its
first taste of peacetime barrack life. This month has seen the
departure of several Officers who have given much gallant service to
the Regt during the war years. Major JG Vaughan being the most
prominent.

Ron

 

cheer's Ron,
With winter drawing in, perhaps Italy's the better of both evils in terms of temperature.
"Billets are really deadly" what was the problem there.?

Graham.

 

Sep 25th - Major JG Vaughan left on PYTHON for the UK.
Wednesday 26th. September 1945
Back over the frontier into Italy --- Damn it! Destination was Palmanova
where the whole Regiment is. Billets are really deadly.

To be completely honest, I can't remember,, but then again, it was 72 years ago

What I did remember however, was another occasion when the billets really were lousy as you will soon see !

My Diary for Saturday 7th October 1944 reads:

Our present location skin factory, slightly lousy.

What actually happened was that we came across this empty building near Assisi and, on entering, found lots of what we took to be double decker bunk beds. They had latticed wire frames stretched across where a mattresses would normally be found and so, grateful for small mercies we all gratefully dumped our paliasses on the beds and retired for the night.
On waking in the morning we all found ourselves covered in flea-bites and
realised that the wire frames normally held animal skins.
The MO's orderly spent the next few days trying to rid us of our newfound friends !

Ron

 

If it was me after an experience like that, think I would of taken a chance and slept in the back of a truck or something.
Back at the camp Stalag 18A, other than Clive Dunn, do you recall, or were you told of any other famous personalities within the camp ?.
I ask so I can add it to the mountain of information I now have on this event. From Greece/Crete 1941 to the release of all POW's
in 1945.

best....Graham.

 

Graham

I think that I have just about covered all that I remember of Stalaag XV111a and so i will leave you to carry on your excellent research project with one final link that I am sure you have already explored, namely: Stalag 18A

Good luck & best regards

Ron

 

Thanks Ron,
More than satisfied with the information I have on this camp.You just put the icing on the cake for me.(feel like I've been in there myself)

All the best, take care...........Graham. (still feeling a bit itchy)

 

For those who wish to write to the ICRC,looking for information on POW's thought this might be useful.
Their next window of opportunity is 15 Jan 2018. (you need to be quick) it's not open for long, goodluck.

Graham.

 

With ref: to my post 11 in this thread. I had a reply from Dr Margit Berner, she wrote,

Hello Graham,

" Unfortunately I cannot send you a photograph.The photograph's here in the archive are only related to POW's numbered 1-4913."
Margit Berner.

(Howard Russon's POW number being 6997) disappointing setback, but I still have a few more irons in the fire.

cheers........Graham.

 

Here's an interesting read of Clive Dunn's WW2 service history:

Dad's Army - Clive Dunn's Real Wars

Graham

 

Today, my local newspaper printed an article about this camp mainly for forced labour, both male and female from countries like Belgium, France, Italy Neatherlands Poland and UkrainLots of details in this article. Let me know if anyone needs additional information.The camp is about 30 minutes away from my home town and close to a small International Airport Memminger Berg.
Stefan.