1037 Captain John Rowland TALBOT, 2 NZEF & Long Range Desert Group: POW

Army Number: 1037
Rank: Captain
Name: John Rowland TALBOT
Unit: 2 New Zealand Expeditionary Force ; Long Range Desert Group

 

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Name TALBOT John Rowland
Date of Birth: 4 Jun 1910
Date of Enlistment: 25 Sep 1939
Date of Capture: 15 Jan 1943
Place of Capture: Fort Scieveref Captured (Approx, 300 Miles South of Tripoli)


PART I.
GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

1. No. 1037
RANK - Captain
SURNAME - TALBOT
CHRISTIAN NAMES - JOHN ROWLAND
DECORATIONS -

2. UNIT (ARMY) - "A" N.Z. SQN. LRDG (FROM DIV CAV REGT.)

3. DIVISION (ARMY) - 2 NZ DIV.

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 4/6/1910

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 25/9/39

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - P.W.D. STOREKEEPER

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - C/O MAJOR D.W. TALBOT, MOTUEKA, NELSON, N.Z.

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - FORT SCIEVEREF (APPROX 300 MILES SOUTH OF TRIPOLI), CAPTURED 15/1/43

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
PG 66 CAPUA 11/2/43 - 15/3/ 43 - 15/3/43
PG 21 CHIETI 15/3/43 - 30/9/43
STALAG VII A STAMMLAGER MOOSBURG 4/10/43 - 8/12/43
OFLAG VIII F MAHRISCH TRUBAU 11/12/43 - 1/5/44
OFLAG 79 BRUNSWICK - QUERUM 2/5/44 - 23/4/45


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
NO

12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
NO

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
YES


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. 1037
RANK - CAPT.
SURNAME - TALBOT
CHRISTIAN NAMES - JOHN ROWLAND


2. LECTURES before Capture:
( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).
NO. HAD READ A PAMPHLET ON THE SUBJECT
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom.
NO

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
NO

4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did yo make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)
HELPED CONSTRUCT A TUNNEL AT CHIETI. WHEN GERMANS MOVED THE CAMP THERE WAS ONLY ROOM FOR SIX OFFICERS TO HIDE OUT OF 30 IN THE PARTY. ACTUALLY NO ESCAPE PLANS BORE FRUIT, THOUGH MANY WERE MADE.


5. SABOTAGE
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc, when employed on working-parties or during escape? (Give details, places and dates.)
-

6. COLLABORATION with enemy:
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
-

7. WAR CRIMES
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of "Form Q" on which to make your statement.
(NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coning under this title.)



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
(continued)

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
THE LAST 2-3 MONTHS IN OFLAG 79 PRACTICALLY NO RED CROSS FOOD PARCELS WERE RECEIVED. RATIONS ISSUED BY DETAINING POWER WERE BELOW SUBSISTENCE LEVEL. IN MY OPINION THIS WAS DONE DELIBERATELY, POSSIBLY TO RENDER US INCAPABLE OF ACTION AGAINST THEM.


SECURITY UNDERTAKING
I fully realise that all information relating the matters covered by the questions in Part II. are of a highly secret and official nature.

I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.

Date 25/4/45
Signature JR Talbot, Capt.