1879342 Lance-Corporal Harold Nelson TOMLIN, Royal Engineers & 11 Special Air Service: POW

Army Number: 1879342
Rank: Lance-Corporal
Name: Harold Nelson TOMLIN
Unit: Royal Engineers ; 2 Commando / 11th Special Air Service

 

Name: Harold N Tomlin . Date of Birth: 23/01/1908 . Place of Birth: Hemel Hempstead .... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/364/183
Name: Harold N Tomlin.
Date of Birth: 23/01/1908.
Place of Birth: Hemel Hempstead.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Lance Corporal.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Royal Engineers.
Service Number: 1879342 [1879842].
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: Stalag IVB Muhlberg.
PoW number: 269974.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

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

1. No. - 1879342S
RANK - SPR.
SURNAME - TOMLIN
CHRISTIAN NAMES - HAROLD NELSON
DECORATIONS -

2. UNIT (ARMY) - 11th Special Air Service (Paratroop)

3. DIVISION (ARMY) -

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 23 Jan 1916

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 25 October 1929

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - Painter & Decorator (Master-Man)

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - 89 ST. ALBANS ROAD, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, HERTS

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - BY NAPLES. 16 FEB. 1941

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
CAMP 78 SULMONA ITALY 3/3/41 - 10/9/43
STALAG IV B MUHLBERG GERMANY 24/1/44 - 20/10//44
STALAG IV F HARTMANNSDORF GERMANY 20/10/44 - 8/5/45


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
CHEMNITZ 20/10/44 - 8/5/45 MAN OF CONFIDENCE


12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
GASTRIC ULCERS FOOD 18 MONTHS.

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?
YES. British Medical Officers


GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. - 1879342
RANK - Spr.
SURNAME - TOMLIN
CHRISTIAN NAMES - HAROLD NELSON


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).
YES, Also exchanged letters in Code - as instructed before departure.
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom).
YES. Ringway Airport MANCHESTER.

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
I was subjected to strenuous interrogation, usual methods, promise of ? ? Refused to answer.


4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did you 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?)
1944 September 10. SULMONA. Recaptured CASTEL DEL SANGRO.
Sept. 24 - 44. Escaped from train in transit from CASTEL DEL SANGRO, by cutting a hole with penknife through waggon door & jumping off at night. Recaptured 20 January 44. Fit but hungry.


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.)
Only in a small way.

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).
NO

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 coming 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?
NO


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 14 May 1945
Signature Tomlin H.N.

 

Tomlin, Harold Nelson (Oral history)

• Object description
• British sapper served with 23rd Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 1st Infantry Div in France, 1940;
• NCO served with X Troops, 11th Special Air Service Battalion during Operation Colossus, the raid on Tragino Aqueduct, Italy, 10/2/1941-11/2/1941;
• prisoner of war in Campo PG 78, Sulmona, Italy, 3/1941-9/1943 and Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany, 1943-1945
• Content description
• REEL 1 Background in Hemel Hempstead, GB, 1916-1939: family; education. Aspect of operations as sapper with 23rd Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 1st Infantry Div in France, 1940: background to joining unit; construction of wooden walkway to assist evacuation at Dunkirk; under German Air Force dive-bombing attacks on beach at Dunkirk; swamping of small boats by overloading; crossing English Channel to Weymouth, GB; reception in GB. Aspects of training as NCO with X Troop, 11th Special Air Service Battalion in GB, 1940: reasons for volunteering for special service after coastal defence duties at Skegness; parachute training at Tatton Park; coping with training at Tor Castle, 1940. Recollections of operations as NCO with X Troop, 11th Special Air Service Battalion during Operation Colossus in Italy, 2/1941: selection of troops for operation; objective to blow up Tragino Aqueduct.
• REEL 2 Continues: flight from GB to Malta; soldier who was too ill to go on operation; question of how party was dropped too far from objective, 10/2/1941; five-day trek to Italian coast for proposed submarine pick-up; arrest of group in Italian café; physical state group was in on capture; treatment by Italian Army troops; attitude of Italian civilians in Naples; confiscation of money; imprisonment in Naples Military Prison. Aspect of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 78, Sulmona, Italy, 3/1941-9/1943: arrival in camp; deterioration in conditions after Italian setbacks in North Africa; rations; escape attempts from camp; escape from camp, 9/1943 and recapture by Germans; living in Italian hills after escape from camp. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany, 1943-1945 arrival in camp.
• REEL 3 Continues: role as 'man of confidence'; dealing with prisoners of war suffering marital break ups; his attempts to keep Red Cross parcels supplied to prisoners of war; liberation by Soviet Army troops in Chemnitz area; treatment of German civilians by Soviet Army troops; aid given to ex-prisoners of war by American troops; return flight to GB.