71403 Lieutenant David James SKIPWITH, Sudan Defence Force & Long Range Desert Group: POW

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by dbf, Sep 14, 2023.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Personal Number: 71403
    Rank: Lieutenant
    Name: David James SKIPWITH
    Unit: Sudan Defence Force ; Long Range Desert Group


    London Gazette : 5 January 1943
    https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35848/supplement/158/data.pdf
    GENERAL LIST, INFANTRY.
    S.D.F. Section.
    The undermentioned Officers, holding Governor's Commissions, Sudan Defence Force, are granted Emergency Commissions as 2nd Lts. in accordance with Art, 218A, P.W. 1940: —
    24th Aug. 1940:—
    David James SKIPWITH (71403).
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2023
  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Name: David Skipwith . Date of Birth: 06/02/1917 . Place of Birth: India . Service:... | The National Archives
    Reference: WO 416/331/130
    Name: David Skipwith.
    Date of Birth: 06/02/1917.
    Place of Birth: India.
    Service: [unspecified].
    Rank: Lieutenant.
    Regiment/Unit/Squadron: Infantry.
    Service Number: [unspecified].
    Date of Capture: [unspecified].
    Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
    Camp Name/Number: Stalag XVIIA Kaisersteinbruch.
    PoW number: 156153.
    Date of Death: [unspecified].
    Number of Photographs: 0.
    Number of Fingerprints: 0.
    Number of X-rays: 0.
    Number of Cards: 2.
    Date: [1939-1945]
     
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    View Record via Ancestry
    Name: Skipwith David James
    Date of Birth: 6 Feb 1917
    Date of Enlistment: 24 Aug 1940
    Date of Capture: 2 Sep 1944
    Place of Capture: Ginda Ingoslaria [Yugoslavia]



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

    1. No. 71403
    RANK - LIEUT.
    SURNAME - SKIPWITH
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - DAVID JAMES
    DECORATIONS -

    2. UNIT (ARMY) - Long Range Desert Group

    3. DIVISION (ARMY) - Land Forces Adriatic

    4. DATE OF BIRTH - 6 Feb. 1917

    5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 24 Aug. 1940

    6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - Ex - Sudan Political Service

    7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - Springfield, Bideford, N. Devon, England

    8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - ?G Yugoslavia, 2/9/44
    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 12.35.20.png

    9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? - NO

    10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
    Camp No. / Location / From / Till

    Dulag Belgrade Yugoslavia Sept 1944
    Stalag XVII A Kaisersteinbruch, nr. Vienna Oct 1944
    Oflag 79 Brunswick Germany Nov 44 - Apr. 45

    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 12.35.26.png

    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?
    -


    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

    1. No. 71403
    RANK - LIEUT.
    SURNAME - SKIPWITH
    CHRISTIAN NAMES - David James


    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
    ( 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).

    Yes. Six interrogations during first 10 days of confinement. At G?, Dubrovnik, Mostan, Kr? and Belgrade. Method - You must satisfy the German authorities that you were not "an agent or saboteur" - interrogating officer tried to secure military information in the pretence of helping me to give this satisfaction.
    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 14.12.50.png


    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?)

    No. (I investigate the possibilities of escape with Lt. Col. TILLY of Oflag 79 and, on information of a top secret nature given me by him, decided against an attempt.) [Added in different handwriting] March 1945
    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 14.12.58.png

    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).

    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 coning under this title.)

    NO, (except for 2nd hand information from Italian and Serb prisoners as to their treatment; I do not consider that this 2nd hand information would be of value).
    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 14.13.09.png

    GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
    (continued)

    8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?

    I should like it to be known that from the little I could see of the work of R.S.M. BROWN, chief British Man of Confidence, Stalag XVIIA, and his colleagues at that camp that the British NCOs in the camp were conducting themselves in a most praiseworthy manner and that RSM BROWN organised their affairs extremely well.
    Screenshot 2023-09-19 at 14.21.51.png

    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 23rd Apr. 1945
    Signature DJ Skipwith Lieut.
     
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