Long March POW Casualty 1945: John Antony Ronald Coulthard, Stalag XXA, Thorn

Just finished the book and really enjoyed it would well recommend it.

Mike.

 

It’s interesting to see this Thread cross referenced on that site.

 

Hi Barbara,

The owner of the site, also a sometime member, was contacted when this thread had just started off, in the hope that some info might be shared.

I believe members also went on to post images of CMP headstones and swapped info.

 

I was able to visit Antony’s grave last week. Here’s a pic

 

Yes, that helped the enquiries along a great deal.

 

Dan Snow of History Hit podcasts has made the story of Antony and Fred’s escape free to listen-
The Real Great Escape with Commander Steve Foster

It’s a very entertaining Podcast. Well worth a listen.

 

That book is a great read. I was amazed at the details of the March and how some managed to survive.

 

When I visited my cousin in Oxford in 2019 she showed me this postcard from XXA dated 1943.
Antony is far left. Does anyone recognise the other 2 men? Note: Antony has the luxury of a proper belt at this stage.

 

A fantastically clear photo Barbara and shows Antony to be in good health unlike the Aug 1942 pre-escape photos of Antony and dad where they both look very thin. I don't recognise either of the two men who I have tried to cross refer to the men in dad's POW photos. Dad would have been in his camp in Bavaria when this was taken.

 

I don't know why I am saying this but could the man next to Antony be Revd Lathaen?

 

There are photographs from German prison camps in "P.O.W." : The Monthly Newsletter of the Australian Prisoners of War Relatives Association, available free online from Trove.

For example, a photograph of a rugby team is on this page:

No. 28

The link is to click on where it says: "View at Trove Digital Library" ( although at first it does not appear to be a link.)

 

Not the same man then, the photo in the article of Revd Lathaen seems younger than the man stood next to Antony.

 

yeah, I think you are right. I kept looking and thinking his sunken eyes with sloping corners looked the same but I don't think so!

Really enjoyed your book btw, you did a great job.

 

Thanks Tim, five years of research with Barbara, but we found Antony's grave in the end. The picture of Revd Lathaen makes you realise how young all these POWs were.

 

I know. My relative was 19 when he was captured in Belgium 21/05/40 and survived the full five years in XXA and XXB (mostly in work camps). The family story is that the toll on his mental health though was too much and he was never a well man after that.

 

I was wondering the same. I can ask his daughter.

 

Trove is such a great resource. Thanks for the reminder!

 

Agree- must be someone else.

 

Great article, thanks Tim. Not the same man as my photo.