Finally got the photos of my Grandad scanned on the computer and would like to share them with you. His name was 207558 Percy Greig and he was a driver with 211 coy RASC attached to 2nd Armoured division. He was captured at Kalamata, Greece on 28/04/1941. ( Big thanks to Brian for scanning his papers from Kew for me ) My Grandad is, as you look at the photo, standing at the rear to the right of the fella smoking the pipe. The next photo, I have been advised is probably of his work party. He is second from left (standing) as you look at the photo with the hat on. There is a dedicated website for Stalag XVIIIA and I have sent the pics to Ian who runs that particular site. Its a massive shot in the dark, but, are there any vets on here that were in the area my Grandad served in? Or does anyone have any other info on where he may have also served? I haven't got 'round to asking for his service records as yet.
Reading a some info on Wiki I think he may have been part of 1st Armoured Brigade, 2 Armoured Div: It looks like he was captured the day before the Brigade was evacuated to Egypt: They were sent to Greece whilst the rest of the Div stayed in Africa and the Brigade was evacuated to Egypt the day after your grandfather was captured. Here's the info from Wiki: It was based in the United Kingdom initially as part of the 1st Armoured Division and then the newly formed 2nd Armoured Division. In January 1941 it was shipped out to Egypt. When Greece was invaded the 1st Armoured Brigade was sent with General Maitland Wilson's unsuccessful attempt at stopping the German invasion. On 29 April 1941 it was evacuated to Egypt. The 1st Armoured Brigade served briefly in the Western Desert Campaign with the 7th Armoured Division at the Battle of El Alamein. The brigade was disbanded on 21 November 1942. Commanders Brig. C.W.M. Norrie Brig. H.V.S. Charrington Brig. R.C. Keller Brig. E.C.N. Custance Brig. D.A. Stirling Brig. A.F. Fisher Brig. G.N. Todd Composition during World War II 3rd Royal Tank Regiment 1st Royal Tank Regiment 6th Royal Tank Regiment 1st King's Dragoon Guards 4th Queen's Own Hussars The Rangers (TA), 9th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps 102nd Royal Horse Artillery , (Northumberland Hussars) , equipped with 36 x 2 pounder Anti-Tank guns Greece and Crete ,campaigns. Cheers Andy
I know this is ten years after this topic was last posted on, but just to say that it may just be my uncle pictured in the back row of the top picture. He would be(I think!) the tall chap on the right (his left). His name was Charles Bantick who was a driver in the RASC and captured at the same time. He worked in the camp theatre. Here is his POW Mugshot and a rather brief service record.
PS: Charles was in the same Company as the OP's grandad but was taken prisoner a day later on 29th April 1941 at Kalamata. His brother 'my dad' was first in the A.R.P in 1939 until about April 1941, then as a driver in the 12th Anti-Aircraft Division on 3.7in ack-ack guns, then in 1942 was transferred into the Hampshire Regiment as it was then, and fought his war in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Ending up in Southern Austria and billeted at the self-same Stalag XVIII POW camp at the end of the war. PPS: As a new member I'm seen as 'Lockingblocks' Hmm! My FH70 days come flooding back. But then, so do my 105mm Light-gun and AS90 days do too!