Uncle POW

[Mike Kelly]

I found my uncle's records on the NAA web site.

Included are 2 pages of German documents recorded during his 3 and half year stay in STALAG V111B . He was sent out on work parties called KOMMANDOS... these two pages record time spent in Berlin and working in a factory on a metal stamping machine .

He was captured on Crete .

The old ex-Wermacht German chap down my road translated it for me .

Mike

[Mike Kelly]

Few more scans.

Immunisation record, they gave him typhus jabs during his internment.

DULAG is a processing camp where prisoners were evaluated before going to a normal STALAG . They didn't take a photo apparently.

The 111V B Stalag camp was in SILESIA ( East Germany ?), it was liberated by Russian troops .

Mike

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

All that, and then to have it translated in Australia by an ex-Wermacht German. Irony or what. Must have been fascinating for you Mike.
Rich.

[Mike Kelly]

Hi Richard

And the neighbour old German chap was a POW as well. His capture was remarkable... his friend ( forgotten the name ) was born in a part of Europe that changed hands between Germany and France post WW1 . This chap was born in that region and became part of the French army 1939.. after capture the Germans said he is really a German , so he became part of the German army. In Italy serving in the Wermacht, he was captured by allied French troops , and he re-joined the French army .. truth is stranger than fiction they say ..

Mike

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

His capture was remarkable... his friend ( forgotten the name ) was born in a part of Europe that changed hands between Germany and France post WW1 . This chap was born in that region and became part of the French army 1939.. after capture the Germans said he is really a German , so he became part of the German army.

Mike .
That area would be Alsace-Lorraine..
right along the French German border running down to Switzerland..
A great wine growing area..
Was married not far from there..Lahr..
Changed hands in 1871..and many other times..
Many people immigrated to Canada from that area after 1871..whole towns..and groups..
Many landed in Quebec..kept their French local dialects..and then moved as a group from Quebec to western Canada in 1905..to settle in towns there they built out of the prairie when Alberta and Saskatchewan were formed into provinces in 1905 and the Canadian government were giving 50-100 acres free land to new settlers ..These groups moved ..en mass ..still retaining their French language brought from the A-L area and still speak that dialect of French today..which is a pure French of old Europe..I know..My sister in law is one of them..
Their names were changed from a German name of long unpronounceable version to a shortened version of 5 letters that became a big family name in Quebec ..but is actually German rooted.
Ain't history fun..

[Haridimos]

Originally Posted by mike kelly

..he was captured on crete ...

Mike

Great stuff you found Mike! My grandpa fought at the Battle of Crete, along with the British. Very brave men..

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Alex Blair

That area would be Alsace-Lorraine..
right along the French German border running down to Switzerland..

So who owns that Alsace-Lorraine region today .. would be France I think ?

[cletrac (RIP)]

Alex, that was 160 acres of land for the new settlers and it cost $10. My dad homesteaded and said it was '$10 and a lifetime!'

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Haute Alsace, Basse Alsace and Lorraine, de facto annexed by the Third Reich in 1940, were returned to France in 1945.

I was gobsmacked that around 130,000 men were drafted into the Wehrmacht (Heer, Luftwaffe and Kreigsmarine) and SS.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by cletrac

Alex, that was 160 acres of land for the new settlers and it cost $10. My dad homesteaded and said it was '$10 and a lifetime!'

Of course you are right..a quarter section..I have been in Ottawa too long..

[Mike Kelly]

I forgot the actual main section...

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Haridimos

Great stuff you found Mike! My grandpa fought at the Battle of Crete, along with the British. Very brave men..

Attachment 40757Attachment 40758Attachment 40759Attachment 40760

At the moment of capture : thanks

Apparently the 2/7 batallion were famous for performing a bayonet charge into the German lines .