POW Stalag IV-C Brux, Most, Czech Rep

[Nanny McPhee]

My dad is 94, he has written his stories of his battle in Sid Nisir, Tunisia on 25/26 February 1943 on the BBC website some years ago.  He is now recalling lots more information and has been researching [yes at his age] and finds that out of 130 in his 155 Battery, Royal Field Artillary only 9 survived.  Although he knew this fact he now finds that his name is not on the survivors list.  This has upset him as you can imagine and would love to put this fact right before the 70th anniversary of the battle next February.  He was taken prisoner and went to 2 Italian camps before ending up in the above named one where he remained until the end of the war.  Can anyone tell me where he can get himself survived once more?

Thanks

[apwright]

Is this your dad asking on WW2Talk last week?
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/user-introductions/49077-155-battery-172-royal-field-artillery.html

It looks like he's been given his answer! The figure of "9 survivors" relates only to the 9 men who survived AND who didn't get captured.

See here: http://www.thewarillustrated.info/158/the-glorious-155th-battery-fought-to-the-end.asp
Quote: "nine survivors and five others ... reported to be prisoners-of-war in Italy".

http://fattie.freehostia.com/Family/RobertSHitchin/155_Battery_Sidi_Nsir.htm
Quotes:
"Nine survivors came out, of whom two were wounded".
"Out of nine officers and 121 other ranks, only nine survivors returned to British lines".
"only nine survived and escaped to join the remainder of the Regiment. ... The rest of the Battery were killed, wounded or taken prisoner."
"nine gunners reached safety, the rest were killed or taken prisoner".

Adrian

[Nanny McPhee]

Yes, it was my Dad.  Thank you so much for all this information, you are so kind.  I cannot show him this at this very moment, he goes to bed at 7.00.  He will be over the moon with this in the morning.  He has talked of nothing else recently, think it is cause he and mum have moved in with me so I can take care of them.  Mum is now in hospital and he is keeping himself busy with his project.

It will really mean so much to him.  You are amazing.

Nanny McPhee

[Nanny McPhee]

OOOH sorry Adrian, didn't think it was going to be that big a piccy

Nanny McPhee

[Jane Whittaker]

My Dad, Frank Whittaker, was torpedoed off the Algerian Coast, survived, fought at Sidi Nsir and was one of the nine survivors. He was in the Royal Artillery 155th battery.

He was taken prisoner at Sidi Nsir on 26th February 1943. After spending time in Italy, near Vesuvius, he was transferred to Stalag 4C.

It is only recently that I have read accounts of the battle.

Like your Father his name is not listed as being one of those brave men at Sidi Nsir.

He really was one of the best.

[Nanny McPhee]

Hi Jane, have just spoken to my father  and he is over the moon that he has found a contact to his old Artillery!  He is 95 and can remember names, dates, numbers.  In fact he did put a short story on the BBC WWII site which was set up a few years ago.  I am going to send you, if I can do it, a copy of his story...

 MOD COMMENT: Names and Email address removed as per Rootschat anti-spam policy. Please use Personal message system for exchanging personal details

 If you would like any info he may be able to tell you.  How long is it since your dad passed away?  I pressume he has from your comment 'he was the best'!  Would like to help with any info.  I have just ordered a book called 'The Last Stand' by Bryan Perrot from Amazon, it has a small account of the battle.  Lovely to have contact with you.

[Nanny McPhee]

Hi again... sorry, am so excited.  His story is on WW2 People's War http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categories/c55374/   It is a bit higelty pigelty but it was typed with his own fair hand.  He still uses the computer but gets a bit confused with it all now.  He is 95 but will still have a go.  He was in Stalag 4C also.  They must have been together but he cannot recall your Dad's name but he will probably remember something in the back of his mind during the day.  He too was in the camp in Italy near Mount Vesuvius.  From there were transported somewhere else and then to Stalag 4C in the Czech.  They knew that Hitler had given the order to rid the camps of the prisoners and on the day they had been ordered to get on the trains probably to be taken to their certain death the Russians arrived... and the rest is history as they say.  He certainly remembers the days following that and his journey home in a Lancaster Bomber!

[Nanny McPhee]

Jane, you probably have seen this info!  The same camp as my father

1.3.1943 Bizerta camp for 3 nights
4.3.1943 Italy Capua Camp (nr Mt Vesuvius could see it at night spitting fire)
7.3.1943 Naples

Name:   W N E Ledbury (my father)
Rank:   Gunner
Army Number:   945247
Regiment:   Royal Artillery
POW Number:   223977
Camp Type:   Stalag
Camp Number:   IV-C
Camp Location:   Bystrice, Czech Republic
Record Office:   Royal Artillery (Field) Record Office, Foots Cray, Sidcup, Kent
Record Office Number:   5

Name:   F Whittaker
Rank:   Gunner
Army Number:   1156835
Regiment:   Royal Artillery
POW Number:   224257
Camp Type:   Stalag
Camp Number:   IV-C
Camp Location:   Bystrice, Czech Republic
Record Office:   Royal Artillery (Field) Record Office, Foots Cray, Sidcup, Kent
Record Office Number:   5

Have just noted, my father was 280 in front of your Dad's POW No.  He was talking about this the other day and said they had had to wait in a huge cold area outside the camp waiting to be 'booked' in!  They were freezing and huddled together to try and keep warm. 

They were working in a coal mine and right next to the mine was Herman Guering's factory which  the British kept trying to bomb every Monday, so each time Monday came along they thought it would be their last.  Obviously the British didn't know there was a POW camp there at the time!
I do try and write down bits and pieces when he goes into WW2 mode, it all makes sense to him but not always to us.  Have you any stories that have been passed down?

[millymcb]

Hi Jane (Welcome to Rootschat) and Nanny

I have removed an email address posted by Nanny earlier as it is against Rootschat Anti Spam policy.
Also - interesting as your posts are - some are mentioning living people which is also against Rootschat Policy

If you have personal info to exchange or wish to discuss living people then the personal message system would be better.

Jane - you will need to make three posts on here to be able to use it... so if you make a couple of replies here you will be good to go. 

Milly (Armed Forces Moderator)