Saturday, June 18, 2011

"Walking" in the footsteps of a POW

I've enjoyed reading my grandfather's POW story in a bit more depth and am looking forward to putting his whole story together. I hope I can find out more about the places he stayed and the people he knew.

Here's a brief timeline of events.
Sunday, December 30th 1917
early morning taken prisoner near La Vacquerie (Cambrai)
taken from the front line to the reserve line then to the collecting stations (cages)
About mid-day escorted by military
5.00 p.m. stopped to eat (first meal as prisoners)
9.00 p.m. arrived at Caudry - had dinner
Continued on to Le Cateau.

January 3rd. 1918
left by train for Le Quesnoy -  a disinfecting and distributing station.

January 6th 1918
left in cattle trucks for Dulmen, Westphalia (passed through Belgium)

January 9th 1918
walked two miles from the train station to Dulmen Lager POW camp.

February 11th 1918
Left Dulmen for Kommando 40 in Lunen
Remained here till after the armistice and "worked"in the coal mine.

Saturday November 23rd. 1918
Marched to Munster Camp from Lunen

Monday November 25th 1918
walked to wayside station then took train to Enchede

Friday November 29th 1918
train from Enschede to Rotterdam via Utrecht. Marched to the docks.

Saturday November 30th 1918
boarded SS Londonderry and sailed down river. Anchored overnight.

Sunday December 1st 1918
Crossed the North Sea and anchored off the Cromer Light.


Monday December 2nd. 1918
Sailed up the Humber to Hull, (received a huge welcome home greeting), ate and left by train for Ripon.

Wednesday 4th December 1918
train from Ripon to Glasgow and home.
(some of the regular soldiers had not seen home for 10 years.)

10 US military were amongst the POW's taken with my grandfather to Le Cateau. He mentions their photograph being taken, probably for German propaganda purposes.

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