FIRST POW COLUMN FROM STALAG 344 LAMSDORF ARRIVES AT STALAG VIIIA GORLITZ.
FIRST POW COLUMN FROM STALAG 344 LAMSDORF ARRIVES STALAG VIIIA GORLITZ.
Aus. 407822 Warrant Officer Alistair McGregor CURRIE (Aus. 407822), R.A.A.F. Arrived Stalag VIIIA Gorlitz 3 February 1945.
Report of March from Lamsdorf to Gorlitz.
(The original report of the march from Lamsdorf to Gorlitz was handed by me at Gorlitz to the Camp Leader to send to the Protecting Power. This report is a brief summary and naturally is not a copy of the original report.)
The R.A.F. March group, comprising 547 men, marched out of Lamsdorf on the 22nd January, 1945, and reached Gorlitz on the 3td February 1945, after having covered a distance of 265 kilometres.
Condition on this march was most severe owing to very low temperatures which, on many occasions reached 20 degrees below zero. Roads were very bad owing to the fact that they were covered in ice and snow and many injuries were occasioned by men falling owing to the slippery surface. German food supplies were irregular and totally inadequate but all men were issued with one Red Cross parcel on leaving Lamsdorf so that no very great hardship occurred from lack of food.Treatment by guards was on the whole reasonable and only on rare occasions were men marching at the rear of the column maltreated owing to the fact that they were unable to keep up with the rest of the march group. In such instances they were kicked and struck with rifle butts.Approximately 360 men did not complete the march, having to remain in villages owing to their exhausted condition, suffering from frost bite and starvation exhaustion. Many of these men arrived at Gorlitz after having a few days’ rest but when I left Gorlitz quite a number were still unaccounted for.On this march no soups were issued by the Germans – on one occasion cooked potatoes were issued but apart from this the only food issues were on an average of 375 grams of bread daily and a little margarine on two occasions.Towns passed through and number of sick left behind.
On 22nd January reached Prieborn [sic, Note 1] where 35 sick were left behind.On 23rd January reached Prieborn [now Przeworno] where 130 sick were left behind.On 24th January reached Grosse Neignitz [now Księginice Wielkie] where 63 sick were left behind.On 25th January reached Zobden [now Sobótka] where 34 sick were left behind.On 26th January reached Domanse [now Domanice] where 16 sick were left behind.On 27th January reached Damsdorf [now Damianowo] where NO sick were left behind.On 28th January reached Peterwitz [now Piotrowice Świdnickie] where 27 sick were left behind.On 29th January reached Goldberg [now Zlotoryja] where 37 sick were left behind.On 30th January REST DAY.On 31st January reached Lautenssife[sic, Lauterseiffen now Bielanka] where10 sick were left behind.On 1st February reached Neulands [now Niwnice] where 8 sick were left behind.On 2nd February reached ? [sic.] where 7* sick were left behind.*Transported from last halting place to Gorlitz by wagon.
Note 1.
Prieborn appears to be wrong. Captain George Ian Davidson R.A.M.C. confirmed 35 left behind after first overnight stop on the march. Private Kenneth Sharp R.A.M.C. recorded arriving at PRIEBOURNE (sic) at the end of the second day’s march. Captain David Wesley Clare R.C.A.M.C. recorded arriving Friedewalde [now Skoroszyce] for his first overnight stay. While Captain Davidson does not record Friedewalde as his first overnight stop, it is clear that the farm that he describes was close to Friedewalde.
Note 2.
Currie and the RAF POWs left Lamsdorf as part of Block V (R.A.F.) and Block III (N.C.Os.) with Capt Stallard detailed as medical officer to accompany party. See my post of 21 January EVACUATION OF STALAG 344 LAMSDORF. It can be reasonably assumed that the entire column arrived 3 February with stragglers arrived over the coming days. Stallard was reported as already at Stalag VIIA Gorlitz on 5 February when a column of Army POWs arrived from Lamsdorf.
Sergeant Currie in his liberation questionnaire recorded himself
– Leaving Stalag VIIIA Gorlitz on 12 March to march to Stalag IXA Ziegenhein; arriving there on 29 March. He says that he led a group of approx.3000 Army and R.A.F. personnel.
– Leaving Stalag IXA on 3 April to march towards Stalag IX but was liberated by the advancing US Army on 4 April.
In the report, dated 13 April 1945, he says that his report on the march to Gorlitz may not have been given to the Protecting Power; the Protecting Power did not visit Stalag VIIIA after December 1944.
Sources.
1. UK National Archives Catalogue WO 311/221 Ill-treatment of POWs on march from Lamsdorf to Zeigerhein, Germany.
2. UK National Archives Catalogue WO 344 Liberated Prisoner of War Interrogation Questionnaires.
Provided by Brian Cooper
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