Lovell, A C

, ,

Private Arthur Cecil Lovell

Family/Last name:
Lovell
Forename(s) and initial(s):
Arthur Cecil
Place of birth:
Andover, England
Date of birth:
22/3/1919
Nationality:
British
Service number:
6402641
Service:
British Army
Military Unit:
British Army, Royal Sussex Regiment, 7th Battalion (Sussex)
Rank when captured:
Private
Place of capture:
Amiens, France
Date of capture:
20/5/1940
POW number:
724
Camp
Stalag XXIA Schildberg, Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344
Data sources
The National Archives (UK), Contemporary Account/Diary, International Red CrossOther Sources (WO416 records transcribed by and held at the UK National Archives. Data processed and prepared by Rick Catt and Brian Cooper +Family records, personal diary)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

Arthur Lovell was a member of the 7th Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment. Before the war, he had been a carpenter and his skills were put to good use during his time as a POW. He also worked for some time in a drinks factory which, in recognition of the ‘help’ from the POWs, provided soft drinks for the camp’s Christmas celebrations.

In May 1940, 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment in northern France, boarded a train which was intended to take them forward, as part of the Allied Forces’ effort to defend France against Hitler’s invading armies.

Near to Amiens, enemy planes dive-bombed the train, destroying the locomotive and the officers’ coach. As the bombing and strafing continued, the men took cover wherever they could – including beneath the wagons of a nearby ammunition train! As a result of this bombardment, many were either killed or wounded.

During the course of the next two days, those that were left, regrouped and awaited orders from HQ. The orders never came. Instead, with only small arms, limited ammunition and a few anti-tank rifles, they found themselves facing a German Panzer Division. Hundreds of men lost their lives. Many others were injured and the Battalion was destroyed. Of those that survived, most spent years in German POW camps.

You can read about this incident on http://www.7throyalsussex.uk/

Arthur was taken prisoner, on the outskirts of Amiens on 20th May 1940. He arrived at Stalag XXIB on 09.06.1940, was transferred to Stalag XXIA on 24.06.1940 and arrived at Stalag VIIIB on 16.06.1941

After spending over 4 years in Stalag VIIIB, along with thousands of other POWs, he was force marched west on this route

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