Malam, J V P
Private John Victor Paul Malam
From: Jacqueline Senior
Date: 4 October 2016 at 12:54
Subject: My dad’s war records as a P.O.W.
Having just got out my late dad’s war album I have decided to trace his war record.
My father’s name was John Victor Paul Malam who served as a private in the R.A.S.C. and went to Egypt then eventually to Crete where he was captured and taken to at least one stalag.
The stalag numbers stated on postcards sent to him are VIIIB: E283 and E565. I know he was taken to Poland but he came back after the war.
E283, the Ratibor Sugar Mill
E565, the Sierza Wodna coal mine at Arthurgrube.
S/176883. Private J.V.P.Malam. R.A.S.C., Headquarters, “W” Force, M. E. F.
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His address was “Ashside,” Crewe Road, Haslington, Crewe, Cheshire where he lived before marrying my mother after he came back after the war. I have part of a small brown envelope addressed to her in her maiden name which contains a black cloth badge in the shape of a wide “V” with two red chevrons.
Some pages and photos may be missing, but the album begins with pics taken in Egypt such as Cairo, Port Said, the pyramids, the sphinx and other famous tourist areas, followed by pictures of the Acropolis, Athens, then the next ones are of his arrival in Crete and another taken at the evacuation of Greece.
Next are a few photos, some with names either underneath or on the reverse. The first one is labelled “Cobber” but the name on the reverse is difficult to decipher but looks like Chirbowley(?), Stalag. No. 8210, Ratibor with this address below: 9, Hansen Street, Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand.
The second is just labelled Frank Perrin.
The third one is a pic of five people and the reverse side has the stamp Stalag VIII B but states only four names which are Jock (or Jack) Hydes, Frank Perrin, “? Wheeldon” and “Pat.”
The fourth one is of a soldier and has this on the back – “L/C John Callender, 1st Battalion, the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Taken on the 14/12/41 on a working party as a POW in Germany.”
The fifth is an of un-named soldier but on the back, it was sent by my father’s dad and addressed to Corporal V. Malam, Stalag IV, Deutchland and stamped “145 Stalag VIIIB”
The sixth is of a group of un-named soldiers and the reverse has the name W.J.Smith with the address 23, Long Street, Hanslope, Bucks.
I have his Soldier’s Service and Pay book (Army Book 64) stating he was enlisted in the Territorial Army on 9/3/40 then “j” 1/4/40, but is later dated 9/10/45. Inside it states he was awarded “1939-45 African Star. Pt II Order 139/45 ” and signed by an officer on 23/1/46, followed by re-mustering to Palestine 10/10/40.
There are also documents including an army pass dated 31/1/46 from where he was (?) to Crewe and is headed: Regiment R.A.S.C. No. 176883, and another one for an order of books headed “War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John of Jerusalem” which was received on 17/5/43 and addressed to Private J.V.P.Malam 23890. His field medical card shows he had scabies on his legs. Also there is a list of items they were forbidden to have.
The show programme is dated ‘Xmas 1944’ performed in E565
Suggest an improvement to this record