THE FINAL EVACUATIONS FROM LAMSDORF.

On 23 February 1945, a train transport of POW patients “with minor illnesses from the lazaret and the revier” at Stalag 344 left the stalag under the care of Sergeant Major Noble and Captain John Borrie, R.A.M.C. They would arrive at Stalag XIIIC Hammelburg on 4 March. When visiting Stalag XIIIC on 25 March, the Delegate of the Protecting Power, recorded 2300 POWs from Stalag 344 arriving there with 800 already sent to working parties.

“Put off at Saaz, Czechoslovakia, 24th Febr. 1945 at 17.00 hrs.
1. Kgf No. 12126/VIIIB FUNNEL, Reginald. [Br. Army No. 6346058] Diphtheria?
“Put off at Eger, Sudetenland, 28th [Febr.] 1945 at 06.00 hrs.
2. Kgf. No 23998/VIIIB ARMITAGE, Colin, Br Army No. 7266421 Dysentery.
3. Kgf. No.15843/VIIIB McLAREN, John Gerald, Br. Army No. 5331503 Appendicitis?
4. Kgf. No. 47899/VIA BEALES, George, Br. Army No. 6846434 Dysentery.
5. Kgf. No. 6423/VIA JONES, William, Br. No. 3954614 Dysentery
6. Kgf. No. 31246/VIIIB CHARLES, Gordon, Union Defence Forces No. 1568 Dysentery.”
Of these Beales and Charles are to be found at Stalag XIIIB Weiden during March. McLaren says that he was at Stalag XIIIC Weiden (sic). All of them survived.

On 2 March, a transport sick and infirm of POWs left Stalag 344 for Stalag VIIA Moosburg under the care of Major Leslie Wallace Lauste . These POWs were described as less sick and infirm than those on the train which would follow.

On 3 March, the last transport dedicated to sick and infirm POWs left Stalag 344 for Stalag 398 Pupping under the care of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Henry Wilson. At Pupping one group of them was transferred to Stalag XVIIG Gneixendorf while the remainder were sent to Stalag VIIB Memmingen.

REPORT ON THE JOURNEY OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS, SICK AND UNFIT EVACUATED FROM STALAG 344 LAMSDORF GERMANY, ON MARCH 2ND, 1945 TO STALAG VIIA MOOSBURG, GERMANY.

A diary of the above journey was kept by me as Senior Medical Officer on instructions from Lt. Col. D.M. Crawford R.A.M.C. Senior Medical Officer Stalag 344. The original diary was left behind at Stalag VIIA, but the following is an abridged report from memory but includes all the salient points.

All prisoners of war able to walk were evacuated on foot from Stalag 344 about the middle of January when the Russians were approaching. All patients and staff in the hospital remained behind, and in the stalag the sick and those considered unfit to march.
Movement orders were received on March 1st for all hospital patients and sick in the stalag with a skeleton staff. Movement was by train and the destination unknown.

The train was loaded on March 2nd at Annahof station and departed at 14.00 hrs. the same day.
The train consisted of 40 closed cattle trucks and was not specially marked as a hospital or P.O.W. train.

Cases were divided into lying and sitting and were loaded.
Lying cases ……………… 16 per truck.
Sitting cases …………….. 30 per truck.

There were about 400 hospital cases. This included medical and surgical (some recent operation cases), tuberculosis open and closed and some 50 mental cases mostly psychotics some suicidal. There were some 100 cases from the Stalag Revier mostly lightly sick and fractures in plaster of Paris. The remained of the train was loaded with prisoners unfit to walk at about 40 to a wagon. The total complement of the train was between 1200 and 1300. Four wagons were allocated for hospital and revier stores, and in these were loaded most of the Red Cross Medical stores, Red Cross food parcels, and a certain amount of German hospital equipment and medical stores.

The train was in charge of a German lieutenant – the Transport Officer, and about 12 guards. They occupied two cattle trucks one at the front and one at the back of the train.

The cattle trucks were empty except for a bucket for sanitary purposes and a very occasional stove. There was no heating or lighting on the train. We were allowed to take palliasses, blankets, bedpans etc. from the hospital and had adequate medical supplies for the journey. The men from the stalag had I think only any private blankets they happened to possess.

There were six medical officers and about 24 orderlies. Two medical officers were in one wagon of stores where a first aid post was established, while the others and the orderlies were distributed with the sick in various wagons.

Rations issued for the journey consisted of one ordinary loaf per man and about two ozs. of margarine. In addition each man had a Red Cross food parcel, and there were other supplies of Red Cross food under the control of the S.M.O.
We were fortunate in finding British and American Medical Officers and personnel at the station to meet us and give us great help.
(Sgd). L.W. Lauste. Major R.A.M.C.

NOTE: This report when viewed gives distinct impression of there being a complete page of text between “…. under the control of the S.M.O.” and “We were fortunate in finding ….”

The last train from Stalag 344 carried the British POW leadership team under R.S.M. Sherriff, the British medical staff who had not been allowed to travel on earlier trains and the able bodied POWs who remained at Lamsdorf.

On 13 March Captain Roland Ferrah Kaye-Webster, R.A.M.C. having reached Stalag XIIID Nuremburg, wrote in his diary:
“In the morning after inspection of barrack and inspection of Lazarett staff a big party of British arrived in camp. “8 days” train from Lamsdorf Revier. They had first been left to be overrun, then came on with officers and Lamsdorf Staff under Sherriff. Sheriff brought records, some personal parcels and will organise his party. He has done a good job. With them came the following Revier officers. Lt. Col. Crawford. Major Barker, Major Lawson, Major Redpath. Major Hunter, Capt Davidson, Captain Griffith C.F., Captain Crabbe AMC, and Capt Caldwell. All these officers.

Came into lunch (without delousing) into our v. overcrowded Barrack. They were quite disheartened with themselves. The men started delousing. 700 of them and went to tents (big marquees. Very few are at the moment being put thro’ as many Russ. came as well. Webster and Rose examining the incoming Brit thro’ the delouser, some going to Laz., some tents, not many to Revier.”

SOURCES:
1. Captivity in British Uniforms, Anna Wickiewicz, Opole 2017.
2. UK National Archives Catalogue Reference WO 224/27 Stalag VIIIB and Stalag 344 [Visit Reports].
3. Imperial War Museum Catalogue Reference 11277 Thomas Henry Wison (Oral History).
4. Extract from the transcription of the the Reserve-Lazarett Diary maintained by Captain Roland Ferrah Kaye-Webster, R.A.M.C. [The transcription held by the Imperial War Museum and is quoted as is; errors etc ignored.]
5. UK National Archives Catalogue Reference WO 344 War Office: Directorate of Military Intelligence: Liberated Prisoner of War Interrogation Questionnaires