Author Topic: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!  (Read 8186 times)

John W

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Members may be interested to know that after I submitted an online form in December to the International Committee of the Red Cross re POW records I received the following reply:

The letter is from Geneva and dated 28 Feb

 

ATTESTATION

 

The Central Tracing Agency has received the following information:

 

ROTHWELL Joseph

DOB: 19.11.1893

Place of birth:  Manchester

Rank: Private

Unit: 2nd Manchester Regiment Comp. 4

Service No: 9671 or 24526

Date and place of capture:  26.8.1914 at Le Cateau

Places of internment:

 

Prisoner of war in Germany, present in the camp of Senne (according to one list dated 13.10.1914 and one list received on 16.1.1915

Present in the Camp of Hameln (according to a list received on 13.3.1916)

Transferred to the camp of Soltau coming from the camp of Hameln (according to a list dated 15.5.1916)

Present in the camp of Munster (according to a list dated 9.12.1916)

Transferred to the camp of Hameln coming from the camp of Munster (according to a list dated 2.5.1917

 

From : six lists from the German authorities

I can now look for info on the camps in question and it also tells me his whereabouts - unknown to the family for over 90 yrs! Amazingly I have been garrisoned near many of those places whilst in germany, if only I'd known at the time. I'm assuming the 24526 number was a pow issued number? If anyone has any info, pictures etc on these camps please let me know. I'd also be interested to know anything about 4 Company too.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2008, 12:39:55 PM by John W »

Offline mack

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2008, 05:10:03 PM »
Members may be interested to know that after I submitted an online form in December to the International Committee of the Red Cross re POW records I received the following reply:

The letter is from Geneva and dated 28 Feb

 

ATTESTATION

 

The Central Tracing Agency has received the following information:

 

ROTHWELL Joseph

DOB: 19.11.1893

Place of birth:  Manchester

Rank: Private

Unit: 2nd Manchester Regiment Comp. 4

Service No: 9671 or 24526

Date and place of capture:  26.8.1914 at Le Cateau

Places of internment:

 

Prisoner of war in Germany, present in the camp of Senne (according to one list dated 13.10.1914 and one list received on 16.1.1915

Present in the Camp of Hameln (according to a list received on 13.3.1916)

Transferred to the camp of Soltau coming from the camp of Hameln (according to a list dated 15.5.1916)

Present in the camp of Munster (according to a list dated 9.12.1916)

Transferred to the camp of Hameln coming from the camp of Munster (according to a list dated 2.5.1917

 

From : six lists from the German authorities

I can now look for info on the camps in question and it also tells me his whereabouts - unknown to the family for over 90 yrs! Amazingly I have been garrisoned near many of those places whilst in germany, if only I'd known at the time. I'm assuming the 24526 number was a pow issued number? If anyone has any info, pictures etc on these camps please let me know. I'd also be interested to know anything about 4 Company too.
senne is a reference to the 3 camps at sennelager,its was a large camp near paderborn,westphalia,
it was a former summer training camp for german soldiers,there used to be a 4th camp which was reserved for civilians+english fishermen,YMCA hut.
administered by the 7th german army corps

hameln.
situated on the weser near the influx of the hameln river,it was a mile outside of the town on a wooded hillside,it had a YMCA hut
there were a 100 barrack blocks in the camp.

soltau.
situated on the stendal-bremen line,it was a centre for working commandos.
accomadated 30,000 men
admin by 10th german army corps

mack

liverpool annie

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2008, 01:52:16 AM »


Hi John W !

I thought this may be of interest !

http://www.freewebs.com/hhhumphrey/page2Maps.htm

Annie  :)

John W

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2008, 09:19:17 AM »
Mack & Annie - many thanks for the additional info and link!

Offline macgormain

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2008, 05:05:04 PM »
Hi John,

My GUncle was Pte John Gorman, 9320, 2nd Manchesters. He saw service before the War in India and SA, and rejoined in August 1914. He died of wounds at Le Cateau on 26 August 1914, tho' his service records state that the German Authorities informed the American Embassy of his death some nine months later. I thought he may have been a POW, before his death, and wrote to the IRC but they have no record of him. John lived in Ardwick and Ancoats just before the War  - I wonder if he knew, and served with, your GGfather?  I have John's service records BTW, which detail his regimental postings from about 1903-1911.
Pte John Gorman, 9320, 2 Bn. Manchester Regt, DoW, 26.08.14
Pte Christopher Gorman, 2408, 2 Bn. Manchester Regt
WO II Thomas Gorman MM, 13649, LXXVI Bde, RFA
Pte John Oldham, 2710, 2 Bn. Manchester Regt, DoW, 18.05.15
Pte Frank Meredith, 4773, 2 Bn. Border Regt, KIA, 16.05.15

Offline harribobs

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2008, 07:24:42 PM »
hi mac

welcome to the group

i would imagine that john was one of the reservists to join the battn on the 7th and 8th August

chris
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tisgrannie

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2008, 07:28:28 PM »
Hello and welcome when you mentioned your Gt Uncle had died at Le Cataeu I thought we may have his grave photo on our site. I see that he is in a different cemetery. Hopefully someday we may get his grave photo on here. We do not have him listed on the POW's either. We do have a man with a special interest in the 2nd Bn.
regards
tisgrannie

GORMAN, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Manchester Regiment
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 26/08/1914
Service No: 9320
Additional information: Husband of Alice Gorman, of 220, Tipping St., Ardwick, Manchester.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL
(thanks to CWGC)

LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL
Country: France
Locality: unspecified
Visiting Information: Names are listed on the memorial by Regiments in order of precedence, under the title of each Regiment by rank, and under each rank alphabetically.
Location Information: La Ferte-sous-Jouarre is a small town 66 kilometres to the east of Paris, located on the main road (N3) running east from Paris. The Memorial is situated in a small park on the south-western edge of the town, on the south bank of the River Marne, just off the main road to Paris, The Memorial Register is kept at the Town Hall.
Historical Information: The La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial commemorates nearly 4,000 officers and men of the British Expeditionary Force who died in August, September and the early part of October 1914 and who have no known grave. The monument consists of a rectangular block of stone, 62 feet by 30 feet and 24 feet high, with the names of the dead engraved on stone panels on all sides of the monument. The monument is surmounted by a sarcophagus and a trophy carved in stone. At the four corners of the pavement are stone piers with urns, carved with the coats of arms of the Empire.
No. of Identified Casualties: 3738
This figure includes Foreign and Non-World War graves in CWGC care
    
              



« Last Edit: March 15, 2008, 11:18:21 PM by tisgrannie »

sitush

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Re: Red Cross Archives come up trumps with POW info on my GGFather!
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2008, 01:00:12 AM »
I did not realise that the IRC had archives going back this far. Yet another source for future reference, and excellent stuff.

I wonder if they also have records (of any sort) regarding people on AVLs listed as serving for them (as opposed to RAMC, FAs etc)? I've already come across a few listed as Red Cross servicepeople, and doubtless Mack has seen many more than me. One for me to follow through in due course!