Guest Stoner Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 I have been researching a local officer and have become a bit stumped. Lieut. W C Loder-Symonds was wounded in the leg by a shrapnel bullet at the Battle of Le Cateau, this is confirmed by the War Diary entry and local newspaper reports, according to the newspaper he was sent for treatment to a civilian Hospital at Coudrai and there he was captured by the advancing Germans, the War diaries then contain no mention of Lieut Loder-Symonds. From here there is a big gap until I can next trace him which is unfortuanatley his death, 30th april 1918, here he is Captain 1st Wilts. attd. RAF and according to his private grave in his home village, he was killed in a flying accident, (SDGW lists him as Wiltshire Regt. also AND R. A. F.). What I'm asking is: 1) is there any way that I can find out if he was captured? 2) if he was captured, how did he come to be released before the end of the War? Did he escape? Or were Officers sometimes "exchanged"? I have tried the London Gazette but can't find any mention of promotion or such, but as of yet I haven't managed to search out his service records, would these hold relevent information? I would be grateful of any help or ideas, as I seem to be runnig around in circles at the moment!! Thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 Try writing an E-Mail to the RAF Museum they can be pretty helpful when it comes to anything like that. Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 Mark. I can't tell you whether he had been captured (I suppose the red cross archives may have this info., amongst other places). What I can tell you is that , yes, there were exchanges of prisoners between the Allies and the Germans.This happened to OR's as well as officers and the deal was usually like-for-like (ie. 4 privates and a corporal for the equivalent ranks in return). This was organised by the Red Cross and neutral welfare commisions via a neutral country (Holland in the North, Switzerland in the South). It was these commissions who decided on the prisoners for exchange when "doing their rounds" around the camps. Able bodied soldiers/sailors/airmen weren't eligable for this exchange and it was supposed to be just sick/disabled servicemen who (probably) would be unable to help the war effort of their countries upon their return.(Such "disabled" servicemen quite often found their way back into the forces,however!) If your man took part in such an exchange, I'd presume that the Intnl.Red Cross would have some details in their archives. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Mark, British Officers who were captured were required to make a de-briefing report which was I believe assessed by a board to determine whether the officer had 'given a good account of himself' and not just merely given up! Some of these reports are held at Kew. I cannot remember the series number but you can get that from the PROCAT. Perhaps a report exists for your man? Just a thought, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 I have seen copies of the de-briefing reports in individual officers files at Kew. Your man's may well be in his file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Seymour Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 According to the "List of British Offiecers taken prisoner in the various Theatres of War between August, 1914, and November,1918. Wiltshire Regtiment, 1st & 2nd Battalions Lieut. W. LODER-SYMONDS Missing 10/9/14 - Repatriated 14/3/18 - Killed 30/5/18 at Thetford "Airmen Died in the Great War 1914-1918" LODER-SYMONDS, Capt. Wiliam Crawshay, 25 Training Sqdn. pilot, (Wilts Rgt). Native of Hinton Manor, Berks, age 32. Killed whilst flying 30.5.18. Buried at Hinton Waldrist, Berks. Alan Seymour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Page 93 of Cox's of British Officers taken POW lists him as being captured on 10 Sep. 1914 and repatriated on 14 March 1918 with the additional info that he was kileed at Thetford on 30 May 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 The PRO series for POW debriefing reports is WO 161. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Funnily enough I saw an intelligence report in an officer's file today along with a German document detailing when and where captured along with which camp he was at. Captain Loder-Symonds record exists and the reference is WO339/7071 Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stoner Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Thanks to all! It seems that a mystery is solved (apart from the actual digging and getting the facts) Again thankyou, it is really appreciated for yourtime to look, I now have to start planning my next visit to the PRO (NA whatever it is now?!) and I have a good head start, thanks! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 If you ever discover that he was related to John Loder-Symonds, South Staffordshire Regiment, would you please let me know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stoner Posted 2 June , 2003 Share Posted 2 June , 2003 Just as a post script Captain W C Loder Symmonds William landed in France, 13th of August, 1914 and was wounded in the left thigh two weeks later on the 26th of August, at about 11.30am he refused aid to get him back to dress his wound but was over come through loss of blood and then helped back by Major Chichester of the Worcestershire Rgt. . He was bandaged up in a dressing station and then carried to a French Hospital in Caudrey. Here he realised that the place was being evacuated and applied for a cart to take him back to his Rgt. which wasn't forthcoming. As he couldn't walk at all for the next 10 days he was subsequently Captured on the 27th when the Germans entered the village. He was then moved by motor vehicle to a hospital in Cambrai, where he remained for 3 weeks and was questioned by German Intelligence, from here he was sent on to an Officers Hospital in Munster, where he remained for 10 days. From there he was moved to Halle and Torgau until the end of November when he was sent to Burg where he remained until May 1915. From here he was sent to Mainz. In May 1916 he made his first attempt at escape but was soon recaptured and sent on to Frieburg for 14 days and from there onto Burg. His next escape attempt was from here in 1917 but he was recaptured in Aachen, where he gave false information, claiming he was a Belgian Civilian, which worked as he was then sent to the Civil prison in Aachen. William succeeded in breaking out from here after serving 3 weeks of his new sentance but again was recaptured after 24 hours freedom and was taken back to the civil prison. It appears he had a nudge of conscious here and he owned up to his military background and was then taken back to Burg for a few weeks, leaving in april 1917 for Madgeburg. He was moved again in August 1917 via Strohen, Holzminden and Frieburg and finally on to Schweidnitz, where he remained until his final escape on the 1st of March 1918. Phew thankyou to all who answered my initial plee for help, especially to Michael for putting me on to Williams file. I just thought that some of you may be interested in the findings? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 Thats brilliant Mark. Its great that you've been able to close the loop with help from the members and your own efforts. The forum at its finest ! Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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