Sjack91 Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 I recently purchased a Christmas card sent from Minden POW camp on 27/12/16. It is addressed to a Mrs J McCallum, 327 Crown Street. Glasgow. It was sent by a man named John, I am presuming his second name is also McCallum. At the top of the card is the number 39833 or 39933. Does anyone have any information on the POW camp or a soldier names John McCallum? Would be great to find out who he was and what regiment he was in. Regards Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 Normally needle in a haystack. Just by chance I stumbled on this after 2 minutes idle searching. No address given but number etc fits. Note that captured Loos 1915 not 1916. Charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 Charlie Well done ! I did a bit this morning in the POW records too but only had time to check as spelt, McCullum ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjack91 Posted 17 November , 2016 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2016 Absolutely fantastic. Delighted to have a regiment to go with the other info. Will look into the fact he was captured at Loos aswell. Nice wee buy the postcard was at £8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 The only hits I can find on a Name - Number basis is 39853 Joseph MacCullum M.M. of the RGA. Can't find any 'missing' reports for a 39853 John MacCullum. 7th Cameronians in Gallipoli Sept 1915 Anyone find his MIC or roll? TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 (edited) I fancy it is the 7 Cameron Highlanders ( 44 Inf Bde of 15 Div) which was at Loos and lost almost 700. Edited 17 November , 2016 by sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 17 November , 2016 Share Posted 17 November , 2016 (edited) Stuart It seems that Minden was not a good place to be. If you google you will probably come a cross a book written on the German POW camps of WW1 and there are a few pages about Minden's activities. There is a general list of camps which were acceptable and one for those which were not and Minden came within the second category. Found the site: https://archive.org/details/prisonerofwaring00mccauoft Edited 17 November , 2016 by sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 This previous thread on Mindeheide may be of interest. I moved into a newly built camp there in 1957 from a barracks on the Minden Ring Road near the Manchesters` barracks. I suspect it was built on the site of the old prison camp, though we didn`t know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 (edited) This service record has the same PoW date and the same unit 7th Cameron Highlanders but a different service No. But the key link is the discharge address Charlie962 Edit There are 2 MICs for this man, one for the 14/15 Star and one for the BWM,VM. The roll adds nothing except to note that John McCallum is not an uncommon name in the Camerons. Edited 18 November , 2016 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 Good find! Wonder how the number error crept in? The 39853 number is on the Xmas card and the record in post#2 but relates to another MacCullum. I can see how POW camp records could get muddled but he must have known his own number and seems an extreme coincidence that the number he was using related to another MacCullum. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 (edited) The service record shows his next of kin was his mother. It must have been to her that he sent the card. I haven't found other reference to Cameron Service numbers in the 30,000 range? Charlie962 Edited 18 November , 2016 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 He is on a list in The Times 10/2/1916 Previously reported missing, now reported wounded and prisoners along with 15 others of the 7/Cameron Highlanders. His number given as S/12931 J.C. MacCullum. The list came from the German Government so his correct number was reported by the Germans. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 I think there are 3 IRC POW records for him; R 52644 with number 12931, repatriation post war PA 10210 with number 39853, in post#2 PA 3589 no number given, but mentions Munster which seems to be in service file post#9 TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 (edited) Yes I agree they are probably all the same man . The Lazeret listing is perhaps because his service record noted that he was wounded? Anyway we now know his birthdate, his prewar Railway job, his war experience, his parents' name and address and that he survived the war. Plenty for the OP to follow up. Let us know the result please. Any chance of a glimpse of the card? Charlie962 Edited 18 November , 2016 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjack91 Posted 18 November , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2016 Absolutely over the moon with the responses. Thank you to everyone who has contributed. I have just been on findingmypast and tried the service number that you have provided. Excellent work and I have printed all the details off so will further my research. Possibly there may be something in the Glasgow Evening times so I will nip into Mitchell library and see if there may be an image of him. Its amazing how this forum can create a story by digging through the sources and how an £8 ebay buy now becomes a great piece of history. Also had a look through the book regarding POW camps. Sounds like Minden was a horrendous place particularly if you were ill and could not work. Iam delighted with the responses thanks to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 18 November , 2016 Share Posted 18 November , 2016 The number in PA10210 is not his service number but his camp/prisoner number. Have a close look at the other numbers on the page and the pages before and after - they are all too close together to be service numbers. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November , 2016 Share Posted 19 November , 2016 Charlie2, PoW record expert that you are, this is the first time I have come across the use of a camp/prisoner number. Was this a frequent practice? Perhaps certain camps at certain periods? Anyway very useful to know that this can happen and not to end up down a dead-end road searching for a nonexistant service number. Here we were lucky that the surviving service record clarified things. Charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 19 November , 2016 Share Posted 19 November , 2016 Charlie962, I've only come across this two or three times, certainly not enough to draw anything meaningfull from the dates and camps. The only instance I have kept a record of is a list from Stargard dated 07.11.1918 (PA41997-42000 & PA42001-42027). The first time I came across this I ended up in a dead end as it was the only entry in the records for the soldier. My first thought was that the typist had made up the numbers! Charlie2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjack91 Posted 20 November , 2016 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2016 Bought this POW token to go with the post card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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