Chris_Baker Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 Just in the middle of researching a man who was taken prisoner in Salonika and it has made me realise how little I know about this subject. I can't find much about it in any of the books on the Salonika campaign that I have. Is anyone able to offer a few pointers to information about the situation there: where were were POWs held, for example? I'd be grateful for any book titles, research papers, memoirs, etc. My man was also taken quite early on in the campaign, while serving with the 9th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) in the retreat into Greece, NW of Doiran, on 11 December 1915. I imagine that the set-up regarding holding Allied POWs in that theatre was pretty immature at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 Some notes I have made from various sources: TNA, reference FO383/252 File 162190 (10/07/1917) - List of incapacitated British PoWs (held in Bulgaria) to be repatriated. Name, rank, service number, unit, place of origin. File 184780 contains reports, similar to those in WO161, made by repatriated other ranks PoWs held by the Bulgarians. In addition, the files 184782, 184783 & 185543 hold reports compiled by PoWs formerly held in Bulgaria. POW Camps in Bulgaria: Philippopolis (now Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second city) - the main POW camp Vratza Radomir Tirnovo Sofia Drenovetz Gorno Panitcherovo Tartar Pazardjik Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 28 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2018 That is very helpful, Mark. Thank you. Gives me a good starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 Chris, You are presumably aware that the ICRC records are accessible under 'Macedonian Front' ? I don't know if there is more info on the supprting pages that helps. Sometimes there are memos. Charlie for example c. 1917 Camp at Philipopple for prisoners of war. List of British PoWs, Officers and ORs, who are in the prison camps in the Kingdom of Bulgaria. The detailed sheets following show transfers etc with a number of camps. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 28 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2018 Yes, indeed - but had not seen that! Thank you. I shall dig into it this afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 (edited) Chris I have found the site a bit abstruse at times. Sometimes a supporting Bulgarian record can be accessed by going via the Gallipoli section rather than the Macedonian, but first having found the reference in the macedonian cards ! (It could be me but I don't think so ??) For example R6614. Couldn't find it under Macedonia but here it is under Gallipoli EDIT- now I have just found it under Macedonia so perhaps it is me ? Edited 28 August , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 (edited) There is this 2012 Thesis giving quite a lot of background on Bulgarian treatment of prisoners. page 13 has a table of numbers suggesting some 1500 British PoWs. page 14 has a map of camp locations, although not very clear. Charlie Edited 28 August , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 Chris The relevant page from the Battalion War Diary is attached. It was not a glorious chapter in the Regiment's history - a company commander refused to withdraw when the rest of the Battalion withdrew and when Bulgarians approached the Company they were believed to be French. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 28 August , 2018 Share Posted 28 August , 2018 I have a memorial plaque named to Pte 16408 James Stockley who was sadly KIA in the above action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianR Posted 23 October , 2018 Share Posted 23 October , 2018 I noticed today that the Daily Telegraph reproduced a 100 year report about the release of the first British POW held by the Bulgarians. Unfortunately, I then cleaned the house out and it went into the recycling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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