PoW records for Crossen Camp

[Shep1265]

I'm hoping someone may have done detailed research into the ICRC PoW database & may be able to answer this enquiry.

 

My grandfather is listed on page ref PA23811, along with over 100 other soldiers who were imprisoned at Crossen-an-der-Oder camp. I know he was captured on day 1 of Operation Michael - 21 March 1918 & the other 100+ soldiers on the pages PA23811 - PA23821 all have capture dates between 21 - 25 March.

 

However, I'm trying to find all the soldiers who were sent to Crossen at that time. The above pages only cover surnames "K" to "P".

 

Neither the records preceding PA23811 nor after PA23821 are for Crossen.

 

I've emailed the ICRC who say that (as I suspected) they do not know whereabouts in the database I will find other Crossen PoWs, as the search facility operates solely on soldiers names, and there is no facility to search by camp name.

 

I realise this would be a monumental task, and before I give up the next 2 years of my life to it (!!), I just wondered if anyone on here knows anyone who has done such detailed research on the PoW records.

[charlie2]

If it counts for anything, I have been through the lists from A to Z and compiled a database of all PoWs to one regiment.

 

I presume by your post that you are looking for the beginning and end - if they exist - of the list containing your Grandfather.

I suggest you are looking for lists 53 o or n ( if the letter o has not been used) and q from Crossen. List 53q, which contains names P- W, can be found starting at PA23908. Note that PA 23811 and 23908 have different dates. 

 

I suggest as a start you look through the books ending PA23800 and starting PA24001, these are the books either side of the book containing the list you have found.

 

Charlie

 

[Shep1265]

Thanks for the very useful pointers Charlie, I'm on the case !