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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Spr. William Milner, R.E.


verdun

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I wonder if anyone more knowledgeable than me can assist with identifying the name of the POW camp in which Spr. William Milner was held, following his capture on 24th March 1918.

 

The ICRC website link is found here: https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/981450/698/35865/

 

However, even by scrolling back to the first page of the roll, I have been unable to work out which camp he was put in, or even if that information is listed. (This is not helped by the fact that my knowledge of German is limited to 'ein bier, bitter.')

 

Many thanks if you can help!

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Hi,

 

It's written in red towards the top right hand corner of the ledger page.

 

image.png.77d37efcc15442c7aaae491e58141c1c.png

Image source: archive.org

 

Regards

Chris

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Hi,

 

No problem. If it helps, it looks like he had wounds to his face (?) and left shoulder.

 

The ledger column headings read as:

 

Column 1

 

Lfd. Nr. = Serial number/register entry number

 

Column 2

a. Familienname = Surname

b. Vorname (nur der Rufname) = Forename (only forename by which known)

c.  nur bei Russen vorname des Vaters = Russians only, forename of father

 

Column  3

Rank

 

Column 4

a/b. Truppenteil = Unit

c. Komp. = Company

 

Column 5

 a/b. Gefangennahme (Ort und Tag) = Taken prisoner (place & date)

c.  vorhergehender Aufenhaltsort = Previously at (location):

 

Column 6

a. Geburtstag und -Ort = Date & place of birth

b/c.  Adresse des nächsten Verwandten = Address of NOK

 

Regards

Chris

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Thanks again for your very helpful input. I am researching this soldier for a grandchild, who remembers that her grandfather was missing an arm. It seems likely that the surgery was performed in a German hospital, perhaps as a result of gangrene setting in.

 

The unit War Diary (518th Field Company, R.E.) shows that he was actually posted as 'killed' sometime between 21st-23rd  March 1918. My thinking is that, if he had lost his arm at the time the injury was sustained, the chances are he would not have survived long enough to have been processed as a POW.

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Hi,

 

16 hours ago, verdun said:

It seems likely that the surgery was performed in a German hospital...


I think that is very likely. Whether it was in a field hospital more or less immediately after being wounded , or at some later time, I think that it will be difficult to prove. The Red Cross records do show that his left arm had been amputated by the time that he arrived back in the UK from Germany on 23.9.1918 though.

 

Link

Link

 

Regards

Chris

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  • 2 weeks later...

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