Notification of POW Status

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

I have been looking into the war service of 49733 Pte J H Stanley Manchester Regt. Nothing of note on the MIC, but on inspection of WO 363 found his service record survived, which revealed he was posted missing on 22 March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. The family had corresponded for news on his status with the War Office, but it was his wife who informed them that she had received a postcard from him on 9 July 1918 stating that he was a POW.
What this the normal practice rather than the Authorities informing the family?
Ian

[Tom Morgan]

Ian,

New prisoners were often (perhaps usually) given cards to fill in, addressed to their families, stating that they were prisoners. They were only allowed to enter a postal address, their name, rank, number and battalion. These cards were delivered to the UK by the Red Cross who were thus able to register the prisoner, so that he would receive Red Cross parcels. The Red Cross would also inform the War Office. I have read of one instance where this card took six weeks to reach home, but it may have taken even longer, of course. Perhaps Pte. Stanley's wife received one of these cards?

However, not all prisoners were given the opportunity to register in this way. Richard van Emden mentions this in "Prisoners of the Kaiser". My grandfather was captured on 21st March, 1918, was not given one of these postcards and was never able to write home.

Tom

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Tom,

Many thanks for that.

Ian

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Ian - there are lots of variations on how news of a man's PoW status reached home - or didn't, as Tom mentioned.

I found one in a WO363 recently where the man was captured 30/7/16 and the War Office recieved news of his capture 18/11/16, from the Foreign Office - the WO then advised both the Regimental Depot and the nok. This was one of the most common ways that news was transmitted up till the time of the sinking of the US SS Housatonic and the USA's severing of diplomatic relations with Germany - the German authorities were channelling PoW lists to the US Embassy in Berlin, - hence the involvment of the FO.

Red Cross lists via Switzerland, a Tom has detailed, and direct correspondence from the PoW's themselves seems to have been quite common, though moreso during the early years than it was by 1918. Much seems to have depended on the camp that the man was in, as PoW interrogation reports at the NA show. My grandfather's old regiment have a substantial file of PoW correspondence the the Regimental Aid Fund, including letters from my GF's brother in law - incl a reference where he was bold enough to say that he felt a bit useless with his current circumstances and wanted to get back into active soldiering - whether Fritz had read that, and what he thought of it, I do not know - but it's there !

Generally "the system" seems to have been very ad-hoc.

Regards - Tom

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Tom T-M,

Thanks for that. It is the first time I have come across a file in WO 363 for a POW in my searches and had nothing to compare it with except for 'family legend'.

Ian

[Guest tintin]

One of my Gran's brothers carried a picture of her and his youngest bother with him. When he was captured having no access to paper or postcards he wrote a short note on the back, addressed it and popped it in the post.This was the first notification they had he was safe.

My Mam still has it and it appears to have ordinary German post marks (as far as I can tell). I will try to get it scanned and see what anyone can tell from it.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

tintin,

Any chance of posting it on the Forum - would like to see it if that's OK?

Ian

[Guest tintin]

No probs, as soon as I get it off my Mam I will put it on.

We live a long way apart so it may be some time, look out for a post entitled "Tintin's Gran"