Pte J.W. Rowley KLR - died as a POW

[davidbohl]

Pte John Winstanley Rowley #51730 King's Liverpool CWGC

 

The Echo 2nd Oct 1918 reports he died as a prisoner, he was also reported missing on 17th May 1918, B company 7th Platoon 19th K.L.R.

 

Is it known if he was originally wounded or contracted something as a POW ?

Any extra material for his bio will be most helpful.

Many Thanks

Dave

 

From the BNA

 

 

[charlie2]

He died at 2.25pm on 26.05.1918 of heart failure brought on by total exhaustion and malnutrition. 
Charlie 

[davidbohl]

Thanks Charlie, a good link for Stendal Camp http://navonanumis.blogspot.com/2017/01/stendal-german-empire-pow-camps-during.html

 

[FROGSMILE]

Apart from their front line troops, who were given special priority, the Germans themselves were starving then, so I doubt that he’d had much food between March and May.  Even hospitals were suffering, with little beyond paper bandages and potato skin soup.  ‘Malnutrition’ says it all.

Edited 19 November , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[davidbohl]

Do we know where "Field Hospital 297" was ?

[charlie962]

One of his ICRC cards has a criptic comment 'he was kept behind the lines...' . This sounds like one of those PoWs treated badly.

 

 

[charlie2]

He was kept in the west echelon area, the Feld Lazarett was in Ham. In all probability he was never at Stendal but only registered there. 

Charlie

[travers61]

Many British pows captured in the German Spring Offensive of 1918 were used as slave labour behind the German Lines & never actually saw the camp they were registered at. 

 

 

The Concentration docs attached to his CWGC entry confirm he was reburied at Roye New British Cemetery from Ham German Cemetery  (map ref 66d. K.26.a.4.1.). Burials from many French, British & German cemeteries were concentrated here after the war.  This CWGC link shows that some of the graves at Ham Churchyard German Extension were reburied at Roye New British Cem.

https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/29002/HAM BRITISH CEMETERY, MUILLE-VILLETTE/

 

I notice that the Stendal Camp doc says after the number 297 "zu Ham", which google translates for me as "to Ham", so I presume this was the nearest cemetery to Field Lazerette 297.

 

 

[charlie962]

2 minutes ago, charlie2 said:

He was kept in the west echelon area, the Feld Lazarett was in Ham. In all probability he was never at Stendal but only registered there.

The ICRC records don't mention him as being taken wounded, do they ? So the exhaustion and malnutrition presumably occurred whilst in German care. Travers61 's link expands on this probability.

 

Charlie

 

 

 

[travers61]

Death at a Hospital at Ham confirmed by Soldiers Effects Register (image from ancestry)

 

[charlie2]

1 hour ago, travers61 said:

I notice that the Stendal Camp doc says after the number 297 "zu Ham", which google translates for me as "to Ham", so I presume this was the nearest cemetery to Field Lazerette 297.

In this case „zu Ham“ - in Ham - relates to the location of FL 297 and not to his removal and burial in a cemetery.

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

The ICRC records don't mention him as being taken wounded, do they ?

Correct, there is no mention of him being wounded

 

Charlie

[GreyC]

2 hours ago, charlie2 said:

In all probability he was never at Stendal but only registered there. 

Correct. That´s what it says beneath the red lined info in the list:

PoW above remained in western back area.

GreyC

[davidbohl]

Thanks for all your help,

just found an entry in the Daily Post dated 15th June 1918, it states his parents received a letter from him and he was "unwounded and well."

Dates so far are:-  captured 22nd March, died 26th May, and ICRC card entry of a letter 26th June saying pow at Stendal.