ray hoggart Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 This may seem a daft question but, where does one begin to find details of PsOW who spent their time in captivity in Germany, all I know is he worked on a farm! Is there an archive in Germany that kept details of prisoners? Small chance of that I suppose when you consider we lost in the fire most of the soldiers records of that time and their 2nd War damage was greater than ours. Is there anywhere to ask? I have contacted the Red Cross in Switzerland but I need to part with hard earned coin of the realm for that. Any easier options before I go down that road? I have tried the search facility. Regards, Ray7155 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 The Long, Long Trail was a "Behind the Wire" database, but only a small percentage of soldiers are documented. Follow the link at the top of the page. WO161/95 to 101 has details of some too (debriefs of returning prisoners). I assume the database here and WO161 overlap. Although I have not tried myself, I have read here that the Red Cross will not research individual soldiers, due to personnel restraints. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 Ray - about 1990 I contacted the British Red Cross at their London HQ and asked if they could help me locate details of a Great War POW. They sent me search forms,asking for basic details like name, DOB, unit etc, and I filled in as much as I could and returned the forms. I received a further letter, telling me that my request for information had been passed on, and I was warned to expect a long wait before hearing anything, as the International Red Cross has to place a low priority on this kind of request. After a couple of months I got a letter from the International Red Cross in Geneva, giving details of where and when the soldier was captured, the name of his next-of-kin, and POW camps he was held in, with dates. The letter from the International Red cross said that the information came from German records. There was no charge. I don't know if they still offer this service - Steve's information is going to be much more current than mine. Good luck in your search. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray hoggart Posted 4 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2005 Thank you gentlemen for the prompt reply, suggestions will be followed up. I've dug out the letter from the Red Cross (February this year), the charge is 80 Swiss Francs per hour with a minimum of two hours. How much is this in half crowns, two bobs and tanners? Looks like the sock will have to come out of the mattress! Regards, Ray 7155 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianB Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 Ray, I too wrote to Switzerland last year. I gave them full details of the prisoner (DoB, capture, regt, PoW no. etc etc etc). In the end - about 2 or 3 months later, I did get a couple of dates (also from German records). I think what they have varies in detail, just like every other record office. Yes it did cost a few bob for what was actually rather meagre infiormation, BUT I was happier to pay money to the Red Cross rather than anyone else. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 Just goes to show... I shouldn't believe everything I read on the Internet! Best thing to do is try, obviously. 2.25 Swiss Francs to the £ by the way... £35 an hour, minimum £70! Having double checked, the behind the Wire database is an index of those in the WO161 records. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie 1978 Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 I also contacted the Red Cross last year and received (after several months) a certificate with locations he was at, date of capture, unit he was with,date of birth and place , service number and rank. I queried one of the dates they had provided me with and they forwarded copies of the original document which added a home address of his Next of Kin and that he had wrote a letter to Lieutenat Grout in Karlshruhe- as it turned out this was the person he was shot down with. From what I have read the red cross have the most comprehensive information on Pow's. jamie tyrrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPotter Posted 15 May , 2005 Share Posted 15 May , 2005 I also contacted the Red Cross last year.... Could I ask the address to which you sent your query - getting this right will hopefully avoid extensive delays due to sending any request to the wrong address. Thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie 1978 Posted 16 May , 2005 Share Posted 16 May , 2005 Could I ask the address to which you sent your query - getting this right will hopefully avoid extensive delays due to sending any request to the wrong address. Thanks Steve <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I went onto the international red cross web site www.icrc.org and tried to download the link to submit an application form. However the link didn't work so I emailed them. A lady called Marijua emailed me back and a few months later I received what I wanted. jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPotter Posted 18 May , 2005 Share Posted 18 May , 2005 Jamie, Many thanks for that. How much information do you need to know up front. In the majority of cases I am researching all I have is the name, rank, regiment and number of a man whom I know was taken POW, but not where or when? I will try your route and see what happens. If it is successful I was post the results here. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie 1978 Posted 18 May , 2005 Share Posted 18 May , 2005 Jamie, Many thanks for that. How much information do you need to know up front. In the majority of cases I am researching all I have is the name, rank, regiment and number of a man whom I know was taken POW, but not where or when? I will try your route and see what happens. If it is successful I was post the results here. Steve <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I just had my Grandfathers name unit and one of the camps he was at. I think the more info you can give the better. jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makkem Posted 18 May , 2005 Share Posted 18 May , 2005 Hello Ray, You could try this site: http://www.drk-suchdienst.org/english/index.html Its the english-language site of the German Red Cross Tracing Service. Never tried it myself (never needed to) but reading through the replies to your query, I just googled and found this. Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray hoggart Posted 1 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2005 Many thanks for the input chaps! I'm late getting back to this, I can't spend all my time here unfortunately! Particular thanks to Peter, I've tried that last search service, no reply yet but fingers crossed. I did find another by surfing but it's all in German and the Google translator seems unable to unravel the reply but still trying. Thanks again. Ray 7155 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray hoggart Posted 27 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2005 Hello again chaps, Peter, that address you gave was the one I had gone to and they finally came back to me but couldn't be of any help, but I believe they did try. If there are others in the same position it's well worth a letter/email, you might be lucky. Regards, Ray 7155 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now