Arthur Ernest Dawes

[marina]

I'm trying to track down Arthur Ernest Dawes, my Great Uncle.

Family legend says :

-that he was Regular Army, in the Queen's Own Border Regiment.

-that he was captured in the first four days of the war after his unit was cut to pieces

-that he spent the entire war in salt mines in Germany

- that he was brought home in 1920, wrapped in a bale of cotton.

I have looked at the POW data base and the only Arthur Dawes I see was in the York and Lancasters. Nor can I see any biggish engagements in the first four days of the war. Anyone suggest any sources for finding out about either of these?

Does anyone know of any engagements EARLY in the war where the Queen's Own Borderers were in action and suffered heavy losses? And where prisoners were taken? And if so, to which camp they would have been taken to?

I don't know what the 'bale of cotton' could mean, unless they mean he had injuries heavily padded to protect them on his voyage home. Anyone ever heard ofanything like that?

Thanks for any pointers you can give.

Marina

[Stebie9173]

The 2nd battalion went to France 6-10-1914 and the 1st Battalion 16-3-1915.

Both of these seem unlikely...

There is however an Arthur Dawes MIC for 2nd Battalion:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=2

Within 2 weeks the 2nd Battalion were embroiled in 1st Ypres - from 19-10-1914. 7th Division took very heavy casualties during that battle.

Steve.

[marina]

Thanks, Steve. I think this must be him. The family are certain he was in the Borderers and was captured very early in the war - perhpas they telescoped the time scale. Maybe four days into the battle, not the war?Thanks for your assistance. I've downloaded the MIC.

Anyone know which mine he would have been sent to at that stage of the war, or how I could find out?

Marina

[Stebie9173]

Marina,

Some of the MICs actually state POW on. (my g-uncle at Le Cateau for one). Does it state such?

The problem with POWs is that there is very little info available outside of the WO161 and Service Records.

Newspapers can help, about 50% of the articles I have seen on POWs state what camp they initially went to at least. My g-uncle's service records stated his camp (on two separate forms) as well.

Steve.

[marina]

Yes, Steve - it;s marked POW and as you thought, actioned from early Ovctober so it olooks lkike First Ypres is right.

Where do you get the service records? I'd really like to know more about him.

Marina

[Stebie9173]

The National Archives at Kew hold the Service Records on Microfiche.

Unfortunately only about 30% of them are left. The rest got burnt in the Blitz and then doused with water from firemen's hoses. These are the "Burnt Records" in WO363.

If you can't get there to look a few of the members here (Paul Johnson, Stiletto, Alieco, and others) are regulars and might just do a lookup for you. A name like Dawes shouldn't be to bad to look up.

Pot luck really.

My great-uncle's records stated camp and dates, though no extra detail on his time there.

My great-uncle (Walter Brooksbank, 2nd Suffolks) ended up at Doeberitz, though there would obviously have been a few already on the go. I think Giessen was active then, too.

You may be able to narrow down the options as he was captured so early in the war.

Steve.

[marina]

Thanks, Steve - that's very helpful. I'll post a request for a lookup tomorrow. Although you'd be amazed how many Arthur Dawes's there are! Not in their hundreds certainly, but there can't be many who were Borderers AND POWS.

Thanks again,

Marina