A list of British P.O.W's at Kut-El-Amarah

[charlie962]

55 minutes ago, Paul Gibson said:

The Gentleman below is the Grandfather of a friend of mine. Captain Stoddard of the 104th Wellesleys later to be Lt Col of the regiment. He was wounded twice in the campaign against the Turks around Kut. He avoided capture because after being wounded the second time he  was detached to road making down the river, 

A great photo. Thanks for sharing. 

Ps. I think you mean Stoddart ?

Edited 3 August , 2023 by charlie962

[charlie962]

As a general note, even those who were there had difficulty compiling complete lists after the war from regimental records. The Norfolk's have published lists and the OBLI has a detailed appendix in their regimental history where the compilers note some of the difficulties.

I think we can get quite close to complete lists but, particularly in the non-infantry, there are new names creeping in from time to time. 

As for the Indian troops, there is a huge lack. Very sad. ICRC do have a lot of names but nothing near the total that went in to captivity. The Turkish took more trouble with the Muslim troops than the others, I suppose inevitably. We've had a few requests on the forum from descendants of Indian soldiers. It would be great if someone unearthed/compiled a list of the Indian PoWs.

Charlie

[Paul Gibson]

Sorry Stoddart, 

You are quite correct Charlie about the Indian troops. War diaries only tend to mention the Officers.  I worked in Nepal 2004/5 with FEPOW trying to find Gurkha POWs to pay them £10,000. Trying to find paperwork to prove the soldiers who were captured in Singapore was a hell of a job. To prove the ones that were captured in Burma was near impossible. 

Enjoying our chats Charlie your work is much appreciated. Paul

[clive_hughes]

I used to have a single 1914-15 tar to a Frederick William SIRR, an other Rank in the Volunteer Artillery Battery, which I think was captured at Kut.

This was technically an Indian Army unit, but manned by europeans/eurasians?

Clive

 

[PRC]

4 hours ago, clive_hughes said:

I used to have a single 1914-15 tar to a Frederick William SIRR, an other Rank in the Volunteer Artillery Battery, which I think was captured at Kut.

The International Commitee of the Red Cross received a report from the Turkish Red Crescent on the 15th November 1916 which lists a J.W.W. Sirr of the Volunteer Artillery Battery as captured at the fall of Kut. (ICRC reference R.50323). I believe his address is meant to read Ceylon. https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/1934749/708/50323/

Is that the same man?

On the same page there are 4 other men of the battery, a Royal West Kent for @Paul Gibson, two Norfolks for me and ten Indian soldiers and sailors for whoever has the patience to go through these reports to construct the casualty list that is so sorely lacking!

Image courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Cheers,
Peter

[clive_hughes]

Peter,

Thanks very much for responding.  I imagine it is the same man, low number, although (without checking) I don't recollect his initials as being J.W.W, but that's by the way.  

Cheers,

Clive 

[pudsey63]

On 03/08/2023 at 23:43, PRC said:

The International Commitee of the Red Cross received a report from the Turkish Red Crescent on the 15th November 1916 which lists a J.W.W. Sirr of the Volunteer Artillery Battery as captured at the fall of Kut. (ICRC reference R.50323). I believe his address is meant to read Ceylon. https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/1934749/708/50323/

Is that the same man?

On the same page there are 4 other men of the battery, a Royal West Kent for @Paul Gibson, two Norfolks for me and ten Indian soldiers and sailors for whoever has the patience to go through these reports to construct the casualty list that is so sorely lacking!

Image courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Cheers,
Peter

That’s an amazing list. Thank you for posting.