Prisoner of War Questionnaires
The following information has been taken from questionnaires completed by liberated Prisoners of War. The collection is held by the National Archives, catalogue reference WO 344, and it can be viewed on the Ancestry website, https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62114/
2328436 Driver Charles William Abbott
Unit: 3rd Line of Communication Signals, 8th Army
Camp: Stalag XVIIID (25th June 1941 to 30th October 1943)
Escape: In January 1943. Escaped from Marburg, Austria. Retaken prisoner at the Hungarian border by the Hitler Youth Movement. I was fit [in answer to question, "were you physically fit?"]
T/172262 L/Sgt John Southam Abbott
Unit: 232 Company RASC
Work Camp: 1778/C Klein Lungitz, Austria (Farm, 10th August 1941 to 31st March 1945
Escape: On 1.4.45 the Germans shifted my work party. On the march through woods at Eichberg, I escaped and returned to the farm where I had been working. Here I hid until the arrival of the advancing Russian Forces at the house of Josepa Oswald, Klein Langitz 13, Grafendorf, Ost Steiermark (a very pro-British family) from 1.4.45 until 14.4.45. When the advancing Russian troops arrived (14.4.45) I reported to them and they told me to remain where I was until further troops arrived. At 1900 hrs 17.4.45, a party of Russians arrived, but on my reporting myself they refused to believe I was English. They robbed me of all my personal effects including clothes, 2 watches, photographs & money, and took me to their H.Q. at Eichberg. Here I was questioned by Russian officers from 22.00 hrs until 01.00 hrs. Physical violence was applied to me. I was struck several times on the body with a tommy gun, and several times clapped across the face. My AB.64 was destroyed as a 'forgery'. The two main things that the Russians could not understand were: 1. I could speak German. 2. My uniform was in good condition. They said that after being a prisoner for 4 years I could not possibly be in possession of a uniform of any description. Explanation of the British Red Cross Parcel system they would not listen to. At the end of all this they said they were convinced I was a German spy and would be shot as such. I was locked in a room with a civilian and a Yugoslav girl. About 04.00 these two were removed, but the door was not locked. On opening the door, I could not see any one so I just walked out, and returned to the farm where I had been hiding previously. Here I stayed until 18.00 hrs 20.4.45 when the Russians once more discovered me, but this time I said I was a partisan. I was taken to Friedberg and there imprisoned with 37 civilians who the Russians accused of being partisans. On 29.4.45 we were all marched to a Prison Camp at Gross Petersdorf. I was the only soldier there, and while we were waiting for admission, I quietly slipped to one side and got away. That evening I arrived at Durenbach where the Russian officer i/c treated me with every considered and kindness. On 3.5.45 he sent me with approximately 80 refugees (Ukrainian, Poles etc) to the Transit Camp at [Vesprym] (a short distance from Budapest. Arriving there on 8.5.45. Here I joined 15 other British ex P.Ws (In this camp were approx 30,000 people of mixed nationalities, hygienic conditions etc very bad) I was scared of Typhoid. As the Russians seemed to be in no hurry to shift us from there, I decided to shift myself. As we had no passes, and would be bound to be picked up by road patrols, I decided to try to travel by rail. In this I was helped by the intense hatred of the Russians by the Hungarian people. I first of all contacted a Railway Official and he said he would smuggle me on a train. As a companion I selected a Maori, Pte Fred Wright, and at 04.00 hrs 20.5.45 we jumped the train. The route was Vesprym, Babn, Stamamanger, St. Gothard, Fehring, Graz, Voitsberg. We had to change trains many times but finally arrived in Voitsberg 26.5.45. Difficulty arose in getting through the Russian Demarcation Line, but that afternoon I reported to the British Forces in [Koflark]. Arrived Naples by plane 30.5.45
Help given: 4.4.45 until 19.4.45. Josepa Oswald, Klein Lungitz 13, Grafendorf, Ost Steiermark, Austria. At great personal risk, owing to quartering of S.S. troops, hid and fed me until arrival of Russians. No chits left. "A very pro-British family".
188845 Driver Alfred Edward Adams
Unit: 308 Company RASC, 2nd Armoured Division
Work Camp: Retznev 32 GW (Cement factory, October 1941 to January 1942)
Illnesses: Gastritus. Cause: Wrong food. Duration: 1941 - 1945. Did you receive adequate medical treatment: That available.
Interrogation: Only name, number, & unit at Marburg.
Sabotage: Minor cases. At Retnei cement factory. Inserting sand into axles of railway transport and derailing on turntable.
