Stalag 344

Ref 4/3886

Stalag 344

Germany

7th December 1944

Dear Sirs,

It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that 30 British prisoners of war, details of whom are shown on the attached list, were killed during an air attack on Saturday 2nd December, 1944, at Working Party E/793 (formerly Bau u. Arbeits Batt.21) and Working Party E/3 Blechhammer, O/S.

The two last named only lost their lives at Working Party E/3, while the remaining 28 were killed at Working Party E/793, when a shelter within the camp was directly hit by bombs.

The mass burial was carried out on Wednesday, 6th December, 1944, at Ehrenforst, and was accorded such military honours as the prisoners of war themselves could provide. The burial service was conducted jointly by Captain J. McManus, U.D.F. Chaplain's Department, Captain R.G. Griffiths, N.Z. Chaplain's Department and Captain G.T. Tudor, U.D.F. Chaplain's Department.

Comrades of the deceased prisoners of war and myself also attended the burial.

When next-of-kin are advised of these painful details, I would be grateful if expressions of deepest sympathy could be passed to them on behalf of all prisoners of war of Stalag 344.

I anticipate that our Chaplain's will write to the next-of-kin of the deceased and I will do so myself in the course of the next two weeks, by which time no doubt the official advice will have been given.

The grave identification numbers are, I presume, only temporary, for the plot of ground will, in due course, and when consecrated, be incorporated into the Cemetery, Ehrenforst.

I thank you in advance for taking care of this painful matter.

Yours Sincerely,

(signed) S. Sherriff, R.S.M.

Camp Leader.

Able Seaman

James ALEXANDER

P.O.W. No.98577

Royal Navy

Army No. P/JX 209976

(Mother)

6 Guthrie Road

Saltcoates

Scotland

Row 1. Grave 1

Private

Edward ANDREWS

P.O.W. No.10593

Kensington Regiment

Army No. 6210069

(Mother)

2 Kither Road

Ashford

Kent

Row 1. Grave 2

Sapper

Josef BLOUNT

P.O.W. No.4001

Royal Engineers

Army No. 4539549

(Mother)

23 Church View

Darfield

Barnsley

Yorkshire

Row 1. Grave 3

Private

Ralph BOYE

P.O.W. No.10495

The Border Regiment

Army No. 3601364

(Mother)

16 West Street

Kendal

Westmoreland

Row 1. Grave 4

Private

Edward DOCHERTY

P.O.W. No.5813

The Black Watch

Army No. 2750501

(Wife)

36 Loanhead Ave.

Lochre Fife

Scotland

Row 1. Grave 5

Private

Henry DOUGLAS

P.O.W. No.10504

The Border Regiment

Army No. 3601111

(Mother)

51 Lightfood Drive

Horraby

Carlisle

Row 1. Grave 6

Fusilier

James Campbell DUNN

P.O.W. No.1782

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Army No. 4268129

(Mother)

70/2nd Avenue

Sturbhill Gate

Morpeth

Northumberland

Row 1. Grave 7

Gunner

James GORING

P.O.W. No.1053

Royal Artillery

Army No. 204313

(Mother)

4 Park Street

Irlams Height

Salford

Lancashire

Row 1. Grave 8

Private

Michael GRANT

P.O.W. No.1852

Durham Light Infantry

Army No. 4454381

(Wife)

36 Marygold Ave.

Oldford Estate

Gateshead

Co. Durham

Row 1. Grave 9

10.

Private

Frederick GREGORY

P.O.W. No.3530

Queens Royal Regiment

Army No. 56744884

(Mother)

25 Wells Square

Radstock

Somerset

Row 1. Grave 10

11.

Private

George GROEGER

P.O.W. No.3609

Royal West Kent Regt.

Army No. 6347934

(Wife)

104 Devonshire

Forest Hill

London

Row 1. Grave 11

12.

Gunner

Frederick HOPKINS

P.O.W. No.6285

Royal Artillery

Army No. 1530681

(Wife)

18 Newstead Road

Kingstanding

Birmingham

Row 1. Grave 12

13.

Gunner

Charles JOHNSON

P.O.W. No.3578

Royal Artillery

Army No. 875184

(Wife)

Trouts Farm

East Church

Isle of Cheppey

Kent

Row 1. Grave 13

14.

Private

William LANGTON

P.O.W. No.3510

Durham Light Infantry

Army No. 4459315

(Mother)

13 Roper Street

Sunderland

Row 1. Grave 14

15.

Sapper

William LOUGHNAN

P.O.W. No.5475

Royal Engineers

Army No. 1895204

(Mother)

9 Factory Street

Ramsbottom

Manchester

Row 1. Grave 15

16.

Signalman

Arthur LUDLAM

P.O.W. No.220718

Royal Corps of Signals

Army No. 4752584

(Mother)

338 Queens Road

Sheffield

Yorkshire

Row 2. Grave 1

17.

Trooper

Charles McKELLAN

P.O.W. No.6522

Lothian & Border Yeomanry

Army No. 7891750

(Wife)

121 Rose Street

Edinburgh

Row 2. Grave 2

18.

Private

Ben Charles MILLER

P.O.W. No.249

Leicestershire Regiment

Army No. 4859362

(Mother)

Lullington Road

Overseal

Burton-on-Trent

Row 2. Grave 3

19.

Lance-Corporal

Douglas PRICE

P.O.W. No.1785

Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Army No. 4197242

(Father)

20 Deacons Drive

Bank Lane

Irlams o th'Height

Salford, Lancs.

Row 2. Grave 4

20.

Private

James A. SHARP

P.O.W. No.4840

Ox. & Bucks. Light Inf

Army No. 5383556

(Father)

18 Penn Road

Southport

Aylesbury

Bucks.

Row 2. Grave 5

21.

Rifleman

William Alfrey SMITH

P.O.W. No.3852

Rifle Brigade

Army No. 4445160

(Wife)

68 South Street

South Pellow

Chester-le-Street

Co. Durham

Row 2. Grave 6

22.

Private

James SPRIGGS

P.O.W. No.1462

Royal West Kent Regt.

Army No. 6348023

(Mother)

Mrs. Norris

32 Grimscott Str.

Bermondsey

London S.E.1.

Row 2. Grave 7

23.

Sapper

Leslie Howard VEREY

P.O.W. No.2366

Royal Engineers

Army No. 1866557

(Wife)

69 Cranleigh Gardens

Luton

Bedfordshire

Row 2. Grave 8

24.

Private

Jack Harold WELLS

P.O.W. No.688

Ox. & Bucks. Light Inf

Army No. P/JX 209976

(Wife)

The Bungalow

33 Little Marlow

Marlow, Bucks.

Row 2. Grave 9

25.

Rifleman

Reginald Percy WELLS

P.O.W. No.4260

Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Army No. 684326

(Father)

26 Cartnell Gdsn.

Morden

Surrey

Row 2. Grave 10

26.

Sapper

Albert V. MOORE

P.O.W. No.4821

Royal Engineers

Army No. 6913650

(Mother)

29 Alexander Road

Dagenham

Essex

Row 2. Grave 11

27.

Sapper

John Turner SPEAK

P.O.W. No.995

Royal Engineers

Army No. 2090103

(Wife)

19 Dean Place

Hanley

Stoke-on-Trent

Row 2. Grave 12

28.

Private

David O'NEILL

P.O.W. No.997

Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps

Army No. P/JX 209976

(Mother)

6 Guthrie Road

Saltcoates

Scotland

Row 2. Grave 14

29.

WORKING PARTY E/3

Sapper

Harry ALLSOPP

P.O.W. No.221037

Royal Engineers

Army No. 1888333

(Wife)

25 Holbrook Road

Belper

Derbyshire

Row 2. Grave 14

30.

Private

Herbert HALLARD

P.O.W. No.221350

Highland Light Inf.

Army No. 3660951

(Wife)

6 Highgate Crescent

Gorton

Manchester

Row 2. Grave 15

Stalag 344, Germany

7th December 1944.

RANK	NAMES	POW No.	NATURE OF INJURY
Private	FORD, W.R.	2853	? Fracture l.Femur and lacerations scalp
Fusilier	GARDNER, J.	1206	Severe lacerations scalp
Gunner	HOUGH, W.W.	1235	Severe lacerations foot and knee 1, Contusions face
Private	KEITH, W.	10665	Fract. Tib and Fib R.
T/O	KIRK, R.	18636	Dislocated hip right and lacerated scalp
Private	WHITE, G.F.	4403	? Fract. Vertebrae (cervical)
Spr.	ANDERSON, H.	872	Severe scalp wounds
L/Sto.	ARMER, E.	25671	? Fract. R Scapula
Marine	BROWN, E.J.	718	Injuries both feet
Pte.	DAWSON, G.E.	6537	? Fract. Scapula and Tarsus
Pte.	DUFFELL, W.E.	1615	? Fract. Tib and Fib L, lacerations scalp
Gnr.	KERFOOT, B.	4083	Deafness, injuries both legs
L/Cpl.	LEGGE, H.	1125	? Fract. astralagus and int malleolus
A/B.	MACDONALD, A.	98848	? Fract. Patella left and lacerations head
Pte.	POW, L.	6353	Injury lower left leg
Pte.	SKELHAM, V.L.	3596	? Fract. tib and fib L, lacerations scalp
Pte.	TOWNEND, H.	27940	Injuries both feet, lacerations scalp

(All the above were admitted to Reserve Lazaret, Cosel.)

WORKING PARTY E/793

LIGHT AND MINOR INJURIES

RANK	NAMES	POW No.	NATURE OF INJURY
Private	BELL, S.	3098	? Fractured left ankle
A/B	CRESSWELL, J.J.	88327	Haematoma left side face
L/Cpl.	ELLIS, H.A.	6195	Abrasions of fingers
Private	HAYDEN, J.E.	3401	? Fract. scapula
Private	HOWLETT, V.	1464	Shock and abrasions
Driver	REEVE, S.C.	3946	Traumatic Synovitis left knee
Private	SNELL, A.	3606	Shock

WORKING PARTY E/3

RANK	NAMES	POW No.	REPORT
Dvr.	EVANS, W.	221420	Crushed hand R, injuries left ankle
Pte.	TAYLOR, J.T.	222278	? Fract. tib and fib L.
Bdr.	LORD, W.	6585	Lacerations scalp
Pte.	LITTLE, J.W.	220051	Crushed hand left
Cpl.	PITT, W.	10476	Severe skull injuries
Spr.	TAYLOR, C.	220832	Lacerated right arm and face, fract. ribs
Dvr.	BOWATER, E.	221187	Injuries to back and head

(All the above were admitted to Reserve Lazaret, Cosel.)

LIGHT AND MINOR INJURIES

Rfn.	HANDLEY, C.	220390
Rfn.	PINKNEY, J.	221798
Sapper	BEGG, J.	27248
Driver	HOLMES, J.	220061
Private	CLARK, G.	220937
Private	BELL, S.	3098
Private	HIND, J.	10771

Thanks to Colin Tosh for this report.