The Wartime Memories Project - STALAG 383 POW Camp

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Information. The camp was situated at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, Hohenfefs, Parsberg nr Munich My father was in Stalag 383. His name was William Henry Bristow (known as Sam or Bill) of the Rangers KRRC and taken prisoner during the Battle for Crete. I would like to visit the site of the POW Camp, is that possible? I am looking for info on an artist called Ron Nethercote an inmate of stalag 383. I have a painting of my father painted by him in camp. Memories of this camp crop up a lot with relation to this camp My grandfather passed away some time after serving in North West Europe throughout the war. A little time after this my grandmother remarried to my grandads oldest friend. His name was Sgt John Dunleavy (often called Jack) I am still waiting on his official records but I know he was captured after volunteering to stay behind with some wounded colleagues at Dunkirk. What John always had was a talent with the camera and when he passed on a couple of years ago his album of memories passed to my father. As I got involved in looking into my fathers war record I thought I would do the same for John. I have one album which is all Stalag 383 as he was held for the full duration, 160 odd photos in total, the last one bizarrely is of Max Scmeling with the intriguing caption, Just a Visitor. On a lot of the photos he has written where and when they were taken. Of course I have only just learnt about the camp. But I do have several pictures of each of the following plays, "The wind and the rain" "That lovely weekend" "The mikado" "Dick Whitingham" "Up the Pole" "Pinkie" "It pays to advertise" "White Cargo" "I killed the count" "George and Margaret" "Laburnay grove" "The late Christopher Bean" "Take the Air" "In days of Old" "Red Pepper" "Hands across the sea" They were certainly busy. Also a number of the following bands: David Lairds accordion band Dennis Whitley and his boys - they look as though they are a dance band Spike Kimble or Kemble (the writing is not the best) and his boys they appear to have mixture of saxaphones, guitars plus what looks like a double bass. I have a picture of the Stalag male voice choir and the Skate orchestra in the wings at the theatre (Again the name may be wrong) plus a second larger orchestra that it is hard to make out the name of. Sports: I have pictures of the Highland games (with the Scots in kilts of course) A penalty shootout. The skating team and The boxing competition I would guess from the Empire games reputed to have been staged. Two or three of these are signed, one of them "to my cobber Jack". Another from someone Jocky something and the other from someone Harrison, (they are all taken on 3 different backgrounds for the different Countries with a sign advertising the Empire games finals and the various boxing posters and times of bouts). I have a picture of the English and Australian swimming teams plus some action shots. I have 4 pictures of the athletics plus 4 of the England vs Scotland soccer match including them lined up for the anthems. I then have the Australian test team plus the New Zealand test cricket team with the same 2 umpires in white coats, an action shot or two plus a very professional looking scoreboard and large clock telling the score as 190 for 6 at 4pm with the last man scoring 14. In front of each team is chalkboard with for New Zealand 9/22 and Australia 10/7 (no idea why that is there though) Most of the other pictures are of the inside of the kitchens, shots of soup lines etc. A shot or two of the camp from a distance in Winter and Summer, plus a couple of shots of the men in what looks like the mess. An intriguing one of "Joes Mart" plus various group photos of differing Nationalities including Poles marked 9.8. 186 and one of John signed "J. Dunleavy 3383 room 3" - I am guessing these are the men he was with, all with different hats and ill fitting coats. He is the only one with the any visible stripes. One photo of the fellas with a gramaphone and a couple out in the gardens. I also have photos marked August Bank Holiday and all the fun of the fair where there are stalls, bowling on an improvised green carpet, a circus complete with cowboy uniforms and a ringmaster with top hat, and at least 3 or 4 shots of the bookies and a photo of the barbed wire memories book signing, as they gather to get the copy with the impressive slogan above the stall "Barbed Wire - order your extra copies now" "The ideal Stalag souvenir" I will try of course to get some of these scanned when I can gain access to a machine - sorry but my machine is not exactly the quickest or newest. I hope somebody might find some of these interesting and can maybe direct me to some sites or peoples who might also find them usefull as I must confess to being a novice in these things. One more thing there is also a signed photo of Jimmy Duncan who I know was in a number of the plays and I think directed them also, dated 17.04.44 as well as 3 camp personalities cards of "Mac" who I am sure somebody said they were looking for and I saw a picture of. "Brooky" Major Brooke Moore and Jack Lindsay with the added bit on the bottom of Editor of the Spectator? There is one other drawing with no identity. It seems to be like a card and shows a Corporal holding out his hand to a second fella in a bowler hat with a beard and moustache, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, a pair of black pinstrip trousers a white shirt hanging off him a bit, and a black evening jacket looking pretty dishelved. The comment written by John is too hard to read. I look forward to hearing from anyone who recognises any of the above. My father Alf Wesley was a prisoner at Stalag 383. He was a member of the Black Watch. I also had a copy of the book Barbed wire memories of stalag 383, this has been loaned out and not returned I would love to get hold of a copy if available. My Great uncles name was Leslie Andrew Pinson, he was an Australian service number NX3969 and he was in the 2/4 BATT . Somewhere along the line he was captured. What we know for sure is that he escaped and made it to a barn somewhere, and the woman who owned it told him he had like an hour to leave before she informed on him. He ended up being recaptured and was sent to an open cut mine as punishment for his escape. While working there he was then run over by one of those metal mine carts and his back was badly scarred. We think he may have been apart of Stalag 383 as he was given a copy of the book Barbed Wire by the man who wrote it, but we are sketchy on this detail. If anyone knows anything about him at all, I would love to hear from them. I have ordered a copy of his complete service record digitally from Australia, but I would love to know where he was a POW exactly and I am not sure on how to find out. Any help that can be given is appreciated. You have a great web site here, I'm glad that so many people still value their relatives war contribution, Update: We can now confirm that Leslie was held in Stalag 383. My father Eric William Sutherland, who was a corporal with the 23rd Battalion 2nd NZEF, was wounded and captured in Greece in April 1941. He spent time in Stalag 8B then was shipped to Stalag 383. He passed away 30 years ago and we have only 2 pictures take while he was at Stalag 383, in the top picture dad is back row 2nd from the left, the bottom picture he is back row right hand side. We are trying to identify any others in the photographs. My father was Jim Welch, a New Zealander. He was in the territorial forces (part-time/reserve soldier) before the war and I believe at the time of capture held the rank of Warrant Officer 2nd Class/Company Sergeant Major [are they the same thing?]. He was with the 22nd Battalion and captured in Greece. He was a signwriter before the war and whilst in Stalag 383 really flourished as a cartoonist and caricaturist.I definitely knew I was in the right place when I saw three of his caricatures of camp characters on the photo pages!!. As a child I grew up with these (and many other cartoons) stored in boxes which he would occasionally allow us children to look through. I believe my brother has given a selection of these cartoons to the NZ War Museum at Waiouru. Dad was also closely involved (I believe) with a camp newspaper edited by another Kiwi (and later City Councillor in Christchurch) Sam Boanas After the war Dad hoped to become a professional cartoonist with newspapers, but after selling only the odd cartoon or two, and with a young family decided he had better stick to the more secure trade of signwriting. I still have a photo of the magnificent air brush coloured caricatures of all the main war leaders (from all sides - Hitler and co are all crying crocodile tears and claiming "we didn't want to do it"), about a metre high and spanning about 12 metres, that used to run above his work benches in the sign writing studio, and I presume were originally done for some RSA event in the 1950s. I guess like a lot of his generation Dad was deeply effected by the war (not least by the brutality/starvation meted out towards the Russians in an adjoining camp to 383) and never an easy man to live with as a father, or for my late mother, as a husband. He rarely talked about the war but was "religious" in attending the local (Masterton) Returned Services Club, for a couple of hours, virtually every evening it was open, to drink and socialise with old soldier mates. Dad passed away on 4th July 1981 at the age of 67. Dave Welch My father was in Stalag 383, Cpl Stanley G C Coombes RASC, his nick name was Dolly. I have been trying to find a copy of the book Barbed Wire, got close a few times no luck yet. These two photos are marked "Funeral of Sgt Hastie 27th Jul 1943". Does anyone know of Sgt Hastie? Derek Coombes My father Cyril Stanford Hodgins (Hodge) was a prisoner in Stalag 383. He was captured on Crete in 1940 and I think he was a corporal in the Royal Engineers. He is shown on the photo 'Men of Hampshire' from CMS MacClarens photo, 2nd from right top row. I have numerous photos, show programmes, including Barber Wire memories. I do not think he was a Scout but he did teach Banking subjects to other prisoners who subsequently took their exams in the camp. I also have the various telegrams saying he was missing presumed dead and then the one saying he was a prisoner. My father died in 1961 aged 50. Sarah Harrison I've just spent an hour with Dad (Victor Kenneth Tutte) looking at photos of stalag 383 on other web sites and he has remembered that this photo was take in Stalag 383 and the man in the lower left hand corner was named Arthur. He was a fellow photographer. Dad is in the center of the top row. The man who is located in the upper right hand corner was their barber. Jane Mayberry My grandfather was a CSM in the RE and was captured in Greece in 1940 and held in Stalag 18a and 383. His name was Frederick William Maclaren ("Mac"). August 1942 The huts of Stalag 383. This whip and the knives and bayonet below were taken from guards at end of forced march from Stalag 383 Chris Moscrop My Grandfather was a member of the 51st Highland Division ( Gordon Highlanders ) captured at St Valery-en- Caux in northern France in 1940 during the second World War. My Grandfather was eventually imprisoned in Stalag 383 in southern Bavaria. After the war, my father ( as a child ) remembers his father receiving a book of memoirs of Stalag 383, possibly written by a Scottish journalist Willie Kemp" The book has been lost for many years now, but we would be grateful for any information on how to track down a copy of the book, or any information relating to the Gordon Highlanders in Stalag 383. William Wilson Photographs UPDATE: My Dad, S/Sgt Gunnar Sand of the USA, is second from the left on the 3rd row, standing next to the man in the dark shirt and shorts. My Dad din't tell us kids much about the war and I am obsessed in researching his life. If anyone knows anything about this photo please get in touch. If you have any Photographs you would like to share please get in touch. I am currently stationed at the U.S. Army's Combat Maneuver Training Center at Hohenfels, Germany. I am studying the history of this location, in particular the existence of the POW camp during WWII. I am seeking any information to assist me with this endeavor. If you have any more information or names I would greatly appreciate your efforts. Fortunately your website has been of great assistance. The accomplishments of the prisoners at this site are quite remarkable and I hope to not be forgotten! Thank you for your time, Tim Boraas My Uncle "Chips" Ken Crabtree was in this POW camp for much of the War. He was one of the group who belonged to the Rover Scout Crew within this Camp. I have many memento's from the Camp and the Book Barbed Wire Memories of Stalag 383. But I would like to get a copy of a booklet called Glowing Embers, which I believe has more about the Rover Crew. My Uncle is now dead and I have all of his "treasures" . He dedicated most of his life to Scouting and I would like to make complete this period in Camp with as much info as I can. I do have photo's of others in the Rover Crew and names of many who have signed his membership card. Any assistance would be appreciated. Kerry. R. Single Update Since my request was made I have been able to get a copy of the Booklet "Glowing Embers" and some other correspondence about the Scout Rover Crew. This has helped me a lot. I also have received from the YMCA in Geneva copies of other reports regarding the Educational Training that was carried out in the camp during the period. This has some interesting stats regarding the numbers of pupils attending and the types of courses offered as well as the number of men in the camp. However I would still like to see if there are any men or families who have information regarding the Rover Crew and its activities and or documents that I might get copies of. I have from the camp a programme of the Anzac Day Sports, Dawn Service and March Past held at the camp 25/04/1944 and a record of the 25/04/1943 Anzac Day observance and activities, believed to be the first of their kind ever staged on Anzac Day in Germany. These include many names of the men who were involved in the activities including a list of the WW1 Anzac Veterans from NZ and Aust. who were in the camp. These are available to who ever would like a copy. List of Prisoners Sgt.William J. Avery Jan Harmse Barendse Cpl. E. L. Belshaw. East Surrey Regt  Read his story Sam Boanas William Henry "Sam" Bristow. KRRC. Read his Story Sgt John Cairns. Royal Artillery Ken "Chips" Crabtree Cpl Stanley G C "Dolly" Coombes. RASC Read his story Sgt Ted Dodson. Royal Queens Own Regiment. Jimmy Duncan Read his Story Sgt John Dunleavy Read his Story Cornelious Henry Thomas Faulkner. Kings Royal Rifles Rev.Capt Grant Cyril Stanford "Hodge" Hodgins. Royal Engineers Herbert William Hooper. 2/4 Australian Inf. Bat. Spike Kimble Read his Story David Laird Read his Story Jack Lindsay Read his Story CSM Frederick "Mac" William Maclaren. Royal Engineers Arthur May. 3rd Batt Royal Tank Reg Major Brooke "Brookey" Moore Read his Story Ron Nethercote Read his Story Leslie Andrew Pinson. 2/4 Australian Inf. Bat. Read his story S/Sgt Gunnar Sand Read his story CSM Savayl Gnr Jack Smith 2/15 Field Regiment. Australian. Cpl. Eric Sutherland. 23rd Battalion NZEF Read his story Cpl Ted Thomas. Royal Queens Own Regiment. Victor Kenneth Tutte. Gordon Watson. 52 LAA. Royal Artillery Read his story CSM. James Kenneth Welch. 22nd Battalion. New Zealand. Read his story Alf Wesley. Black Watch. Read his story Dennis Whitley Read his Story Sgt Alexander Fraser Wilson. Scots Guards Read his Story If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch. If you have a story which you would like to share, or a website dedicated to a POW camp or prisoner of World War Two please get in touch. Send an E-mail to The Wartime Memories Project Links Images of Stalag 383 Harry Thomas Munn POW Camp Index The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation. This website is run out of our own pockets and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Or by cheque to: PO Box 325, Stockton on Tees, TS20 1XL. Website and ALL Material © Copyright MM - All Rights Reserved