Age of surviving WW2 POWs

[helenbritton]

Hi. I am trying to find out if my father is one of the oldest WW2 POWs as he will be 100 years old next month. He was in the RAF and spent time in Stalag Luff 3. If anyone can help me find out this information, or, where to look, I would be very grateful. Thanks in anticipation. . Helen Britton

[timbo58]

Gosh! that's interesting as I was just reading about Alfie Fripp who died last week aged 98 and long held to the the oldest (or one of the oldest!) how bizarre!
Especially as he was held in Stalag Luft III too (although let's be honest there were 10s of thousands of POWs in there during the war!)

Could you let us know the name/squadron/rank so we can all have a dig about?
FWR would certainly be very interested indeed to offer as much help as they can in finding out more!

[helenbritton]

Hi,

Many thanks. The name is Reginald George Drake and I think he was with RAF Wattisham as a rear gunner (? sergeant?)and was shot down in August 1941, and was a POW for the rest of the war.

It would be marvelous if you could help, many thanks

[timbo58]

Hello, yes we have a crash report from 1942 which is when Reginald was shot down and captured.
I am happy to help out with what we have as an early birthday gift!

The record shows him:


226 Squadron
Crashed Maashaven Holland
Incident Date: 28/08/1941
Crew: Sgt R G Drake
Command: Bomber Command
Aircraft Mark: IV
Aircraft Code: MQ-R
Aircraft Type: Blenheim
Aircraft Serial: Z7289

Stalag Luft 6, Heydekurg
Nationality: British
Resided Country: Northern Germany
Fate: Prisoner of War
Information: POW No. 174
Rank: Flight Officer
Service Number: 959617
Odd as our record says Heydekurg, but I'm sure it's Heydekrug!

So he may well have been through Stalag Luft III (sagan) at some point, but when these records were made (typically Feb-April 1945) he was in Stalag Luft VI according to this report, although the camp was closed at that point! A mystery.

Here's my notes on Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug

Closed in 1944 and Moved to Stalag IV Grosstychow East Prussia Location N/E 54-20

The camp was built in 1939 and designated Stalag I-C.

At first it held Polish POWs, then from 1940 also French and Belgians, and from 1941 Russians. In June 1943 it was renamed Stalag Luft VI and used to hold British and Canadian Air Force NCOs, and from February 1944, also Americans.
By July 1944 it housed 9,000 Allied airmen.

When the Russian front approached, orders were given to move the prisoners to other camps further west. Most of the men were moved by train to Stalag XX-A in West Prussia, but some 900 were taken to the port of Memel, where they were put aboard the merchant ship Insterburg for a 60-hour journey to Swinemünde. After another train journey the men were force marched from Kiefheide, with many men being bayoneted or shot before they reached Stalag Luft IV in Gross Tychow. This march was one of the "Long Marches".




His main service records set will still be held by the MOD and he's the only person who can apply for them, the veterans-UK website is probably the best place to download these if he'd like to see them?

I'm off to Kew tomorrow so I might be able to track down something else if I have time.

p.s. I was wrong about Mr Fripp he died in Jan 2012, so he would have been the oldest at the time but I'm willing to bet Mr Drake must surely be the oldest now?

[helenbritton]

Hi again,

Thank you SO much - that is a fantastic amount of information in a very short space of time!

Obviously, anything else you can find would also be great. I will see my father tomorrow so will take all this with me and we will look up the veterans web-site you mentioned so that he can apply for what they have.

Many thanks and kindest regards. Dad will be thrilled to think that he might be the most elderly of this period still alive!

[timbo58]

Hello Helen, if you PM me I have the images of his MI9 repatriation report which confirms all camps he was in with dates!
He was indeed in Stalag Luft III being transferred to Stalag Luft VI a while before the great escape from the former!

It's only a 3 page report, but I'd like you to have it as it will confirm some dates/locations, it even has his home address and date of birth.

[helenbritton]

Hi That is fantastic. I have been with my father for the past couple of days and he is amazed that all this information is being found as he has forgotten some of it as his memory is not brilliant now. Sorry, but it was not clear what I need to do for you to get the reports to me? any thoughts yet on whether he is the oldest POW still living? really looking forward to seeing the details, and again, many thanks. Helen

[christanel]

Hello Helen
I have been following this thread with interest and Tim, one of our admin bods, has found some terrific information for you and your father.
Just a thought about your Dad being the oldest surviving POW - would it be an idea to contact a newspaper - local or bigger - and put the question to them? They may be interested in running an article asking that very question. :smile5:

Christina

[timbo58]

Hi Helen, if you click on my name and you'll see a little menu pop up -just use private message and I can then reply to you.

On the subject of the oldest -It is my humble opinion and that of my esteemed freelancer Lawrence that since Alfie Fripps was the oldest POW when he died in 2013, there can only be a month if that between their dates of birth so the chances of anyone else being the oldest are very slim indeed.
I would state to the best of my knowledge he must be the oldest.
Certainly the company we use for press releases/publicity would be more than happy to find out for sure.

[helenbritton]

Hi Tim,

Many thanks, now I have the terminology, I will do the private message thing. It would be good to know for certain about the oldest, but it sounds pretty likely, but if the press release dept would like to check, that is great. I also have had messages from Christanel in Australia who suggests asking a newspaper to run a story on it to find out. Is this a good idea do you think?.

We are really grateful for your help and very best wishes Helen

[helenbritton]

Think your PM box is full as my message did not send. Have sent a message to your email though, so hope you get it! Thanks

[timbo58]

Yes, I got it, hope you got all the documents ok.
Fascinating reading.

[helenbritton]

Hi Tim. Unfortunately, I did not get the docs. Did you e mail them to the e mail address I sent? Not sure what has gone wrong?

[Davenport7]

Helen Britton,

I have sent you a private message, I have some information for you regarding Drake.

I have a link between the late Reginald George Drake (226 Squadron RAF) and my grandfather Sgt Les Davenport (7 Squadron RAF) from POW camps.

Regards

Ian