description
Object description
SERVICEMEN/PRISONERS IDENTIFIED (in alphabetical order)
1. Gunner R. Alpin of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 1504764, POW number 7041.
DC 684, 685, 686, 723, 724,
2. Gunner J. Andrews of the 209th Battery, the Royal Artillery, Army service number 1513894, POW number 20858.
DC 778, 779, 780, 801, 802,
3. Private C. W. Ball of Ryton, Tyne and Wear, 1st Battalion (Tyneside Scottish), the Black Watch, Army service number 4455422, POW number 2457.
DC 595, 623, 624, 629, 712,
4. Private Frank? Bouldy (Boulby?) of 4th Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders; Army service number 4742974, POW number 19934.
DC 648, 649, 650,
5. Private A. M. Brecknock of the South Staffordshire Regiment, transferred to the Worcestershire Regiment, Army service number 4975958, POW number 6857.
DC 694, 736,
6. Private P. E. Brown of 2nd Battalion, the Dorset Regiment, Army service number 5727213, POW number 11619.
DC 597, 598, 681,
7. Driver D. or A. Bruce of the 527 Ration Company, the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), 152 Brigade HQs, Army service number 129304, POW number 17022.
DC 687,
8. Lance Corporal R. W. Clifford of the Green Howards, Army service number 4618111, POW number 8603.
DC 627
9. Lance Corporal Cyril Colyer of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (RWK), Army service number 6343996, POW number 9736.
DC 793,
10. Private Robert Connolly of the Loyal Regiment; Army service number 3858497, POW number 11356.
DC 688, 695, 696, 698, 713, 714, 720, 740,
11. Private J. R. Denny of the 1/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, Army service number 4859030, POW number 4840.
DC 705,
12. Corporal J. M. Dick of the 1st Battalion Black Watch (Tyneside Scottish), Army service number 2754282, POW number 16019.
DC 626
13. Private Robert Allan Lindsay Dunn of the 5th Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2879493, POW number 5284.
DC 696, 697, 698, 739,
14. Private W. Dunthorne of the Royal Army Service Corps, Army service number S/122158, POW number 1717.
DC 624, 629, 693, 700, 742, 743,
15. Private E. or H. Foster of the 6th Battalion, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders; Army service number 4274682, POW number 8004.
DC 589, 591, 592, 604
16. Fusilier John (Jack) Gettings of the Lancashire Fusiliers, possibly 1/8th Battalion, from Salford, Manchester; Army service number 3445406, POW number 26026
DC 631, 765, 766, 768,
17. Private F. Heavyside of the Durham Light Infantry, Army service number 4456677, POW number 6702.
DC 636, 640, 641, 643, 644, 652, 653, 654,
18. Lance Corporal P. P. Hemmings of the Corps of Military Police, Army service number 824850, POW number 15328.
DC 771, 772,
19. Signalman J. M. Hucklebridge of the Royal Corps of Signals, Army service number 864322, POW number 7247.
DC 660, 661, 662,
20. Private E. J. Hughes of the Worcestershire Regiment; Army service number 885921, POW number 50394.
DC 694, 699, 744, 745, 795,
21. Private J. Ireland, 5th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment, Army service number 5183540, POW number 6136.
DC 594, 597, 598, 681,
22. Private J. E. Jackson of the Royal East Kent Regiment (the Buffs), Army service number 6287429, POW number 12815.
DC 802,
23. Private A. R. McCutcheon of the Highland Light Infantry, probably 5th Battalion, Army service number 3319303, POW number 13904.
DC 696, 697, 698, 732, 738, 739,
24. Corporal James MacDonald, 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2873448, POW number 36495.
DC 624, 625, 628, 629, 636, 638, 641,
25. Fusilier Irvin (J.?) McHarg of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, Army service number 6976206, POW number 6867.
DC 691, 728,
26. Platoon Sergeant Major C. McPherson (McPhearson) of the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2867488, POW number 6796.
DC 789,
27. Gunner G. McRitchie of the 4/5th Battalion of the Black Watch, later transferred to the 1st Search Light Battery, the Royal Artillery; Army service number 2755798, POW number 4931.
DC 618, 623, 624, 630, 683, 722,
28. Private Reginald L. Maggs of the 2nd Battalion, the Dorset Regiment, Army service number 5727336, POW number 20781.
DC 780, 782, 793,
29. Driver C. T. W. Martin of the Royal Army Service Corps, Army service number 112280, POW number 6562.
DC 761, 762, 765, 767, 768,
30. Corporal C. D. Matthew of the Corps of Military Police; Army service number 7685214, POW number 18268.
DC 646, 647, 771, 772,
31. Private P. J. Maycock of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment, Army service number 2066112, POW number 6234.
DC 595, 596, 619, 623, 624, 679, 687, 722,
32. Sapper A. G. Missen of the 226 Field Company, the Royal Engineers; Army service number 2193699, POW number 10723.
DC 644, 645, 651,
33. Private P. H. Monk of the 2/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, Army service number 4859290, POW number 4839.
DC 705,
34. Driver A. F. Roach of the 7th Reserve Motor Transport Company, the Royal Army Service Corps, Army service number 121556; POW number 7802.
DC 695, 696, 698, 733,
35. Corporal H. Robinson of the 8th battalion, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders; Army service number 2981572, POW number 41357
DC 586, 637, 687, 731,
36. Private R. Scott of the Seaforth Highlanders, Army service number 2821994, POW number 18825.
DC 640, 655, 659,
37. Private Bernard Smith of the 4th Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders, Army service number 2821554, POW number 20886.
DC 682, 683, 714, 717, 721, 747, 755, 770, 773, 785, 787,
38. Rifleman L. J. Sutch of the Queen Victoria Rifles (QVC) - 7th Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC), Army service number 6897454, POW number 20778
DC 603, 626, 627,
39. Private W. Thomson of the Royal Scots: Army service number 3055670, POW number 8257
DC 648, 649, 694, 735,
40. Private Eric W. Turner of the 1th Battalion, the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Army service number 5384088, POW number 7595.
DC 690, 726, 727, 789, 790,
41. Private Michael Wallace of the Black Watch, probably 1st Battalion; Army service number 2758520, POW number 18467.
DC 683,
42. Private C. L. Winsley of the Worcestershire Regiment, probably 4th Battalion (originally from the South Staffordshire Regiment), Army service number 4033240, POW number 7186.
DC 695, 740,
43. Private P. Wolfe of the East Surrey Regiment, probably the 2nd Battalion, Army service number 6137446, POW number 17507.
DC 751,
44. Private H. Wright of the South Staffordshire Regiment, Army service number 4915673.
DC 690, 693, 694, 726, 742.
Object description
Collection of digital photography depicting graffiti and various inscriptions with personal information left on the walls of Fort XI, a part of Stalag XXA (20A) in Toruń (Thorn), by British, French and Polish POWs during the Second World War. There are 254 individual photos (reference numbers DC 550 – DC 803) taken of every section of the walls with any inscriptions/grafitti so hopefully every surviving pictorial record was photographed. Each photograph is individually catalogued in DC 550 - DC 803 sequence.
Graffiti is placed in a room which probably was either a bathroom/washroom or a changing room for a bathroom. It's situated on the groundfloor, 50 metres behind the main gate. It is more than likely work of one individual as all drawings bear very strong resemblance.
Personal POWs inscriptions are in two rooms, at the bottom level, at the back of the fort, at the end of a rather long, sloping corridor; one room on the left and another one on the right. They were probably used as solitary/punishment cells, so called 'coolers', for prisoners who tried to escape, escaped or broke camp law in any other way. POWs in their inscriptions refer to them as 'bunkers'.
Fort XI 'Stefan Batory', previously known as 'V Grosser Kurfürst', is a brick/concrete artillery fort built by Prussian Army between 1877 and 1884. It's located in Toruń suburbs on Poznańska Street on the back of Iveco/Fiat car services. There are 15 forts in total creating a chain of fortifications around Toruń, probably all of them were used as POW facilities (for all Allied nations) during both World Wars.
All information about Army service and POW numbers comes from 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication. More specific information like battalions numbers, forenames etc. comes from inscriptions. Initials from inscriptions and the book sometimes do not match despite, for example, the same service number or vice versa. Therefore indentification of individuals might not be entirely accurate.
There are 44 names of POWs who are succesfully identified; 2 names of soldiers who died in France and are commemorated by their comrades in Toruń and 57 names of British (mainly), French and Polish POWs which were only partially identified, unidentified, their names are obscured etc. Please see the list below.
Object description
SERVICEMEN PERISHED IN FRANCE AND COMMEMORATED IN TORUŃ
1. Private Robert Starkie Richardson, 1st Battalion, the Black Watch (Tyneside Scottish), age 21 who died between 29 and 30 May 1940, Army service number 4454418. He is commemorated on Dunkirk Memorial.
DC 600
2. Fusilier Frank Roscoe of the 1/8th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers, Army service number 3450956, killed in action between 26 and 31 May 1940; son of Abraham and Miriam Roscoe, of Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire; buried in Beuvry Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (Info from the CWGC database). Note was written by Frank Roscoe's uncle, Fusilier John (Jack) Gettings, also a serviceman of the Lancashire Fusiliers, Army service number 3445406, POW number 26026
DC 623, 624, 630.
Object description
SERVICEMEN/PRISONERS UNIDENTIFIED (OR ONLY PARTIALLY IDENTIFIED) - in alphabetical order
1. J. Andrews
from Kidderminster, Worcestershire
It could refer to:
Gunner J. A. Andrews of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 1513894, POW army 20858;
Private J. Andrews of the Seaforth Highlanders, Army service number 2823731, POW number16780;
Private J. Andrews of the The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), Army service number 6286671, POW number 10619.
All imprisoned in Stalag XXA.
DC 683, 714,
2. J. Andrews (?)
of the Corps of Military Police (?).
DC 687,
3. S. Ashworth
It could refer to Gunner S. Ashworth of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 3444127, POW number 18955. He was imprisoned in Stalag VIIIB (8B) in Łambinowice (Lamsdorf), Poland, but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 799,
4. A. Bernard
It could refer to Sapper S. G. Bernard of the Royal Engineers, Army service number 2060366, POW number 13124, imprisoned in Stalag XXA.
DC 775,
5. Benny Bonn
Missing in action on 20 May 1940 (?). Surname is probably incomplete as there is no record of anyone of that name on Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.
DC 670, 672,
6. Michel Bourgois – French POW
of the 100 Infantry Regiment
DC 688, 713,
7. Driver Stewart Brown of 525 Ammunition Company, RASC, 51st Division.
It could refer to Driver S. Brown, RASC, Army service number 37543, POW 18884, imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle (Kandrzin-Cosel). He could serve time in both camps.
DC 602, 723, 785, 787,
8. Sergeant Chambers
It could refer to Sergeant L. E. Chambers of the Royal Signals, Army service number 2315367, POW number 20262. He was imprisoned in Stalag XXB in Malbork (Marienburg), Poland but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 748,
9. Rifleman J. Chambers
of the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC).
It could refer to Rifleman E. E. C. Chambers of the KRRC, Army service number 6847682, POW number 8243. He was imprisoned in Stalag XXB (20B) in Malbork (Marienburg) but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 779, 785, 787,
10. H. Clift
It could refer to Gunner H. Clift of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 4912135, POW number 17289. Imprisoned in Stalag XXB in Malbork (Marienburg), Poland.
DC 672,
11. F. Close
F. Close could refer to Private F. Close of the Border Regiment, Army Service number 3601389, POW number 14302, imprisoned in Stalag 9C in Thuringia, Germany. He could serve time in both camps.
DC 594, 597, 680, 681,
12. Henry Coyle
It could refer to Private H. Coyle of the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2883929, POW number 5254. He was imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle (Kandrzin-Cosel), Poland but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 768, 778, 797, 802, 803
13. Private S. Crope (Cropt?)
of the 1st Battalion, the Black Watch
DC 780,
14. Horace Davies
of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI).
It could refer to Corporal H. Davies of the KOYLI, Army service number 4468334, POW number 132619. He was imprisoned in Stalag VIIA (7A) in Moosburg, Bavaria, Germany. He could serve time in both camps.
DC 682, 683, 714, 715,
15. A. Ericson
It could refer to:
Private W. Erickson of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Army service number 3050505, POW number 18448, imprisoned in Stalag XXA (more likely).
Corporal W. A. Erickson of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Army service number 7520083, POW 117580. He was imprisoned in Stalag VIIIB (Stalag 344) in Lamsdorf in Lower Silesia. He could serve time in both camps.
DC 657, 658, 759, 760, 761, 762, 765, 766, 798,
16. Jimmy (Jymmy) Farr
Jimmy (Jymmy) Farr' (no soldier under this name was found in the 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication);
DC 608, 611,
17. Gabryś Józef – Polish POW.
DC 796,
18. J. V. Goarile (?)
DC 645,
19. H. Hammond
It could refer to:
Gunner H. Hammond of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 4448627, POW number 250572. He was imprisoned in Stalag IVD (4D) in Elsterhorst, Germany but he could serve time in both camps.
Private H. Hammond of the Middlesex Regiment, Army service number 6340420, POW number 20052. He was imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle (Kandrzin-Cosel), Poland but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 789, 790,
20. Unidentified prisoner named Harold
DC 735,
21. S. Head
Assuming it is a serviceman's name it could refer to Corporal J. S. Head of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (OBLI), Army service number 5333146, POW number 11782. He was imprisoned in Stalag XXB in Malbork (Marienburg), Poland. He could serve time in both camps.
DC 644,
22. Signalman A. R. Henry
of the Royal Signals, Army service number 2576941, POW number 18408. He was imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle (Kandrzin-Cosel), Poland but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 693, 694, 700, 742, 766, 769,
23. S. Irving
It could refer to Driver S. Irving of the Royal Army Service Corps, Army service number 155097, POW number 16930. Imprisoned in Stalag VIIIB (Stalag 344) in Łambinowice (Lamsdorf) in Lower Silesia, Poland.
DC 672,
24. Bolesław Jaczam (Paczam?) - Polish POW
DC 653, 654,
25. Peter Just (?) – French POW.
DC 717,
26. Kaminiecki Barcisław (?) – Polish POW.
DC 779, 780,
27. Joe Kane (?)
It could be done by Private J. Kane of the Royal Scots, Army service number 3059238, POW number 5382.
He was imprisoned in Stalag XXA.
DC 683, 721, 722,
28. C. Kemp
of the 18th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS), the Royal Army Medical Corps.
No serviceman of that name located in the 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication.
DC 684, 685, 717, 718,
29. R. Lewis
is not listed in the 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication.
R. Lewis could refer to Private J. F. Lewis, Army service number 5180091, POW number 11473, Gloucestershire Regiment, imprisoned in Stalag 344, Lamsdorf. He could serve time in both camps.
DC 596, 597, 601, 681, 693, 737, 743, 786, 788, 789, 791, 792, 793,
30. T. Lewis
Army service number 5109284, probably of the Gloucestershire Regiment. His number indicates he should rather be in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, no record in the 'Prisoners of War; British Army 1939-1945' publication.
DC 672,
31. E. McFarlane
'E. McFarlane' could refer to:
Private C. McFarlane of the Black Watch, Army service number 2754121; POW number 18355.
Private M. McFarlane of the Seaforth Highlanders, Army service number 2821569; POW number 18925.
Private J. McFarlane of the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2883423; POW number 20732.
All imprisoned in Stalag XXA during the WW2.
DC 593, 679,
32. Marsh
of, probably, the Royal Army Service Corps. There are 8 servicemen named Marsh in the 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication, none of them listed as a POW in Stalag XXA.
DC 778, 779,
33. Martin
of the 5th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment. Not registered in the 'Prisoners of War: British Army 1939-1945' publication.
DC 651, 652,
34. Serviceman, rank of Driver, of the 141 Field Ambulance, referring to the Royal Army Service Corps as his regiment.
Caption reads:
'Dvr W... Hew;
RASC 141 Field Ambulance;
Hammersmith'.
His surname might be Matthew.
DC 800,
35. Either French or Belgian soldier (subject to translation) reading:
'Juste Roger Mente (?) 2232;
DC 730,
36. Soldier of the Black Watch named Michael
DC 749,
37. Private Neave
DC 617,
38. Driver J. Nelson
of the 510 Ammunition Company, the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC).
It could refer to:
Driver J. Nelson, Army service number T/82632, POW number 36834, imprisoned in Stalag 21D, Poznań, Poland (more likely);
Driver J. F. Nelson, Army service number T/216482, POW number 253168, imprisoned in Stalag 4F at Hartmannsdorf Chemnitz in Central Saxony, Germany.
DC 623, 624, 630,
39. Płoskowiak (?) Adam
... lonowicza 21 m 2 - Polish POW
DC 587,
40. Prz...oski - Polish POW
DC 639, 646,
41. W/R (?) Taylor
There were a number of servicemen named Taylor imprisoned in Stalag XXA.
DC 642, 643,
42. Rousselle - French POW
Number 8985
DC 647, 648, 650,
43. I. Richards
from Victoria, London
DC 690, 726,
44. Serviceman probably called Ritson.
DC 694, 695, 699, 741, 745,
45. Unidentified soldier of the Gordon Highlanders, Army service number 2483182 (?), Pte P. Ro.
DC 758, 759, 760, 761, 762,
46. J. or T. Smith
Of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
It could refer to:
Private C. Smith, KOYLI, Army service number 4687489, POW number 20333. Imprisoned in Stalag XXA.
Private J. Smith, KOYLI, Army service number 4690066, POW number 25590. Imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle, Poland.
Lance Corporal J. W. Smith, KOYLI, Army service number 4691058, POW number 25088. Imprisoned in Camp BAB 20 in Kędzierzyn Koźle, Poland.
DC 694, 699, 741, 745,
47. Serviceman named 'Smither' or 'Smelter'.
DC 785,
48. Unidentified serviceman named W. J. Spay
DC 781,
49. Henri Trileach – French POW
DC 757, 758, 761, 784,
50. Unidentified serviceman of the 23rd Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, his surname is incomplete.
Caption reads:
'Dvr S. Wal...;
RHQ Troop;
23 Field Regiment;
Royal Artillery'.
It could refer to Driver S. Walker of the Royal Artillery, Army service number 772743, POW number 13762. He was imprisoned in Stalag VIIIB (344) in Łambinowice (Lamsdorf), Poland but he could serve time in both camps.
DC 705, 706, 710,
51. Unidentified serviceman named T. E. Yar... (?),
Army service number 10287429.
DC 781,
52. Unidentified prisoner, probably of the 8th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment reading:
'511146...;
D Coy 8th Bn...;
Captured 29th May 19...;
Prisoner new ...;
3 day ...;
Good Old Brum'.
DC 714, 721,
53. Soldier of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders reading: 'R. D. (?), ASH'.
DC 724,
54. Frech prisoner stating his service number 23019 (?)
DC 734,
55. Unidentified soldier of the South Staffordshire Regiment, transferred to the Worcestershire Regiment, Army service number 4919670 (?)
DC 694,
56. Private from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, probably 1st Battalion, Army service number 5110162 (?)
DC 694,
57. Unidentified prisoner giving details of his capture and an attempt of escape:
POW 17...38;
Captured 12th June 1940;
Escaped 18th J...;
10 days...'
DC 782,
Physical description
Two 700 MB capacity CDs with colour digital files.
