Huge POW list with astonishing origins of men from the entire world who served in the French army

At the end of 1940 , French authorities received this first list of pows who had served in the French army .

No surprise to read about the usual towns throughout the country and countries from the Empire (Morroco, Soudan, Guyane, senegal, Algeria, Tunesia etc..)
but you'll start being more surprised when you find people from neutral countries enlisted (Switserland), other allied European nations (the UK :see the name Eade for instance ,Belgium ) and even from countries who were at war with France (Italy). I not found Americans or Candians yet, the lsit is too big, but there may be some too . Don't look for Germans, Alsacians or Lorrains: they were on seperate lists and awaited political investigation . There are a few Alsacians however, possibly because those refused to be considered Germans.

No how on earth does this fellow from Malaca (Singapore) got enlisted in France?

http://geneavenir.free.fr/prisonnie...lle 13 de prisonniers français 10 09 1940.pdf

 

Foreign Legion ?
Or,,fortuitously in France on 1 september,and forced to volunteer ?
Or,captured by mistake?

 

Rather French born and mobilised due to his nationality, possibly on a holiday when incorporated, anything is possible. Same for this English lad. If you read the text you'll find the most unexpected places in the world

 

Reminds me of the Duke Of Edinburgh in uniform in Iraq...Shaking hands with British troops on tv....Big black lad shook his hand...And where are you from says the Duke..
Botswana says the lad in British uniform...Duke creases up...what the bloo.. hell..bloody marvellous....

 

If I had time I'd sort them out by origins, but that's a gigantic job. It's great enough that these archives lists are online per alphabetical order. I note there are quite a few from Belgium too .

 

What a great resource.

 

Incredible isn' it? Apparently it's only a first temporary draft with thousands of names that were officially recorded as pows and no longer MIA. It must have been quite a relief to see a name on that list when yo uwere looking for a loved one. I wonder how the people from a small village in Sudan or senegal could get a chance to get news fro mtheir loved ones.
The system must have worked for France and possibly the north African colonies, but others must have been isolated from A to Z unless the Red Cross could locate them

 

Is there any listing of where these POWs were held? I am interested in finding out about those held in Rennes in Frontstalag 133 (aka Lazarett 133) and anything about the camp.

 

I'm afraid those details are not mentionned , but you could try the archives departementales d'ille et Villaine at the link below: Thot

 

I would suspect that some of those POWS are from former French colonies. Or those of a foreign country volunteered to fight the Germans in french uniform because they "thought" that the french army would be a good match for the Germans compared to their native country.Perhaps those whom you mentioned who were from Switzerland might have felt bad sitting in peaceful neutrality while the rest of Europe is tearing itself apart again, and desided to join up with the French

Those are my only thoughts.