Oflag va Weinsberg germany ?

Hi im just looking up for a old gentleman frend,hes 96 and has just recently started to talk about his war experences although his memory is fading fast i though id see what i could find for him.
i have no idea where to start so here goes
his name is Edgar William Pegg born in 1913 in derbyshire
hes a bit unsure but we think he joined the 1st ? light anti aircraft 13th regiment and mentioned the sheffield terriers unit? with captain Mac?
he was captured on april 8th 1941 in libia,africa,was moved onto italy and then stalag 8 in germany for a few months then onto oflag va weinsberg in germany and was held for 5 years.
he mentioned fort bismarc in strazberg and a Captain Noon who was an interpretor,he belied he came from derbyshire.
sorry this is patchy but as iv said he is 96 and in poor health now and i would really love to be able to find some info ,anything would be nice as i dont think hes ever looked or had the chance to find stuff out.any help would be appreciated thanks

 

Hi, sorry this so out of date. My father, PJ Moloney was in OflagVa in 1944. Does Mr. Pegg remember any names? There were a lot of New Zealanders in the camp, including Johnny Upham (won the VC twice). Would be interested to hear more. I have a list of names and barracks my father wrote out if you, or anyone, is interested.

 

Hello PMO. I have just joined this website on seeing your post online. My father too, Sid/Steve Lyle Smythe, was a New Zealander in Oflag VA at the same time. I don't know if his name appears on your father's list, or that of a couple of other New Zealanders who I think were also there: Charles Lee and another called Gardner or similar.

 

hello sorry so long in replying,sadly we lost bill last year and iv only just found your message,yes bill often mentioned johnny upham,i would be very interested in the names etc if you could possibly send it onto me i add my email address,i could look through bills notes and see,such a shame hes not here to ask,he talked fondly about the new zealand lads,i have some pictures of bills war cards and a few bits i could send onto you.i have found it very difficult to find any infomation about oflag va,many thanks for reply lynnemillward41@yahoo.co.uk

 

My father, Christopher Hatten was an officer in the British army. He was captured in Africa, taken to Italy (Modena) as a prisoner and finally to Germany, Oflag VA.Weinsberg. He passed away a few years ago but I have a diary with the names and addresses of quite a few New Zealanders. I would love to contact anyone who has information about the camp and how they lived there. If anyone is interested in the names I have, and photos, I'd be delighted to help.

 

I just read a great book on Oflag VA by the daughter of Bruce Robertson, a New Zealander who spent a year there. It's called "For the Duration" and is based on his diary.

 

Here is the list my father made as he was being repatriated from Oflag VA in September 1944. This list, or layout, is of one barrack that is divided into 14 rooms with 10 to 12 men per room. My father, Capt. Peter Moloney, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, is listed as "me" in Room 15. I would love to hear from anyone who knows about the other men in this barrack.

Having trouble uploading the list. Message me if you are interested.

 

Hi, new to this, but just been handed my grandfathers Wartime Logbook. He was captured outside Tobruk and taken to Oflag V.A. Weinsberg till the end of the war. He was in Barracks 37, Room 13. Quite a few names mentioned with addresses from USA, UK, South Africa. My grandfather was Captain Victor Desmond Dudley Catherine. It contains a few photographs of sports days and entertainment events organised in camp.

Is there a list of names from the camp one can check against to see if they are also in the log book?

 

My father Trevor Hawkes was a prisoner at Oflag VA Weinsberg. He created a wonderful journal while he was there - with cartoons, drawings, comments and photographs. I have posted four pages from his journal on my facebook page and plan to post more when they have been restored. Or possibly there is a better place to post them? You can view the post at: https://www.facebook.com/sudeva.hawkes/posts/741848225883948

 

Fort Bismarck (built in 1875) in Strasbourg, Alsace, could be the one in Wolfisheim. It is now called fort Kleber .

http://www.wolfisheim.fr/decouvrir/fort-kleber-hier.htm

 

I have started looking at this forum as my late father Roland (Roly) C. K . Edwards, was in Oflag VA. In the attic I have quite a few mementos, similar to those mentioned - scrapbooks, cartoons, photos (including of theatrical productions). Also other similarities; captured in North Africa, spent time as POW in Italy, he knew Charlie Upham. Any links to the lists and other details would be appreciated.

 

Hi, recently looking at my Grandfathers Wartime Log for the first time. He Was Allen Clement Guthrie, a private, captured in Tobruk in June 1942, then through various camps in Italy (82 and 47) and ending up based at Oflag VA. It looks like RCK Edwards was the officer in charge of hairdressing unit at Oflag VA, and my grandfather was one of six members of the hair cutting unit (I think a certain number of non-commissioned officers were in the Oflags to carry out work looking after the officers). The diary has two poems written by RCK Edwards into my grandfathers logbook - one about the hairdressing unit, and one about the the irony of them having their food rations cut in december 1944. Would love to share any other info? Am brand new to the forums so any guidance on the right processes to follow here much appreciated.

 

Hi, first time on this site.
I am attempting to trace my father's movements - he was a P.O.W. from 41 to 45.
I do have photos sent to him from NZ with the Oflag Va stamp on the back.
So that confirms he was there.

He died at the age of 73 - before he was ready to talk and before I was smart enough to get him to talk.

His name was Wal Ormond.

If anyone knew him or has a record of him I would love to hear their story.

Cheers
Arthur Ormond

 

I was just looking at the list my Dad made when he left the camp. There is a Wally Ormond in the same barracks. Even though my dad was English he seems to have been in the NZ barracks. Wally Ormond was in room 14 with John Graham, Seth Barton, Whytehouse, Jeff Herch, and Les Black. The spelling might be a bit off as I am translating his handwriting. My dad, Peter Moloney, was next door in 15. I highly recommend the book For the Duration as it is from the diary of Bruce Robertson who was also in 15. There is also a Dick Ormond in 13. Hope this helps. If you give me your email I can send the list.

 

If I am not mistaken, one of the original huts in Weinsberg still exists today. It also includes an Exhibition.

Stefan.

 

We have discovered that a relative Major Frederick Mead REME was a POW at Oflag V-A, Weinburg and that he was court martialled by the Germans for constructing an escape tunnel and was sentenced to three months in the Military Prison at Graudenz. A fellow POW South African Army Officer Captain Dennis Mosenthal reported the event to the Allied Authorities when he was freed.

For those requiring details of POW's the National Records Office at Kew have files containing Ex-Prisoner of War Questionnaires, which contain details of capture, escape attempts, camps held, etc.

 

In 2016 I wrote;
We went to Weinsberg last summer, one hut (probably a store hut) still exists and holds a small photographic exhibition. The rest of the site is now houses.
We met Susanne Schmel who runs the town museum in the town hall. She has had contacts and visits from a few families connected with Oflag VA. She gave me the details of a few.
A few months ago Antiques Roadshow was from Walmer Castle and someone took along his father's diaries from his time as a POW in Oflag VA. The BBC have passed my email on, but so far no response.
Would you be able to scan and email the poems to me? My father did write a few, and finally in 1992 at the age of 79 he had a poem published as a children's book!

 

Just to correct things, the double VC winner was Charles Upham. There is a biography of him, The Mark of the Lion. I have photos that my father kept of a reunion in London.

 

Hello Arthur, I’m Caroline Hatten, daughter of Christopher Hatten. I have just discovered your father’s signature in his log book. There is a photograph above the various signatures, I imagine one of the men must be your father. I hope you are still checking in to the forum so that I can contact you.
Best wishes,
Caroline