Post by connie on Sept 22, 2021 20:36:31 GMT -5
OVERVIEW of CAMPS that Held Members of the 106th 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Stalag XII-A, Limburg an der Lahn, Germany
Wikipedia currently has no articles on this camp but it is on their list of German POW camps:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_POW_camps#List_of_Camps_by_Military_District
Notes from John Kline's Diary on XIIA:
At the end of a 110 mile march from Bleialf, John Kline spent just 5 1/2 hours here before boarding a train. But he made some notes there & found an info source later: 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War.
From Norman Gruenzner's Postal History of American POWs:... [State College, Penn.: American Philatelic Society, 1979]. Stalag XII-A was near Limburg am Lahn. It was a permanent camp for the British and Italian prisoners. In November 1944, there were 1,500 Americans in camp. Later this figure rose to 3,026. The total camp population now was 20,357."
I learned in 1987, that 63 officers had been killed in a 23 December 1944 bombing. They had been placed in a concrete block building in Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany. The British were bombing a railroad yard nearby and one of the bombs made a direct hit on the officer's barracks. The British bombers, 50 Mosquito bombers, were after the Rail yard at DIEZ, Germany. The winter winds blew the "pathfinder markers" over the POW Camp nearby. I understand that many of those officers were from our Medical Units.
Notes & Photos of Stalag XII-A on Indiana Military Site www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/History.htm
“Stalag” Limburg Xll-A close to Diez, served as a transitory camp from 8-28-1939 to 1-29-1940 and as a Stalag until wars end. It was utilized to house POWs from Belgium, France, Britain, Poland, Russians, Americans, and Italians.
106th Connection
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Andrews, Richard W., PFC 424th Cannon Company, POW XIIA veteran's history project video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/68293
from Ct.In ASTP program for semester and a half before that program was shut down; then in various units including Army Air Corps before being sent to the 106th at Camp Atterbury; account of capture and time in captivity; lost 42 lb. in 5 months; link to other notes on Andrews on this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3551/thread
Black, Ewell Jr (Rev. ) 422-A POW XII A, IV B, work camp at Gleina www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/Ewell%20Black/Ewell%20Black.htm
Surrendered noon Dec. 18; He writes:" We arrived at Stalag XII—A in Limburg about dark on December 30th or 31st. Housing was in large medical tents which had been captured. We slept on the ground with no heat in the tents (we had no heat in any of the various places which we were housed during the march). The following night we received “grass soup”, which was our first meal since Koblenz. New Year’s of 1944 was spent at XII—A and several days following. We were loaded in box cars for turned out to be a five or six day ride to Stalag IVB at Muhlberg." His stay in Muhlberb was followed by time at a work camp 3 Km from Zeitz in in the small farming community of Gleina about three km. from Zeitz (arriving 3rd wk of January) With about 120 men he was above a home and barn in what had been a pre-war night club. They worked daily in cleaning a bombed out factory. He was liberated Friday April 13. video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.50158/
Links on this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5026/thread
Descheneaux, George, Col. 422, POW XIIA, Wetzlar Dulag Luft, XIIA, Oflag 79 - history on the Indiana Military Site shows multiple stays at XII A.
Here's a link to his history on the Indiana Military site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/George%20Descheneaux/George%20Descheneaux.htm
The bottom of this site traces his locations after capture. Also see Discussion Board thread with more links: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4964/thread
Freas, Russell A. Jr, Cpt. 423 Sv. Co. POW IX A, IX-B? discussion of info and search for more: www.106thinfdivassn.org/stories/russell_freas.html
His date of death is listed as Dec. 23, giving Limburg as the location; accounts say he was aboard train moving from XIIA - IX B. He may not have even disembarked at the former. He died Dec. 23, 1944. It may have been during or following an escape attempt while en route on the train.
Forsythe James D, 424-A POW XII-A links to his story: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3874/thread
In the early evening of December 16, 1944 his unit was scattered sparsely in a holding action, and armed with only 40 rounds of ammunition per soldier when German tanks followed by infantry filled the nearby village. Most of his squad was killed in the first few minutes of the battle. Five survivors, including Forsythe, hid in a root cellar. They were soon discovered and captured by the German SS Troops. The prisoners were eventually taken to a train station and loaded in boxcars. Most of the prisoners came down with severe dysentery and many did not survive the trip to Stalag 12-A at Limburg, Germany. In less than a year, he went from a healthy 178 pounds to a 105 pound man in very poor health. When liberated he had not had a change of clothes, a tooth brush, or bath in 5 months and seven days. He was among the liberated prisoners taken to Reims, France and after many weeks in the hospital he eventually made his way home to Leachville. His parents had not received news of his release. They had initially received word that he was missing in action and later that he was a prisoner of war. His many commendations and medals include 3 Bronze Stars, European African Middle East Campaign with Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Sharp Shooter Medal, Sniper Medal, Missing Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart." (account from his obituary on above link)
Detailed Military History on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/James%20Forsythe/Forsythe-James.pdf
Jeters, Robert 424-C POW Stalags XIIA, IIIA, nearby coal work camp in Wunsdorf, XI-B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XI-B/RobertJeters/RobertJeters.htm
captured in Winterspelt and traveling with a group of 30-40 others, made his first brief POW stop at XIIA in Limburg on Christmas eve. In the night there was an air raid here. In the AM they were told that an officer's barracks had taken a direct hit and 60 American officers had been killed; he moved on Christmas day for the long march from Limburg to Luchenwalde and Stalag III A. He spent 3 days here where he cleaned up and wrote a letter. Then he was chosen to go to a small nearby work camp in Wunsdorf from which he worked in the Coal yards (Some worked on farms or in a nearby military school.) He was sent from here on a brief detail unloading flour from barges in Berlin. While he was gone the nearby military school was bombed and some hit the camp. His last encampment was XI-B.
Holtzmiller, J. Don Cpl. 589 A, POW Stalags XIII-C, XIII-D, VII-A 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5001/thread
Note: Holtzmiller DID NOT STAY AT XII-A but his brief account of arriving at the gates of this camp holds useful info:
On the morning of the 25th we arrived at Limburg, Germany. We were unloaded and marched to the gates of the prison camp, but were turned away as bombs had been dropped the night before and many of the facilities had been destroyed. I found out later that Lieutenant O’Toole from my battery had been killed in the bombing of the Limburg POW camp. We were marched back to the Limburg station area and had to wait till night to be reloaded aboard the boxcars. The trains ran only at night to avoid the fighter bombers who flew around Germany in daylight looking for trains to destroy.
Kline, John P, Sgt 423 M-Heavy Machine Gun Squad Leader, POW XII-A, IV-B, VIII A and long march to Braunschweig 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2959/thread
Notes from Kline's diary www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Kline/Kline-John.pdf
XII-A provided only a 5 1/2 hour pause on Kline's POW journey. But he does provide some info on this camp.
Captured 19 December, 1944 - Marched 110 miles to Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany... Some details of that journey follow. 12/21/44 Arrived in Dockweiler Dries 2300. Billeted in an old German barracks. During the three days there, he spoke of the food and a nearby bombing... 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War. This would be a brief stop of 5 1/2 hours. They were given bread but no water. Then they were shipped out in railroad boxcars. 01/07/45 Arrived Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany - Thirty-two miles northwest of Dresden. We finally had a shower and had our clothes deloused. We were given some medication injected into the muscle area of the left chest. I never did learn what that medication was, possibly it was to prevent typhus or tetanus. We were billeted in small barracks, with sanitary conditions that matched those in the train. The sanitary conditions were deplorable....Here he was finally registered as a POW. 01/12/45 We left Stalag IV-B (Muhlberg) in box cars. We were given a good portion of bread and water and traveled all night.01/13/45 We arrived at Stalag VIII-A Görlitz, Germany. Görlitz, Germany is located about 70 miles east northeast of Dresden on the Polish border, a few miles north of the Czech border and about 135 miles southeast of Berlin. Görlitz straddles the River Neisse in the territory of Lower Silesia, Germany... In early 1945 the Russian advance approaching the Oder was the cause for evacuation of prisoners from Poland and Upper Silesia. This situation caused cramped quarters in Stalag VIII-A, and the food supply dwindled to meager rations. On February 14th, 1945 after several false starts, the first party of a large number of Americans (We were told there were sixteen hundred Americans in our column that left February 14th, 1945) and nearly 200 British were evacuated to the West. On February 15th twelve hundred British set out following the first party that departed on February 14. (Kline was in the 1st party). As various groups went on their way from Duderstadt, they went in one of two directions, Northwest to Stalag XI-B, Fallingbostel. Or, like me, north to Braunschweig. The groups that went to Stalag XI-B were liberated on or about April 5, 1945. Our group was liberated on April 13, 1945, just a few miles east of Braunschweig.
Ray, Marion, Sgt. 1st BN 424 D POW Stalag XIIA & II A- www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Current%20Affairs/Marion%20Ray.htm
Ray was at Stalag XIIA as a brief clearing camp on December 23. A note from a chaplain saying that he was free was sent home on 14 May.
Author of a book about his POW experiences entitled darn Cold and Starving 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3820/thread
For more links to info on Marion Ray, including a video interview that tells a bit about his capture and POW time, see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/1006/ray-marion-424
Overview of Camps that Held Members of the 106th: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread
MAP of GERMAN POW CAMPS: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4961/thread
FINDING a POW's WORK CAMP: jrwentz attached two helpful posts near the bottom of the following thread: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4942/thread
Stalag XII-A, Limburg an der Lahn, Germany
Wikipedia currently has no articles on this camp but it is on their list of German POW camps:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_POW_camps#List_of_Camps_by_Military_District
Notes from John Kline's Diary on XIIA:
At the end of a 110 mile march from Bleialf, John Kline spent just 5 1/2 hours here before boarding a train. But he made some notes there & found an info source later: 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War.
From Norman Gruenzner's Postal History of American POWs:... [State College, Penn.: American Philatelic Society, 1979]. Stalag XII-A was near Limburg am Lahn. It was a permanent camp for the British and Italian prisoners. In November 1944, there were 1,500 Americans in camp. Later this figure rose to 3,026. The total camp population now was 20,357."
I learned in 1987, that 63 officers had been killed in a 23 December 1944 bombing. They had been placed in a concrete block building in Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany. The British were bombing a railroad yard nearby and one of the bombs made a direct hit on the officer's barracks. The British bombers, 50 Mosquito bombers, were after the Rail yard at DIEZ, Germany. The winter winds blew the "pathfinder markers" over the POW Camp nearby. I understand that many of those officers were from our Medical Units.
Notes & Photos of Stalag XII-A on Indiana Military Site www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/History.htm
“Stalag” Limburg Xll-A close to Diez, served as a transitory camp from 8-28-1939 to 1-29-1940 and as a Stalag until wars end. It was utilized to house POWs from Belgium, France, Britain, Poland, Russians, Americans, and Italians.
click to enlarge
106th Connection
List of 423 Infantry Regiment POW's: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/64%20-%20423rd%20roster/64.htm
Sidebar List of POW Camps & some names of POW's there www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/SoThinkMenu/GermanPW-START.htm
Sidebar List of Diaries, Obits, & Articles, etc. alphabetically on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/SoThinkMenu/106thSTART.htm
Andrews, Richard W., PFC 424th Cannon Company, POW XIIA veteran's history project video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/68293
from Ct.In ASTP program for semester and a half before that program was shut down; then in various units including Army Air Corps before being sent to the 106th at Camp Atterbury; account of capture and time in captivity; lost 42 lb. in 5 months; link to other notes on Andrews on this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3551/thread
Black, Ewell Jr (Rev. ) 422-A POW XII A, IV B, work camp at Gleina www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/Ewell%20Black/Ewell%20Black.htm
Surrendered noon Dec. 18; He writes:" We arrived at Stalag XII—A in Limburg about dark on December 30th or 31st. Housing was in large medical tents which had been captured. We slept on the ground with no heat in the tents (we had no heat in any of the various places which we were housed during the march). The following night we received “grass soup”, which was our first meal since Koblenz. New Year’s of 1944 was spent at XII—A and several days following. We were loaded in box cars for turned out to be a five or six day ride to Stalag IVB at Muhlberg." His stay in Muhlberb was followed by time at a work camp 3 Km from Zeitz in in the small farming community of Gleina about three km. from Zeitz (arriving 3rd wk of January) With about 120 men he was above a home and barn in what had been a pre-war night club. They worked daily in cleaning a bombed out factory. He was liberated Friday April 13. video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.50158/
Links on this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5026/thread
Descheneaux, George, Col. 422, POW XIIA, Wetzlar Dulag Luft, XIIA, Oflag 79 - history on the Indiana Military Site shows multiple stays at XII A.
Here's a link to his history on the Indiana Military site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/George%20Descheneaux/George%20Descheneaux.htm
The bottom of this site traces his locations after capture. Also see Discussion Board thread with more links: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4964/thread
Freas, Russell A. Jr, Cpt. 423 Sv. Co. POW IX A, IX-B? discussion of info and search for more: www.106thinfdivassn.org/stories/russell_freas.html
His date of death is listed as Dec. 23, giving Limburg as the location; accounts say he was aboard train moving from XIIA - IX B. He may not have even disembarked at the former. He died Dec. 23, 1944. It may have been during or following an escape attempt while en route on the train.
Forsythe James D, 424-A POW XII-A links to his story: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3874/thread
In the early evening of December 16, 1944 his unit was scattered sparsely in a holding action, and armed with only 40 rounds of ammunition per soldier when German tanks followed by infantry filled the nearby village. Most of his squad was killed in the first few minutes of the battle. Five survivors, including Forsythe, hid in a root cellar. They were soon discovered and captured by the German SS Troops. The prisoners were eventually taken to a train station and loaded in boxcars. Most of the prisoners came down with severe dysentery and many did not survive the trip to Stalag 12-A at Limburg, Germany. In less than a year, he went from a healthy 178 pounds to a 105 pound man in very poor health. When liberated he had not had a change of clothes, a tooth brush, or bath in 5 months and seven days. He was among the liberated prisoners taken to Reims, France and after many weeks in the hospital he eventually made his way home to Leachville. His parents had not received news of his release. They had initially received word that he was missing in action and later that he was a prisoner of war. His many commendations and medals include 3 Bronze Stars, European African Middle East Campaign with Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Sharp Shooter Medal, Sniper Medal, Missing Prisoner of War Medal, and the Purple Heart." (account from his obituary on above link)
Detailed Military History on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XII-A%20Limburg/James%20Forsythe/Forsythe-James.pdf
Jeters, Robert 424-C POW Stalags XIIA, IIIA, nearby coal work camp in Wunsdorf, XI-B www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20XI-B/RobertJeters/RobertJeters.htm
captured in Winterspelt and traveling with a group of 30-40 others, made his first brief POW stop at XIIA in Limburg on Christmas eve. In the night there was an air raid here. In the AM they were told that an officer's barracks had taken a direct hit and 60 American officers had been killed; he moved on Christmas day for the long march from Limburg to Luchenwalde and Stalag III A. He spent 3 days here where he cleaned up and wrote a letter. Then he was chosen to go to a small nearby work camp in Wunsdorf from which he worked in the Coal yards (Some worked on farms or in a nearby military school.) He was sent from here on a brief detail unloading flour from barges in Berlin. While he was gone the nearby military school was bombed and some hit the camp. His last encampment was XI-B.
Holtzmiller, J. Don Cpl. 589 A, POW Stalags XIII-C, XIII-D, VII-A 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5001/thread
Note: Holtzmiller DID NOT STAY AT XII-A but his brief account of arriving at the gates of this camp holds useful info:
On the morning of the 25th we arrived at Limburg, Germany. We were unloaded and marched to the gates of the prison camp, but were turned away as bombs had been dropped the night before and many of the facilities had been destroyed. I found out later that Lieutenant O’Toole from my battery had been killed in the bombing of the Limburg POW camp. We were marched back to the Limburg station area and had to wait till night to be reloaded aboard the boxcars. The trains ran only at night to avoid the fighter bombers who flew around Germany in daylight looking for trains to destroy.
Kline, John P, Sgt 423 M-Heavy Machine Gun Squad Leader, POW XII-A, IV-B, VIII A and long march to Braunschweig 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2959/thread
Notes from Kline's diary www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20VIII-A%20Gorlitz/John%20Kline/Kline-John.pdf
XII-A provided only a 5 1/2 hour pause on Kline's POW journey. But he does provide some info on this camp.
Captured 19 December, 1944 - Marched 110 miles to Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany... Some details of that journey follow. 12/21/44 Arrived in Dockweiler Dries 2300. Billeted in an old German barracks. During the three days there, he spoke of the food and a nearby bombing... 12/30/44 Arrived Stalag XII-A, Limburg, Germany 1030 in the morning. This was a large prisoner transit camp. Large circus style tents and what seemed to be adequate food. We were still not registered as Prisoners of War. This would be a brief stop of 5 1/2 hours. They were given bread but no water. Then they were shipped out in railroad boxcars. 01/07/45 Arrived Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany - Thirty-two miles northwest of Dresden. We finally had a shower and had our clothes deloused. We were given some medication injected into the muscle area of the left chest. I never did learn what that medication was, possibly it was to prevent typhus or tetanus. We were billeted in small barracks, with sanitary conditions that matched those in the train. The sanitary conditions were deplorable....Here he was finally registered as a POW. 01/12/45 We left Stalag IV-B (Muhlberg) in box cars. We were given a good portion of bread and water and traveled all night.01/13/45 We arrived at Stalag VIII-A Görlitz, Germany. Görlitz, Germany is located about 70 miles east northeast of Dresden on the Polish border, a few miles north of the Czech border and about 135 miles southeast of Berlin. Görlitz straddles the River Neisse in the territory of Lower Silesia, Germany... In early 1945 the Russian advance approaching the Oder was the cause for evacuation of prisoners from Poland and Upper Silesia. This situation caused cramped quarters in Stalag VIII-A, and the food supply dwindled to meager rations. On February 14th, 1945 after several false starts, the first party of a large number of Americans (We were told there were sixteen hundred Americans in our column that left February 14th, 1945) and nearly 200 British were evacuated to the West. On February 15th twelve hundred British set out following the first party that departed on February 14. (Kline was in the 1st party). As various groups went on their way from Duderstadt, they went in one of two directions, Northwest to Stalag XI-B, Fallingbostel. Or, like me, north to Braunschweig. The groups that went to Stalag XI-B were liberated on or about April 5, 1945. Our group was liberated on April 13, 1945, just a few miles east of Braunschweig.
Ray, Marion, Sgt. 1st BN 424 D POW Stalag XIIA & II A- www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Current%20Affairs/Marion%20Ray.htm
Ray was at Stalag XIIA as a brief clearing camp on December 23. A note from a chaplain saying that he was free was sent home on 14 May.
Author of a book about his POW experiences entitled darn Cold and Starving 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3820/thread
For more links to info on Marion Ray, including a video interview that tells a bit about his capture and POW time, see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/1006/ray-marion-424
Overview of Camps that Held Members of the 106th: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/752/thread