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Thread: Was this man a POW?

  1. 12-21-2011, 07:00 AM #1
    kenmorrison
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    DefaultWas this man a POW?

    I'm trying to trace the history of a man interred in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Reading the CWGC notes it seems likely that he was a POW.
    John Robb, Warrant Officer Class 1/Conductor (7593838) Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Died 19 June 1943.
    Any ideas on how I might prove that he was a POW?
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  2. 12-21-2011, 05:26 PM #2
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    sniper
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    Hi Ken,

    I would say this guy is a POW as its unlikely he went along on a joyride on a bomber. I think he was probably made captive during 1939-40 during the Allied withdrawal from mainland Europe. I believe that the only way you will be able to prove that he was a POW is to get his military records from the MOD. By the way, you say he was a conductor, does this mean he was in the RAOC band? If you need the MOD website where you can apply for his records just let me know and i'll post it up for you, there is a long waiting list for this service from what i can remember but you should have them after a few months.

    Regards
    Mike
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  3. 12-22-2011, 05:22 AM #3
    kenmorrison
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    Cheers Mike - That was my thinking too.
    Regarding the rank of Conductor, Wikipedia has:
    Conductor (Cdr) is an appointment held by a few selected Warrant Officers Class 1 in the Royal Logistic Corps and is the most senior appointment that can be held by a warrant officer in the British Army. The appointment was also reintroduced into the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps for selected Warrant Officers Class 1 in 2005.
    The rank has a long history and all sorts of web sites and no, nothing to do with bands.

    Ken
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  4. 12-22-2011, 06:12 PM #4
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    sniper
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    Hi Ken,

    Must admit i had not heard of that rank before except for those involved with the Corps Band. And so far i have no photos of a headstone with that rank on it. It must be an honour to get that rank especially as its only for the chosen few RSM's. I'm wondering if its possible he may have been captured during the middle east theatre and transferred as a POW from there to Germany. Do you have any idea in which camp he was a POW, it could of been Colditz.

    Mike
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