Pte Fred Sheridan, 7th Worcestershire

This section of the forum is for any enquires relating the the Second World War covering the dates 1939 to 1946.

Moderators: Kevin Lynott, peter, LarsA

Pte Fred Sheridan, 7th Worcestershire

Postby LarsA » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:05 pm

I have just aquired the 39-45/War medal group to Pte 4197291 Fred Sheridan of the 7th battalion. He became POW before Dunkirk, and died of TBC while a POW.

He is listed as being held in Stalag 8b (Lamsdorf, now in Poland) and buried in Berlin War Cemetery.

One thing I am trying to understand why a man held in Lamsdorf is buried in Berlin? When checking on different sites I understand that men dying at Lamsdorf might be expected to be interred in Poland.

Does anyone have any information on this?

Kind regards,
Lars
In memory of
17239 R J Washington MM, TEM, 2nd & 8th btn WWI
7852 W Russell, 2nd & 9th btn WWI
J Davies, 1st btn WWII, POW at Tobruk
4197291 Pte F Sheridan, POW France 1940
LarsA
 
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:42 pm
Location: South Sweden

PTE FRED SHERIDAN - 7TH WORCESTERS AND POW AT LAMSDORF

Postby shelldrake » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:12 pm

Lars,

I know nothing about the soldier you are enquiring about, but can offer some background information on POW's in Lamsdorf which may give an answer to your question.
Lamsdorf (Stalag VIIIB and in 1944 renumbered to Stalag 344) was also a POW Camp in WW1. It was used for the same purpose in WW2 and the first British prisoners arrived there in 1940. Due to it's very poor conditions it quickly became known as the 'Prison Camp from Hell', at one stage there were over 10,000 British POW's held there. In addition to the main camp there were also 235 satellite or work camps (Arbeitskommandos) - supposedly administered by the main POW camp. The purpose of these camps or groups was to provide labour (POW's) to the local industrial and coal mining areas - but in fact to almost anywhere in GERMANY. Thousands of POW's were moved around the country for this purpose - particularly if they had a special trade or skill which was in demand.
So, a large POW camp with a very transient POW population - although your man is listed as having been held at Lamsdorf it may have been only on paper and he may have actually beeen working (and died) close to Berlin.

Hope this helps. Regards,

Shelldrake
shelldrake
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:52 pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Postby LarsA » Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:18 pm

Thanks Shelldrake,
it helps very much and seems like a reasonable explanation.

Kind regards,
Lars
In memory of
17239 R J Washington MM, TEM, 2nd & 8th btn WWI
7852 W Russell, 2nd & 9th btn WWI
J Davies, 1st btn WWII, POW at Tobruk
4197291 Pte F Sheridan, POW France 1940
LarsA
 
Posts: 142
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:42 pm
Location: South Sweden

PTE FRED SHERIDAN

Postby shelldrake » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:42 pm

?="LarsA"? Shelldrake,
it helps very much and seems like a reasonable explanation.

Kind regards,
?/?

I should have also added the possibility that he could have been a POW escaper, on the run, who didn't make it.

Shelldrake
shelldrake
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:52 pm
Location: North Yorkshire


Return to Second World War

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests