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My husband was a prisoner of war for three-and-a-half years in Italy and Germany. He was in the Royal Signals and was taken prisoner at the fall of Tobruk by the Panzer Divisions of the German Army. About two-thirds of his camp died of dysentery and then they were taken in cattle trucks over the Brener Pass into Germany, and he was just outside Dresden. He was fortunate there, as the men were employed by a local firm and the head of the firm was married to an English woman, so fortunately he got better treatment there. He was fluent in German so was able to be the Camp interpreter which helped enormously. He was there the night the RAF bombed Dresden and he and his fellow prisoners had to go in and help clear up which must have been an incredible experience. He had already suffered — when he was taken prisoner at Tobruk he lost the use of his right arm which they said was purely psychological. He was freed by the Russians and the Americans and was flown back to England. He suffered from the effects of the war. Those of our generation who had lived through the war did live with it for the rest of our lives.

This story was entered on The People's War Website by Stuart Ross on behalf of Pat Warford. Pat fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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