Work Camp  1749 L

 

Location: Meinsdorf bei Schwanburg

Type of work: Farmwork

Man of Confidence: Cpl F.A. Pannell

Number of Men: 13 approx.

Known to be present

Forename
Surname
Rank
Unit
POW
Comments
D.K. Barrett Sgt R Marines    
Jerry Bowles   R Marines    
James M. Carr Dvr RASC 5435 Newcastle
John Evans   R Marines    
Ron A. Hadfield Gnr RA 6942  
Ted Keenan Pte   7161 New Zealand
Bluey Lee       Australia
Jock McDonald        
F.A. (Tony) Pannell Dvr RASC 7266  
Norm H. Savage Gnr RA 6941  
Andy Shaw   R Marines    
Robert Blair Sim Spr   4110 New Zealand
Robert Alexander Laing Sinclair Marine R Marines 6235  
  The smaller of the two women in the third picture below is probably Frau Strametz, who owned the farm where Jim Carr worked. Near the end of the war she heard that her husband, who was in the German Army, had been killed. At the end of the war, she asked Jim if he would stay behind and marry her, but he declined.

(Thanks to Jim Carr's son, Murray, and Karen Dorrell, granddaughter of Sgt Barrett, for the photos and the information.)

 

Extracts from the diary of D.K. Barrett

This was our camp where we slept.  (See top photo) Our room which housed 13 of us, is on the extreme left of verandah.  The next room to it was the sleeping quarters of the two german guards & the other room at top of stairs belonged to Pepi the old caretaker.  We were escorted to our farms at 6am & brought back at 9pm.  Sunday was a non-working day but we had to go to our farms for meals only.  The remainder of the day was spent sunbathing or washing & bathing etc.  The local village was Schwanberg about 30 miles SW of Graz.  The building and adjoining vineyards are owned by Frau Urban and in peacetime is frequented by tourists.  The countryside is beautiful and I made many friends there.  We were the first British Prisoners seen in that area and were a great curio to the villagers."

Date of Red Cross visit: 10 September 1943

The clothing not yet complete. Petrol for lamps not sufficient. Electric light could be laid. The Man of Confidence who was recorded Non-commissioned Officer in the camp at Marburg in 1942 is not now recognised.


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