Clark, J S

, ,

Sergeant James Strauss (Nobby) Clark

Family/Last name:
Clark
Forename(s) and initial(s):
James Strauss (Nobby)
Place of birth:
Pretoria, South Africa
Date of birth:
23/11/1900
Nationality:
South Africa
Service number:
79001
Military Unit:
South African Army (Union Defence Force), 5th South African Infantry, 3 Transvaal Scottish
Rank when captured:
Sergeant
Place of capture:
Sidi Rezegh, Tobruk
Date of capture:
23/11/1941
POW number:
31341
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XIIIC Hammelburg
Data sources
The National Archives (UK)Other Sources (Relative's report / WO392 POW Lists)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

From: Tessa Vlok

Sergeant James Strauss Clark

POW:  31341

SERVICE No:  79001

5th South African Inf.

1 S.A. Brigade

East Africa Force

3 Transvaal Scottish

My grandfather-in-law ‘Nobby’ Clark survived the Lamsdorf death march.  And after been struck in the back with a rifle butt, he was rendered paralysed for a time.  Were it not for his two NZ friends known only as ‘George’ and ‘Ronnie’, who carried him on the death march, he would have been shot by Nazi soldiers.  We are desperate to find out who these men were.

He was captured in Tobruk, Libya on 23.11.1941.  Where got moved from camp to camp, and escaped 7 times.

Here are some of the confirmed POW camps and dates:

CC no. 66 PM 3400 – 14.02.1942

CC no. 52 PM 3100 – 04.04.1942

Stalag VIIIB  –  29.09.1943

Stalag 344  – 12.10.1944

Stalag XIIIC – 02.03.1945

The photo was taken in Stalag VIIIB.  We believe Nobby fourth from the left in the top row.  We would love to know who the others are in the photo.

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