Challis, R H
Private Reginald Henry (Harry) Challis
My late grandfather Reginald Henry Challis (known as Harry Challis) was captured in May 1940 at St Venant, France. He was at Stalag VIII B from June 1940 to October 1943 (transferred to Stalag VIII A).
Please can you add his name ‘Harry Challis’ to the list of POWs. I have attached a copy of his army career information I have managed to collate so far and a copy of a photo of POWs taken at Munsterburg (Harry is circled 3rd row from the back, 3rd from the right).
Ron Challis
Enlistment
Name: Harry Challis
Address: 7 Mount Place, Old Windsor, Berkshire
Birthplace: Old Windsor, Berkshire
Date of birth: 09/12/1906.
Date of enlistment: 17/08/1925
Occupation: Assistant Gardener
Age: 18
Height: 5 ft 51/2 inches
Weight: 112 lbs
Chest (fully expanded): 33 inches Range of expansion: 3 inches
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Light Brown
Religion: C of E
______________________
Regiment: Royal Berkshire
No.: 5332257
Rank: Private
Term: 12 years (3 with the Colours and 9 in Army Reserve)
Home, Berkshire 17/08/1925 to 25/01/1926
Attested 17/08/1925
Posted (Unit: Depot) 20/08/1925
Posted (Unit: 2nd Battalion) 26/01/1926
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Schierstein Compound, Weisbaden, Germany 26/01/1926 to 24/07/1928
06/10/1926
Conduct: Good
A clean, sober and hard-working man. Employed in cook-house for past 5 months satisfactorily
29/09/1927
Conduct: Good
A clean, honest, sober and Hard-working man. Employed as regimental policeman.
Home, Berkshire 25/07/1928 to 16/08/1928
_________________
21/07/1928
Conduct: Very Good
Sober, honest, hard-working and reliable. Has had considerable experience as a regimental policeman.
________________
18/07/1928
Conduct: Excellent
A clean, honest, sober and hard-working man. Employed as regimental policeman.
Army Reserves 17/08/1928 to 01/09/1939
Transferred (Unit: Section A army reserve)) 17/08/1928
Transferred (Unit: Section B army reserve)) 17/08/1929
Married to Elsie Ould Stannaway 06/08/1932
Address: 143 Britton Street, Gillingham, Kent
Son born (Derek Henry) 05/06/1933
Son born (Cyril Edmund) 25/11/1935
Re-engaged for 4 years 17/08/1937
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Mobilized 02/09/1939
British Expeditionary Force (BEF), France 24/09/1939 to 11/05/1940
1st Battalion (embarked and entered theatre of war) 24/09/1939
Granted leave to UK 14/01/1940 to 24/01/1940
Prisoner of War (POW) 27/05/1940 to 21/04/1945
Captured St Venant, France 27/05/1940
On the following morning the tension increased and enemy attacks became general everywhere. Battalion headquarters itself was attacked at dawn and in the dog-fight that followed clerks, orderlies and batmen became closely engaged [Ref 4]
On one morning whilst warming up the truck engines they were confronted by surprise with armed Germans [Ref 5]
Arrived at Stalag VIIIB (Teschen, Czech/Poland) 14/06/1940
POW No. 11256
Transferred to Stalag VIIIA (Görlitz, Germany) 19/10/1943
Evacuated from Stalag VIIIA February 1945
Home, Berkshire 22/04/1945 to 23/10/1945
Arrived in UK 22/04/1945
Day of release 24/06/1945
Granted release leave 25/06/1945 to 23/10/1945
Army Reserves 24/10/1928 to 10/02/1954
Released to Army Reserves 24/10/1945
Discharged from Army Reserves list 10/02/1954
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Medals: 1939-45 Star, War medal 1939-45
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References:
- Army service records, Army Personnel Centre, Civil Secretariat, Historical Disclosures, Glasgow
- International Red Cross, Archives Division and Research Service, Geneva
- The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum
- The History of The Royal Berkshire Regiment 1920-1947 Gordon Blight
- Verbal account to son and daughter-in-law (Derek and Margaret Challis)
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