Sanderson, W

, ,

Private William Sanderson

Family/Last name:
Sanderson
Forename(s) and initial(s):
William
Nationality:
British
Service number:
3319447
Military Unit:
British Army, Glasgow Highlanders, 1st Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders)
Rank when captured:
Private
Date of capture:
6/1940
POW number:
32805
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344
Working Party
E173 Setzdorf, E354 Jagerndorf
Data sources
Other Sources (Relative's report)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

From: RAYMOND BELL, Glasgow, Scotland
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014

A friend of mine had asked me to try and find information on his uncle who was a POW at Stalag 344.  I have found him on the war records site and am sending you some information on this soldier if you want to add to your “names” list

My friend (Thomas Sanderson) sent to me:
My Uncle (deceased now) was in the HLI and I’m sure he was in the Glasgow Highlanders (which was the 9th Battalion HLI)
He was a POW in Stalag VIIIB/344 and worked in at least two of their forced labour camps (E173 & E 354). I’ve got his POW number, Official Number and photographs as well as details from the National Archives listing him as a POW in 1943. I’d like to find out where and when he was captured. I know he was ‘Liberated’ by the Russians

Pte William Sanderson
Regt No. 3319447
POW No 32805
Regiment HLI – Possibly the 9th Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders)
Camp Stalag 344 also worked in at least two of their Forced Labour camps (E173 & E 354)

From memory he spent most of the war as a POW, which makes me believe that he was taken prisoner in France
The diaries and documents that I’ve looked at so far, point towards him being taken before the Glasgow Highlanders were evacuated from Dunkirk. I know there were about 140 of them left behind on the retreat to Cherbourg, but don’t know if he was one of the 140.

————————————————————————-

From: Sandy Sanderson, County Durham, England
Date: 15 February 2018
Subject: William Sanderson

In addition to the email sent to you by Raymond Bell 20th January 2014, I have more information on William Sanderson (who was my uncle). I’ve also attached photographs that you may use on your website. Also attached is a copy of the relevant chapter from the Diary of Col J.M. Gordon Hendry, who joined the TA in 1938 and was commissioned into the Glasgow Highlanders and ultimately commanded them from 1955 to 1958.
Photo 1- William Sanderson, Pte, 1st Bn Glasgow Highlanders, POW No. 32805,
Service No. 3319447
Photo 2- Setzdorf, Sudetenland, 1944 (William is standing on far right)
Photo 3- Setzdorf,Kreis Freiwaldau, Ost-Sudetenland 1944 (William is sitting front row, fourth from                 left).
Photo 4- Prague, May 1945. with Bill Driver standing on left, Javomir ?? middle and William on the                 right.
Photo 5- same three people with a lady (may be Red Cross)
Photo 6- Bill Driver, William Sanderson with three Russians, Prague, May 1945

Bill Driver may be Sapper WR Driver, Royal Engineers, POW No. 5942, Service No. 2078346

William was taken prisoner around 17th June 1940 (during Operation Ariel which was after the Dunkirk evacuation). I have a photograph of his younger brother that was sent to him whilst he was a POW. On the back of that photograph there is a red stamp with ‘Stalag 344 Gepruft’ and also handwritten name, POW number and Stalag 344/E.354. He may also have been in Arbeits Kommando E173. From records that I have got, he appears to have been liberated by the Russians around April/May 1945, but he was not recorded as returning from POW until 27th August 1945.

 

 

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