BAB 21 Blechhammer / Kedzierzyn-Kozle (later renamed E793)

Number:
BAB 21
Location(s):
Originally Posnan, later moved to Blechhammer
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXID Posen

Bau und Arbeits Battalion 21 [construction and labour battalion 21]  (BAB 21) was established at Stalag XXID in Posen (Poznan) in 1940. It moved to Blechhammer [sheet metal hammer] alongside the Adolph Hitler Kanal [Canal] in March 1942, to construct and expand the Oberschlesische Hydrierwerke AG factory, [Upper Silesian hydrogenation works] At this time it consisted of about 600 POWs. It  amalgamated with BAB 48 in March 1943 retaining the name BAB 21 and then consisting of some 1,200 POWs.

Attached to BAB 21 was Working Party E3.

In December 1944 the BAB 21 designation was changed to E793. The OHW (Upper Silesian Hydrogenation Works) was intended to produce liquid fuel from coal for the German armed forces’ vehicles.

You can read a detailed account in ‘Blechhammer‘ by Duane L. “Sparky” Bohnstedt, 460th Bomb Group Historian.

Thanks to Keith Newman for his list of the POWs at this Working Party, who have been incorporated into this site. You can also read Keith Newman’s BAB 21 Blog

BAB 21 was a conglomerate of manufacturing, refining and processing plants

Prison Camp key
Refinery Map 3 North
Refinery Description South
Refinery Map 4 South

Some of the men drew their own sketch maps of the site based upon personal experience.

Sydney Barthorpe Sketch BAB21
Sgt Davies Sketch BAB21
Harold Pitt Sketch Bab21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posts related to this working party

Found 631 POWs

View these result on a separate page

Last name First name Rank Nationality Unit Service number Camp POW number
Aaron J Private British British Army, Durham Light Infantry 4457224 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 636
Abell Ronald Henry Rifleman British Army, King's Royal Rifle Corps 6896061 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 2219
Alexander J Able Seaman Royal Navy (UK) P/JX209976 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 98577
Allbury J E Private British Army, Royal Army Medical Corps 7366423 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 6015
Allcock J Driver British Army, Royal Engineers 1875747 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 33375
Amos Leslie Charles Sapper British British Army, Royal Engineers 1886442 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 5543
Andrews E Private British Army, Kensington Regiment 6210069 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 10593
Andrews Henry C Gunner British Army, Royal Artillery 754401 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 5841
Ardron W Private British Army, Pioneer Corps 2190048 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 996
Arnott John G Private British British Army, Black Watch 2755681 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 10256
Asquith W Driver British Army, Royal Artillery 1508631 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3152
Aston Harold F Private British British Army, Gloucestershire Regiment 5182842 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3552
Atherton J Fusilier British Army, Lancashire Fusiliers 3655435 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 784
Atherton J Private British Army, East Lancashire Regiment 7264501 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 33377
Aubrey T W Driver British Army, Royal Army Service Corps 141236 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2662
Bagwell Frederick J Private British Army, Gloucestershire Regiment 5182303 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 3559
Baines A Fusilier British British Army, Royal Welch Fusiliers 4192104 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2573
Baines J R Private British Army, Dorsetshire Regiment 5721953 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3557
Baker G S Private British Army, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment 6347005 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3117
Ballard J W Trooper British Army, Royal Armoured Corps 7883888 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 471
Balmbra W Lance Corporal British Army, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 4265519 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 5828
Banpfylde Albert Private British British Army, Worcestershire Regiment 758218 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 6069
Barber E R Private British Army, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment 6345710 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2374
Barker J Private British Army, Royal Army Ordnance Corps 7615838 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 1994
Barlow W Lance Corporal British Army, Royal Engineers 4340107 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2259
Barnes C Private Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) 5674101 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3417
Barnett H F Driver British Army, Royal Artillery 1438141 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 4885
Barnett William Private Irish British Army, Royal Berkshire Regiment 5339546 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 472
Barnham H T Private British Army, East Surrey Regiment 6144895 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 5770
Bartholomew George Arthur Driver British Army, Royal Engineers 1884199 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 34625
Barthorpe S Private British British Army, Sherwood Foresters 4975425 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXID Posen 343
Bartram F Private British Army, East Surrey Regiment 6143665 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 6711
Bates Ernest Private British Army, East Yorkshire Regiment 4347837 PG 73 Fossoli di Carpi, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag IVB Mühlberg (Elbe) 221128
Bates W Fusilier British Army, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 4976362 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 1895
Bayley W C Private British Army, East Surrey Regiment 6144918 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 6781
Beach C J Private British Army, Gloucestershire Regiment 5180293 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3176
Bean R Craftsman British Army, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 7608202 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 6290
Beard A A Sapper British Army, Royal Engineers 1866532 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 5913
Beck Joseph Frederick Signalman British British Army, Royal Corps of Signals 2587790 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 4320
Beigley Alexander McL Sapper British Army, Royal Engineers 2193942 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 4638
Bell Thomas Graham Gunner British Army, Royal Artillery 1441183 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 560
Bennett Frank W Gunner British British Army, Royal Artillery 943120 Stalag XXIB Schubin, Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2975
Benson R W J Private British Army, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 3769189 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2997
Bentham W Private British Army, Durham Light Infantry 4449446 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 5094
Benton J H V Sapper British Army, Royal Engineers 1876881 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 2299
Bernhardt A W Private British Army, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment 6348018 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3288
Berry John Fusilier British Army, Lancashire Fusiliers 3655448 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 436
Berry John B Private British Army, East Surrey Regiment 6144845 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Stalag XXIB Schubin 5769
Berry W Rifleman British Army, King's Royal Rifle Corps 6846738 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 3404
Berwick H G Gunner British Army, Royal Artillery 1508688 Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344 4877