jemtw

Hi all (Hi Ted) Terry Thorpe-Woods was my Dad, the letters etc were stolen from his flat after he died, sad but these things often happen. I've had a chat to Gilbert I lay no claim (or blame), Dad would be pleased that any papers -such as they were- are in the hands of enthusiasts! The medal isn't his, I have his strip and his commission, and a few other bits and bobs and some photos and will try to post a pick of them here to complete the story. I also have his prison camp diary which is stuffed full of memories and memorabilia, I've promised it the the Imperial War Museum but if Gilbert and I ever get our act and photocopiers together, I'm happy to share it. So a Pocket History of Dad's military service. He was a Territorial before the war, living in Chislehurst, recruited in Bromley (as per the paperwork) and served with the Royal West Kents in the BEF. He was captured at Montreul as part of the rearguard protecting the withdrawal from Dunkirk, he had his thumb shot off but it was stitched back on by a German Field Doctor using Mustard as antiseptic. later his guards were relieved of their duty by Rommels' 7th Panzer division who were upset about the 'manhandling of British Prisoners'. Dad was in several prisoner of war camps before Eichstadt, but I think spent most of his time there. He broke his ankle tunnelling, the football story was an alibi. He was forced to March West ahead of the Russian advance and was strafed by the Americans for his trouble (I think this is quite well known), and ended up around Belson, to be released by the Americans. While he was in POW camp he was a key contact for British Military Intelligence, not because he was a spy but because his father was, Henry Thorpe-Woods ran IMRC -international Marine Radio Corp- and was sending radios piece by piece (and compasses etc) in Red Cross Food Parcels to his son.... these for some reason were never searched by the German guards. The radios were then reassembled in the camp, and although some were captured by guards, they never worked out where they were coming from. Post war he was stationed in Hamburg, as a quartermaster and officer in charge of re-building, not sure which bits, but he told me that they re-built the four-seasons hotel first so that they could set-up their quarters there. Much of this is in his diary, along with plenty of anecdotes about camp life. So gentlemen.... man the photocopiers.