Jones, Francis (Jack)

Francis Jack Jones

2nd Battalion Irish Guards
1940 – 1945

My mother Doreen (nee Williams) & brothers would love to hear from anybody who knew my Dad, Francis Jones known as Jack (POW No.6610. Dad was in the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards and captured in France on 24 May 1940 fighting the rear guard, having previously successfully assisted the Dutch Royal family to England. Once captured he was admitted to hospital to have his middle finger removed due to a shrapnel wound, however he was posted missing believed dead at Boulogne. His mother then received a notification that he was a POW at Camp XXA – the next she heard from him was that he had been transferred to Lamsdorf.

During his time in Lamsdorf he was in various working parties cutting down trees and working the land, but also spending time in solitary confinement for attempting to escape. Dad celebrated his 21st birthday in October 1940 working on a farm where the farmer gave him a glass of schnapps to celebrate. To repay the kindness, when Dad met a German POW in his home town on Christmas day 1945, he invited him back to the family home for a glass of whiskey. On the 5th Dec 1943, he wrote in a letter about cutting trees with working party no 569 and visiting the church of St Mary’s Help which is a well known pilgrimage spot in Europe.

He was released by American soldiers at Magdeburg on 13 April 1945, fed and given a gun for “one last go” when he was wounded again before being repatriated by plane to Great Missenden on 25 April 1945. To see Dad with his fellow PoWs in the camp, click on the photos below.

Received: November 2005 
From: Elaine Shelley
On behalf of: Francis (Jack) Jones

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