US 42nd (Rainbow) Infantry Division, war diary, April - May 1945

Hi, I don't know if anyone can give me any guidance or assistance with this enquiry. I'm from over the other side of the pond in the land where good Single Malt Scotch Whisky is distilled - thats Scotland for any body who is unaware or thinks otherwise.

My father served in the British Army in World War II, being a private in the 5th battalion of the Gordon Highlanders and with the rest of the Battalion, and indeed the whole of the 51st Division, he was captured at Saint Valery en Caux in France on 12th June, 1940. He spent most of the rest of the war as a POW in Stalag XXA in Torun in Poland.

Since he didn't talk much about his wartime experiences I don't have a lot of information about his life then but I remember that he said that towards the end of the war he had got away from the camp that he was in and that he had been picked up by troops of the 42nd Rainbow Division. This was presumably in the Munich area because he mentioned about the liberation of Dachau.

I'm hoping that some form of records may have been kept by 42nd at the time regarding any allied prisoners that they encountered although I realise that it is something of a long shot given the potential numbers involved.

If anyone can point me in the right direction or offer any assistance I'd be most grateful.

Archie Hamilton
Glasgow, Scotland

 

Hello Archie, welcome to the forum. I think to find the detail you're looking for would require contacting the U. S. National Archives and seeing what 42nd records are available. Getting started with this process is actually pretty simple. Go to this link: http://www.archives.gov/contact/inquire-form.html#part-b

Where is says "Please select the topic of your question" use the drop-down menu and choose "Records created by the United States Military". In the next box, type "I would like to request an index to the records for the U.S. 42nd Infantry Division during WWII". Scroll down to the contact information section, fill it out, do the check and send it off. It used to take a week or two for a reply but may be longer these days. Maybe someone else can comment on this.

Once you get the records index, if you have questions regarding what files might provide info on your topic, someone here should be able to make suggestions. Last I heard, record reproduction costs are $.80/page so requesting a cost quote, once you decide what to get, is a good idea.

I will say, based on my limited experience, that you may find details of picking up Allied POW's are very limited in the records. I read through parts of the 42nd unit history at the following link and there's less than a sentence buried in the Munich/Dachau portions that mentions Allied POW's. http://www.scribd.com/doc/40198389/WWII-42nd-Infantry-Division

Good luck with your search.

Steve

 

The sister forum ww2talk deals mostly with British troops and I have come across people accessing Liberation Questionnaires that were filled in by returning POWs. It would be worth a try to see if he completed one as it was not compulsory. Someone on the forum would advise you on the procedure.
Chris also in Glasgow.

 

Thanks for these replies. I may follow up on your gudleines, Steve, once I complete my checks at this end. At the moment my research so far, with assistance from members of ww2talk in the UK seems to show that Dad didn't complete a Liberation Questionaire. like Father like Son, as they say. Neither of us have / had any liking for bureaucracy.
It was interesting to read that the 42nd Division were in attendance at the parade in Munich when the 7th Army handed back to the 5th battalion The Gordon Highlanders a regimental drum which they had lost when they, as part of the 51st Highland Division, were forced to surrender at Saint Valery en Caux on 12th June, 1940 (not at Dunkirk as noted). Dad was part of the 5th battalion when he was captured. What goes round comes round as they say