Thread: World War 1
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Old 01-03-2011, 11:32   #170
Retlaw
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Re: World War 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by bekibird View Post
I wonder if you can help with this one...
I think I posted some time ago about my ancestor John Southworth. I have found out that he served in the Great war and was part of the Loyal North Lancs Regiment. The number given on his service record is 2874.
He is a bit of an enigma as his obituary in The Accrington Observer (18th Feb 1933) says he served as a painter and decorator with the Accrington and Church Co-operative society for 23 years (he died in 1933 - so his employment would have begun in around 1913), served in The Great War and was a prisoner of war in Germany for over three years.
John was not born in Accrington, but in Chorley in 1884. On his service records he lists his residence as being 40 Peel Hall Street Preston. I find this odd since he was working for an Accrington based firm in 1913, but joined the army in 1914.
I would really like to find out about his time spent as a prisoner of war and also about when he got back. He married his wife Esther in 1927 and died in February 1933, where he was buried by the Accrington and Church Co-operative society.
I am not sure if John was really an Accrington man, but he ended his days as one, dying at 24 Maden Street, Accrington. If anyone can provide help on how to find out where he would have been held in Germany I would be very grateful.
When John attended the P-O-W. Welcome home ceremony in January 1919, he gave his address as 25 Commercial St, Church.
If you have his service papers, and it doesn't mention a German P-O-W Camp, then your only hope is the Red Cross Society records, which have not yet come on line, as they are in Geneva, and could be years yet.
I never foundd a report of his being taken prisoner in the local newspapers, but if he was not a native of Accrington, then it may have been reported in his home town.
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