Stories from Veterans of the battle are hoped to be added here soon, if you would like to share a story please contact me.
Thomas Henry Dodson NZ 6th Field Ambulance Captured Crete
T.H Dodson 12038 NZ 6th Field Ambulance photo supplied by his family .
Thomas Dodson born 31/03/1914 was captured on Crete POW number 24289.
It is unsure where exactly on Crete we was captured but it is quite likely he stayed behind during the withdrawal to Sfakia and was captured in the vicinity of the 7th British General Hospital at Agii Apostoli (west of Chania).He was sent to Stalag VIII-B (later 344), Lamsdorf, Poland .
Thomas was liberated on the 23rd of April 1945 and once getting back to England was Admitted to Burntwood emergency hospital 30.04.45 from Stafford emergency hospital .
As with many ex POW’S he suffered ailments from captivity which would stay with him for a number of years after the war, going by the information on the hospital card he received treatment for frost bite on both feet which going by the dates he quite likely received the injury during the march west to evade the Russian advance.
At the time of posting three wartime German cards containing information on Thomas are located at the National Archives in Kew England,these cards have not been digitised as yet .it is planned that I can obtain these in the near future and upload these to this page.
POW Cards recently obtained through the link below the images
The first two cards mention of his time spent in hospital to receive treatment on frostbite on both feet.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/