British Army PoW to Auschwitz. Help please.

[Viscount]

Gents,

A friend of mine's grandfather served in the British Army during WW2 (Royal Artillery) and was captured in North Africa. He escaped twice from PoW camps in Germany. He was captured again on the second attempt and sent to Auschwitz as a forced labourer. He was on a death march to the west and survived.

(After each escape, he was beaten in the face with rifle butts and lost all his teeth).

His name was John Best, born in Newcastle UK on or about 1920.

Many thanks,
Bob.

[peter monahan]

Bob

Census records might help a little - many people lived all their lives, bar the war, in the same town. That would narrow down a death date, for example.

This site gives good info. on what is available out there and some useful links. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyh...hives_01.shtml

Good luck!

[A H]

Gents,

A friend of mine's grandfather served in the British Army during WW2 (Royal Artillery) and was captured in North Africa. He escaped twice from PoW camps in Germany. He was captured again on the second attempt and sent to Auschwitz as a forced labourer. He was on a death march to the west and survived.

(After each escape, he was beaten in the face with rifle butts and lost all his teeth).

His name was John Best, born in Newcastle UK on or about 1920.

Many thanks,
Bob.

Do you know what Regiment or unit he was in?

Three entries in the register

Best J. Private

Best J. R. Private

Best J. W. Flight Lieutenant

Cheers Adam

[Viscount]

Thanks Peter

That link has provided him with a start point.

Regards,
Bob.

[Viscount]

Do you know what Regiment or unit he was in?

Three entries in the register

Best J. Private

Best J. R. Private

Best J. W. Flight Lieutenant

Cheers Adam

Adam,

The only information I have is Royal Artillery. I'll see if I can dig out a second name.

Regards,
Bob.

[A H]

Thanks Peter

That link has provided him with a start point.

Regards,
Bob.

Census records won't help, we can only view the census records up until 1911. As he was born in 1920 you won't find anything sadly

[Viscount]

Adam,

The only information I have is Royal Artillery. I'll see if I can dig out a second name.

Regards,
Bob.

Adam,

The latest information I have is that his second name was James. Might have been battery 272 RA.

Regards,
Bob.

[Gary Jucha]

b

There is a J.R Best listed in the British POW records ... camp location "Poland"
(Someone with Ancestry.com access might be able to lift the record.).

Gary J.

[Viscount]

There is a J.R Best listed in the British POW records ... camp location "Poland"
(Someone with Ancestry.com access might be able to lift the record.).

Gary J.

A relative subscribes to Ancestry and a check on J Best revealed that he was in Hohenstein PoW Camp, Hess in what is now Poland.

I have excluded J.R. Best.

Regards,
Bob.

[Viscount]

Not sure if this helps, but his Army number was 857171.

Regards,
Bob.