WWII POW Bibles

[kastauffer]

I thought I would share these Prisoner of War Bibles with the forum. They are not often seen. Below there are 3 different ones, 1 from the Pacific and 2 from Europe . If anyone else has any unusual POW items please show them!

Thanks

Kurt

BIBLE # 1

This bible was owen by S/Sgt Gerald L. Norman who served with the 96th Bomb Group, 8th AF . He was shot down 1/5/44 and was presented this bible while being held in Stalag 17-B at Krems Austria .

[kastauffer]

The Red " Gepruft " stamp is the censor mark for Stalag 17B . All printed material had to be censored before the POW could have it to read.

[kastauffer]

BIBLE # 2

This Bible was presented to a POW held at camp MARLAG MILAG NORD. This camp only held Allied Merchant Marine and Naval Personnel . Unfortunatly, I do not know who owned this one.

[kastauffer]

Label inside the cover showing it was presented courtesy of the YMCA .

[kastauffer]

Title page showing the German censor mark from Marlag Milag .

[kastauffer]

BIBLE # 3

This bible is truly special. It is a standard Gideons service bible from 1941. It did not start out its life as a POW bible. It was presented by Chaplain Percy O. Wilcox to T/Sgt Roy E. Davis , on Corregidor in the Philippines while it was under seige by the Japanese during January 1942 . Davis worked in Malinta Tunnel in the Finance Dept , and Wilcox served as a Chaplain in Malinta Tunnel and was the personal Chaplain of Gen MacArthur and Wainwright during that time.

Both Wilcox and Davis were captured when Corregidor fell in May 1942. Davis kept this bible and while he was at the POW camp at Cabanatuan, the Japanese censor applied his stamp. T/Sgt Davis was eventually transported to Japan where he was liberated in 1945 . He kept this bible with him the entire time.

[kastauffer]

Here is the presentation page

[kastauffer]

Here is the page with the Japanese censor mark from Cabanatuan ( read the book Ghost Soldiers ! ) , This is the same mark that was applied to the mail sent or received .

[Brian Dentino]

Very cool Bibles, Kurt. Love the history that goes with these!

Brian

[GLM]

Kurt -

Some very nice history! Thanks for sharing! I'm very surprised the Japanese let Roy Davis keep his and then to have it survive the P.I. camps, "Hell Ships" and then Japan, that's remarkable.

Do you know how the Germans numbered the POW's? Were all Allied "Kriegies" lumped together or by nationality, service, branch, etc.. I notice your Norman Bible shows a POW number of 105930 for Stalag 17-B and my 303rd BG POW group shows his number as 4329 from Stalag Luft 6 on both tag and papers? This is where he was initially processed, but was held in three other camps as well. Your "kriegie's" number is much higher than mine and yours was shot down earlier? This has me confused. Did each Stalag process and number their own POW's?

Gary

[kastauffer]

Hi Gary

Each camp did indeed have its own numbering system. Stalag Luft I , III , IV, and 6 used 4 digit numbers . Most Stalags used 5 to 6 digit numbers. Sometimes the mumbers overlap.

Kurt

[Chap15]

Great finds!!!

Wasn't the Bible (from a JAP POW camp) on ebay last week and didn't it go for about $160.00?
Here is a US issued Bible for German POW's.

[kastauffer]

I have a bunch of POW ID tags from Americans in different Stalags if anyone wants to see them posted.


Kurt

[kastauffer]

The bible was on Ebay! I feel I got it for a VERY good price! . A POW postcard from the same POW camp ( Camp #1 ) goes for @ the same price in Philatelic auctions and this is much rarer .


Kurt

[Steve Sherlock]

I thought I would share these Prisoner of War Bibles with the forum. They are not often seen. Below there are 3 different ones, 1 from the Pacific and 2 from Europe . If anyone else has any unusual POW items please show them!


I have a nice lot of POW items from my cousin who was captured on Wake Island in 1941. I'll be happy to show them if I can ever figure how to get my scanner program working again. I recently updated Windows to XP, and the scanner program connecting the scanner to the computer hasn't worked right since.

ss