By Rob Forsyth
Private Albert Edward (Ted) Harper
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He was born on 13 Sept 1920 in New Street, Deddington. He was brought up by William (L) and Alice Emily Harper (R) who were his grandparents. This photo of Alice was taken outside their cottage on New Street - now part of Quinque House. |
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Firstly, he attended the local village school, followed by a place at Banbury grammar school. On leaving school, he went to work in the office at the Shell Mex depot in Banbury.
When World War II broke out on 3rd September 1939, he was eager to enlist. He went along with Clive, who had been a friend since childhood and they enlisted with the 'Royal Warwickshire Regiment'. He became Private A.E Harper - army no 5383360.
He carried the following personal belongings a) miniature leather bound common prayer book, b) a picture of Alice Emily whom he always referred to as mother, although in reality she was his grandmother.
After the completion of basic training, his regiment was part of the ten-infantry divisions of the British Expeditionary Force, which was deployed to the Franco-Belgium border, following the invasion of Poland.
In May 1940, his regiment were amongst the troops, which were cut off, forced to retreat and ultimately trapped on the beaches at Dunkirk. During the evacuation of Dunkirk between 26.5.1940 - 4.6.1940, when every available ship and boat was utilised, 330,000 men were rescued. The larger ships were unable to anchor too close to the shore, so solders would swim out to them. He was swimming out to one of these ships with Clive, who was not such a strong swimmer, when they were captured by a German 'u' boat. They were taken from the 'u' boat and forced marched into Germany, being ill-treated en route, by beatings and starvation.
POW soldiers were sent to POW camps by railway. He and Clive were sent to Stalag XX-B prisoner of war camp in Malbork, Poland. His POW number was 50404 .
Also there is a copy of the postcard, that he sent home, which confirmed his status as a POW, his number and Stalag camp no XX-B.
During his period as a POW, he was part of a work force, which was put to work in Agriculture on local farms. Whenever possible, he would take the opportunity to steal and eat raw eggs for the protein, not forgetting to hide the shells. He tried, but rarely succeeded in smuggling eggs back into the camp for other POW's. When it became evident that he spoke German fluently, he was used as a translator. Over time, his health like others deteriorated, partly because the Germans would withhold 'Red Cross' parcels. He was admitted to the hospital with a severe case of pleurisy - the treatment which included using leeches went on to give him a life-long phobia of hospitals.
In late 1944, the British and American Allied Forces advanced though Europe. The Germans retreated and evacuated POW camps in the East, including Stralag XX-B, in order to take the POW's away from the advancing Allied Forces. These enforced marches of POW's by the Germans have been labelled as the 'Death Marches'. The POW's were weakened and emaciated by ill-treatment and poor diets. Many were forced to march for 86 days covering 500 miles, only dressed in rags against bitter winter weather and with virtually no food. Stragglers were shot! He was one of the lucky survivors, however he was devastated that his close childhood friend died on this march. It was reported, when the Allied Forces rescued the POW's, they were like those liberated from concentration camps.
After being liberated, he was flown back to England and was admitted to 'Walton Hospital' in Liverpool as a patient - he is marked by a cross in the photograph.
It was during this time, that he met and would later marry staff nurse Ceridwen Jones (on his right hand side in the photograph) who had trained and then qualified as a S.R.N. at Walton Hospital during the second world war.
Upon his recovery, he was assigned by the army to work as a military presence on hospital wards where German POW's were being treated.
After he was demobbed from the army, he returned to Deddington and resumed employment at the Shell Mex depot, where he was promoted to foreman. He married Ceridwen Jones on 13th July 1946. They were allotted the first post war council house built in Deddington (No 1 The Paddocks) because of the number of points they were awarded for their war service.
He bore no ill feelings towards the German people, in fact Hermann Kruse (left), who was a German POW, used to do some gardening at No 1 The Paddocks.
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He worked for 'Shell Mex' for most of his working life, before taking voluntary redundancy in 1969. He spent his last few years working for the 'Standard Triumph Motor Company' in an administrative capacity.
He died suddenly on 1st April 1976. His widow is still alive and resident in a home in Coventry.
Other Harper family and relatives who served in the two World WarsWWI
William J Harper (b1877) is referred to by the Vicar in his Deanery Magasine entries but no more is known than that he served and was discharged.
Henry Thomas Harper (b1898), son of William J Harper, served as a Private in The Royal Berkshire Regiment
Bartholomew Callow (b 1881) was the grandfather of the wife (Desirée) of Ted's cousin, Albert William Harper (b1938). He was a Private in the Army Service Corps. He was also a well know Deddington character whose considerable skills as a singer and musician have been recorded in an article by Michael Pickering of Loughborough University. Michael has kindly agree that we can reproduce his article which can be found by following this link
WWII
Ronald Ernest Harper (b 1912) served as a Corporal in The Royal Artillery.
The Harper family tree containing all of the above can be found here.
I am most grateful to Ted's son Michael and his daughter Marian, who supplied all the words and photographs for this article, and to Ted's cousins, Albert and Daphne, who have provided me with the additional information about the family.
