Carr William O. (Cuthbertson?) Cpl 4452659
Personnel Entry
Name Carr William Old (Cuthbertson?)
Army number 4452659
Rank Corporal.
Decorations Awarded the Military Medal for his actions with the 11th DLI - gazetted 14/2/1946. Mentioned in Despatches - gazetted 14/11/1946. Service Awards.
Date of birth 1/4/1919 at Craghead, County Durham.
Age (At the time of his death). Not yet known.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry, no enlistment date as yet, but his number suggests 1938. Posted to the ? 8th Battalion. Posted to the 11th Battalion DLI - possibly 1/9/1939. Served with the B.E.F. in Northern France. Taken Prisoner of War 21/5/1940. Formal notification of Prisoner of War status issued 12/7/1940. Repatriated to the UK. Transferred to the Royal Engineers 6/9/1945, documents to Brighton 7/10/1945. Re-enlisted in The DLI J Group 30/5/1947.
Company/Battery Company not yet known.
Platoon or other sub-unit Not yet known.
Task or role Not known but probably Rifleman and then Rifle Section Commander.
Joined Brigade Probably 1/9/1939.
Promotions None known beyond Corporal.
Wounded Not yet known.
Prisoner of War Yes - PoW Camp 9C (Kdo 739), "Hil" and Stalag XXA Thorn, PoW Number 6370.
Died/Killed in action Date of death not yet known.
Home address No family details as yet.
Source table 11DLI
The Citation for Cpl Carr's Mention in Despatches reads as follows (taken from the document held in The National Archives - reference WO 373/103/249):-
CARR was taken prisoner at ABBEVILLE on 21 May 1940. When in GERMANY in July 1942, he and a companion escaped from a Working Camp at BISCHOFF RHODA, but were recaptured the same day.
CARR made four further attempts to escape, from Working Camps, and from a punishment camp, but he was recaptured in each case after some days of liberty.
He was liberated in April 1945.
