Sewell John Pte 4456566
Personnel Entry
Name Sewell John
Army number 4456566
Rank Private.
Decorations None known except for Service Awards - including 1939-45 Star awarded after his release from captivity.
Date of birth Born 11/12/1919.
Age 79 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry 28/6/1939. Posted to the 9th Battalion. Called to the colours 1/9/1939 and posted to the 12th Battalion. Transferred to the Black Watch 1/2/1940, and posted to the 1st Tyneside Scottish. Served with the B.E.F. in Northern France - disembarked there 24/4/1940. Posted missing 21/5/1940. Taken Prisoner of War in the vicinity of Ficheux - 22/5/1940. Confirmation that he was a PoW received 18/6/1940. Reported as being in Allied hands at Odessa. Returned to the UK 30/3/1945 and posted to Y List PoW. Permanently attached from the Y List 22/5/1945 and posted to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - 11th Battalion. Medically downgraded to B1 23/5/1945. To be retained in the UK for six months from 30/3/1945. Struck off the strength of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 6/6/1945 and permanently attached to (unreadable unit). Posted to Non Self Supporting Unit M & T Camps 23/6/1945. Struck off strength 2/3/1946. Posted to Y List 3/3/1946 proceeding to Release. Relegated to Class Z Army Reserve 25/6/46. Demobilised.
Company/Battery D Company.
Platoon or other sub-unit Not yet known.
Task or role
Joined Brigade 1/9/1939.
Promotions
Wounded Not yet known - though this is possible at the time of his captivity.
Prisoner of War Yes. Held in Stalag XXA. PoW Number 7059.
Died/Killed in action Died at Whitley Bay 15/2/1999.
Home address 38, Second St. Gateshead. Single man at the time of the 1939 General Register. Worked as a Gardener. Married Thelma Whitehead at Whitley Bay 18/12/1948. Father listed on War Office Records as John Shaw of 38, Second Street, Gateshead.
Source table 1TS