POW Liberation Questionnaires

**PeteT** · 14th January 2021, 17:37

With the restrictions on file numbers that were imposed when the archives re-opened to the public after the first lockdown, my TNA copier decided that it was no longer viable for him to copy POW Liberation Questionnaires whilst he was there and with the current lockdown it is not possible to ask TNA staff to copy them (and obviously this is an expensive option for three pages of information anyway).

It made me wonder if (a) there was an alternative source for these documents [but I don't think there is] or (b) whether others have asked the TNA to get these files digitised so that they can be obtained online or (c) whether, as a Group, it would viable to pay someone to copy the complete set of POW Liberation Questionnaires so that they were available to all on here (copyright?) or (d) whether the POW Liberation Questionnaires could be treated the same as the ORBs on here and we all place what we have into a "pool" which is available to all.

These are probably the last set of documents that I need for my 35 squadron research project and it is so frustrating that I just can't get hold of them when needed, especially when I am carrying out research for a relative of a particular airman.

I would appreciate any thoughts / ideas on how to solve this conundrum (recognising that I could go to the archives myself when they are open, but I think a day trip from Wales would be thwarted by file number restrictions)

Regards

PeteT

**Jagan** · 14th January 2021, 17:49

Pete - what are the folio numbers for them? What do you think will be the page count?

**Don Clark** · 14th January 2021, 18:34

For the Far East PoWs, at least, the COFEPOW association has provided a valuable service and website for many years.
Their site includes a Research section with a number of interesting pages, all bar one open for browsing to all.

Here is the FEPoW Liberation Questionnaire page:
https://lq-cofepow.org/

There may be another source, as for one of them I have a colour image, these all being greyscale.

**PeteT** · 15th January 2021, 10:15

Jagan; Just looking into this subject in more detail and the TNA description shows that there are 140,000 Questionnaires in WO344, which suggests 500,000+ pages, so Option (c) Bulk Copying is out of the question.

A FEPOW style site for Europe would be ideal for the future, but whether there is the will or the way, I do not know

Regards

PeteT

**jossleclercq** · 15th January 2021, 16:59

Hello Pete,

Even if it seems obvious, not all 140000 PoW questionnaires are for airmen, but there's no index at all, so you have to check volume by volume. I confirm bulk copying is out of question. I've accessed many PoW questionnaires in the past 13 or 14 years since they were transferred in the public domain, but in the first years, I only copied the questionnaires I was looking for. In the later years, I tended to copy all airmen's questionnaire when checking a volume, but copying only the first page when I didn't have a specific interest. I have no practical means to determine which volumes I've already "copied in full, as far as airmen are concerned".

I can send you an extract of an excel spreadsheet so you can have an idea. I've never counted how many reports I've copied.

Joss

**allan125** · 15th January 2021, 20:49

Hello Joss

Would you by any chance have a liberation questionnaire for a Flight Sergeant (he might have been promoted to Warrant Officer in captivity) Edward Sargeant (RAF No. 1410601) of 132 (Punjab) Squadron, then part of 125 Wing, who was shot down and captured when he crash landed on a Landing Zone around Arnhem in late September 1944, in fact he missed the return of the 4 Spitfire IX squadrons to the UK at the end of September by a few days. At the time the Wing was operating from B.70 Antwerp-Deurne, and I am helping his son with his father's history.

His initial posting was to 453 Squadron RAAF at B.11 Longues-sur-Mer due to a shortage of Australian pilots at 83 Group Support Unit, and after about 6 weeks he was then transferred to 132 Squadron.

many thanks

Allan