Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

While on this subject is the photo in the Len Deighton book 'Fighter' ( repatriated German flyer) opp. page 241 Ltn Hans-Georg Mollenbrok, shot down 16-8-40 with KG2.

Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

Brian,
Just Googled this subject, the date was 06.10.1941, ships, Dinard and St Julien, suggested reason for the hitch was that the Germans had wanted Hess to be included, or that they wanted a one for one exchange, the expression on Möllenbrok's face is a classic.
Joe

Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

Joe,

Thanks for confirming. yes one look worth a thousand words,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

Tony, you have a PM.

Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

There is a book 'Confronting Captivity' that says the very first POW exchange was the 17th -21st October 1943 one. There had been many previous attempts to arrange exchanges but they all broke down over the German insistance that it be a 1-for-1 deal and the number of POW's held by German was much greater than the number of Germans in British hands. Disputes over making up the number with civilians and the staus of 'protected personel' and the involvemnet of the US all helped make it a nightmare and the deal only went through because the Tunisian surrender gifted the Allies a large pool of German POW's.
There is no mention of the ship used.

http://www.amazon.com/Confronting-Ca.../dp/B004IK8A1Y

and a partialy readable Google version

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b...ochavi&f=false

The Gripsholm (page 130) was used in the second Barcelona exchange

Re: Repatriated Luftwaffe wounded
 

Oldish thread but I have recently bought some documents to to Ltn Hans-Georg Möllenbrok. Amongst them is a paystatement saying he was repatriated on 23.10.1943 to Gothenburg.

"Austausch 23.Okt. 1943 Göteborg".

Hope that helps?

Regards,
Ian