Badly Burned German and Italian POW's

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Am interested to know where the badly burned German and Italian POW's were treated.
Was there a special unit or ward in MacIndoes Hospital for them?
We hear of the RAF men but what of those captured or indeed the USAAF men ? Did they have separate treatment.
I expect the USAAF men were sent back to the US but then where were they treated ?
Alex

[David Ransome]

Hi,

According to some papers that I had access to several years ago some LW personnel had initial treatment at a special unit at what is now Wythenshawe Hospital, south of Manchester. There were some photos showing individuals during treatment, some taken outside which showed what appeared to be wooden 'hut' type ward blocks.

There were notes which indicated that individuals were later repatriated and that some were repatriated shortly after capture, presumably where it was decided that they would not be fit enough to participate in the Axis war effort (as well as tying up valuable axis resources!)

If these papers weren't destroyed I should imagine that they will be somwhere in the National Archives / IWM system.

Regards

David

[Tony Kearns]

Hi Alex,
Here in Ireland there was one such case . Fw. Max Hohus was the sole survivor when his FW 200 crashed in the Souith West in 1941. He suffered horriffic burns and other injuries and he was glowing in his praise for the treatment he received at the Military Hospital in Dublin. He was never interned and was eventually repatriated via the UK in 1943.
regards,
Tony K

[Alex Smart]

Thanks Guy's,

I just thought that they might have been in a ward along with the RAF and other allied McIndoe's boys.

Alex