The A.M.P.C.
was formed as a war emergency measure in October 1939 with the
need for 'Labour/Pioneer Companies' as operated with the army
in World War I. The title Auxiliary
Military Pioneer Corps was changed to Pioneer
Corps in
1940. The A.M.P.C. companies that were formed were led by veteran
officers and NCOs. The A.M.P.C. force of the B.E.F. that crossed
to France in 1939/40 numbered 30,000 men consisting of 107 companies,
forming 17 groups. In the latter stages of the fighting withdrawal
of the B.E.F. from France; the A.M.P.C. took up arms and were
involved in fierce fighting alongside the infantry against German
forces. One such force of Pioneers from 5 Group A.M.P.C. grouped
together in a combat role was 'Digforce', which became part 'Beauman
Division' formed May 31st.
Albert Bower of 57 Daley Road, Litherland was most probably captured
in the Boulogne area in May 1940 or with the Beauman Division
in June of the same year. He was transported to the German POW
camp Stalag XXA in Torun (Thorn) in Poland. Stalag XXA was a
complex of camps and former Polish forts converted into to prisons
by the Germans. The headquarters camp was Fort 17 and known as "Komendantury
Stalag 20A". Over
the period of the war 60,000 POWs passed through Stalag 20A for
processing. The camps were liberated by the Americans in 1945.
Albert Bower's POW address: 10564 Cpl A.
V. Bower, STALAG XXA, 3a 16, DEUTSCHLAND |
Boulogne
(19-25 May 1940) |
On
the 18/19th May, plans were made for an evacuation from
Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk to England. Streams of
refugees, French, Belgian and British troops began to enter
the Boulogne area including the Pioneers of 5 Group A.M.P.C.
Under the command of Lt Col Dean a company of Pioneers
were sent 17 miles south of Boulogne with the task of holding
the River Canche. It was this force that gave definate
news of the German approach on Boulogne. Most of the Pioneers
were evacuated with 300 being left behind with Welsh Guardsmen,
Sappers and French soldiers who were taken under command
of Major Windsor Lewis. The force held out until May 25th
after intense panzer fire pounded them from all sides;
and with hardly any food or ammunition left, they were
forced to surrender.
Extract from: DESTINATION
DUNKIRK by Gregory Blaxland
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British Troops in the Boulogne Area
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NOTE: The
photograph shows Albert Bower in the King's Liverpool Regiment
and what appears to be the WWI trio of medal ribbons on his tunic,
which would put him in his late 40s in 1940. The Crosby Herald
piece has his surname as 'Bowen', but - I have three references
to his surname being 'Bower'. I have a list of a Roll of
Service collected by St Philip's Church, of men from the
parish who joined up - his surname is listed as 'Bower'.
Also the 1938 and 1946 Kelly's Liverpool Directory for Daley
Road give his surname as 'Bower'. There is one 'Albert Bower'
aged 11 listed for Liverpool in the 1901 census; if this
is the same person, his age in 1940 would have been 50. |
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