Prisoners of War

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Prisoners of War

Company Sergeant Major (CSM) Charles Mutters of D Company, 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, was reported to have gathered a group of 79 soldiers around him after the fighting on 24 July. He is known to have been accompanied by Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS) Edward Harvey. As they were not able to get back to Hillah they had to surrender and these men were all taken prisoner.

There were conflicting reports about the exact number of men captured, but it is known that most of the British prisoners were from the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment. There may have been others from the 39th Battery Royal Field Artillery and 24th Combined Field Ambulance. A similar number of Indian soldiers and followers were captured, and these men would have been from the 35th Scinde Horse Regiment or the 1/32nd Sikh Pioneers.

POWs at Khan al-Shilan in 1920 (Photo: Faez Albaidhani)

The names of the Manchester prisoners have been the subject of much research over the years. Some were known at the time or confirmed later, but uncertainty about a definitive list has remained. As part of this project, we have revisited the research undertaken in 1970s and 1980s by Mr John Darwent obtained from the Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre, as well as other documented sources and digital resources that are now available. Listed below are the names of the 74 Manchester men who were reported released on 19 October 1920, plus Pte F White who had died in captivity.

Army and Navy Gazette, 30 October 1920, p.4

We have identified 1 man from the 39th Battery Royal Field Artillery who was recorded as a POW, Driver William John Keegan and another, Pte Herbert Julius Crook (RAMC) from 24th Combined Field Ambulance. Driver Keegan survived his captivity, but Pte Crook died on 22 August. If the attached report from the Army and Navy Gazette, 30 October 1920 (p.4), is correct, then 4 names from a total of 81 British prisoners remain unidentified. The report indicates that 2 British prisoners had died in captivity, one before 1 October (Pte H J Crook) and another before they were released on 19 October (Pte F White). 6 more Indian prisoners had been captured, which brought the total number of prisoners released to 167.

Unfortunately, details of names for the Indian prisoners and followers have so far proved impossible to identify. It seems that during the period of captivity, some leaders of the revolution sought to release the Muslim Indians, but Abd Razzaq Odeh, one of the leaders of the revolution, refused to do so, fearing that they would be criticised.

Shortly after their release, several of the prisoners were treated at the 34th Combined Casualty Clearing Station which was based in Hillah. Some were diagnosed as suffering from malaria or smallpox and evacuated to Baghdad; others were discharged to a segregation camp. Pte Thomas Davies died from smallpox on 10 November 1920. Occasionally the Clearing Station’s record also indicated ‘POW’ against some of the names, which we have noted.

 

Name: Arnfield, Private James (203143, 49602, 90176, 3514116)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Ashton, Private George (46302, 13463, 64302, 89322, 3513841)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Baguley, Private W H (62333, 3513049)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 30 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920

 

Banks, Pte Samuel Smith

Name: Banks, Private Samuel Smith (7396, 88953, 3513688)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Baron, Private Joseph (20452, 88992, 3513716)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Beard, Private Leonard (19122, 89331, 3513849)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Blair, Private J (64200, 3513069)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Brady, Private J (James?) (89952, 3514015)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 30 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920

 

Name: Brandreth, Private Albert Jack (79590, 3513415)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Bromley, Private George (1464, 85098, 3513466)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 21 November 1920; Discharged 27 November 1920

 

Name: Brown, Private George (64457, 3513074)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Burgess, Private Ronald R (82243, 88737, 3513619)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Buxton, Private R F (Robert Frederick) (88864, 3513633)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Cann, Private Wilfred (89173, 3513798)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Clark, Private William (77113, 3513160)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Collins, Private Maurice (52019, 77792, 3513209)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Crook, Pte Herbert Julius (Photo courtesy of Dave Cole)

Name: Crook, Private Herbert Julius (207522, 7253119)

Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps (24th Combined Field Ambulance?)

Additional information: Died 22 August 1920, whilst a Prisoner of War (thought to be in Khan al-Shilan); see Herbert Crook: lost in the desert

 

Name: Crooks, Private Walter (51311, 3512868)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Currie, Sgt John William (Bill) centre, Jubbulpore, India 1923 (Photo courtesy of Stephen Greaves)

Name: Currie, Private John William (Bill) (2496, 3512500)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: see Manchester Regiment Museum

 

Name: Davies, Private J E (88850, 3513625)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 23 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920

 

Name: Davies, Private Thomas (TR2/13339, 70113, 202993, 77874, 3513258)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 29 October 1920; Died 10 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Deakin, Private A C  (89514, 3513956)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Devine, Private R  (89510, 3513952)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 23 October 1920; Discharged 29 October 1920

 

Name: Fenton, Acting Corporal A/Cpl Ernest (75311, 3513113)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Flynn, Private Joseph (2134, 653497, 3512415)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Gallagher, Private William (1262, 85963, 3513693)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Gallimore, Private H (59832, 3512969)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Giles, Lance Corporal L/Cpl A (85090, 3513459)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Grundy, Private W J  (85038, 3513432)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Hallworth, Private William (352507, 89328, 3513847)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Harper, Private William (T3/028409, 77734, 34681, 3513173)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 30 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920

 

Name: Harvey, Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS) Edward  (11918, 77287, 3513167)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Hurley, Private Charles W (90030, 3514064)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Jackson, Lance Corporal L/Cpl A C  (79562, 3513394)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Jennings, Private C J  (89310, 3513839)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Johnson, Private E (77927, 3513300)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Johnson, Private W (443422, 3512801)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Keegan, S Smith/Driver William John (90657, 1044137)

Regiment: 39th Battery Royal Field Artillery

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 21 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Kershaw, Private A  (89170, 3513795)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 10 November 1920; Discharged 15 November 1920

 

Name: Kinane, Private M (77902, 3513283)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Lawrence, Private F (89171, 3513796)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Leigh, Pte Robert (Photo courtesy of Denise Hack)

Name: Leigh, Private R (Bob) (282185, 89343, 3513857)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Macdonald, Private William Thomas (21979, 113543, 88995, 3513717)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Mansfield, Private R (77881, 3513263)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 29 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Maudsley, Private John Thomas (203388, 88877, 3513642)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: McCue, Private Owen (57425, 3512935)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Millett, Lance Corporal L/Cpl Elijah (95809, 88971, 3513701)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Morley, Private Joseph (17230, 59837, 66547, 50352, 77785, 3513204)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 21 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Murphy, Private Patrick (89461, 3513932)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Mutters, Company Sergeant Major (CSM) Charles William  (1175, 3512230)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: see Museum of the Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Mylchreest, Private Thomas Henry (54763, 3512909)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Oliver, Private Walter (89260, 3513828)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Owen, Private D W (77764, 3513191)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Phillips, Private Charles Arthur (82329, 79558, 3513392)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Pinder, Private P (76620, 3513155)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Povey, Private James (39910, 652715, 77788, 3513206)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 24 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920

 

Name: Riley, Private J (88742, 3513623)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Rogers, Lance Corporal L/Cpl Thomas (88819, 3513624)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Rudd, Private Edward (1566, 89001, 3513720)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 26 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920; Died 14 October 1921 in India

 

Name: Rushton, Private William (35636, 3512747)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Russell, Private E (62906, 3514379)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Schofield, Private George W (35009, 62931, 3514380)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 30 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Smith, Private William (89165, 3513790)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Spence, Private T (75811, 3513131)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Sutton, Private R (Bob) (76318, 3513150)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 23 November 1920 ; Discharged 29 November 1920 (also indicates POW); see also Bottesford Living History

 

Name: Taylor, Private J

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Thomas, Private Charles (277221, 88940, 3513683)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 29 October 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Thomson, Lance Corporal L/Cpl B (85149, 3513505)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Tucker, Private James (45010, 3512815)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 26 November 1920; Discharged 29 November 1920

 

Name: Waddington, Acting Corporal A/Cpl Thomas (57524, 3512939)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Walker, Private A (Albert?) (87927, 3513564)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Walmsley, Private Arthur (75361, 3513116)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Welsh, Private Joseph P (12837, 3512681)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Admitted to No 34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station on 1 November 1920; Discharged 2 November 1920 (also indicates POW)

 

Name: Wheatcroft, Private E (Edward?) (89982, 3514032)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: White, Private Francis (Frank) (303641, 61957, 3514339)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

Additional information: Died in captivity on 6 October 1920

 

Name: Winspear, Private John (24188, 89358, 3513870)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

 

Name: Yates, Private Frank (90035, 3514069)

Regiment: 2nd Bn Manchester Regiment