HDML 1227
Sittingbourne Shipbuilding Company, Kent 24/11/42
Known Crew
- TLt G W A Green RNZNVR HMS St Christopher for MLs 27/8/42 Commanding Officer HDML 1227 23/10/42 TLt 5/3/43 HMNZS Cook (depot & training establishment, Wellington, NZ) 1944
- TSLt D S Cole RNVR TSLt 9/10/42 HMS Razorbill (Algiers) 33rd MTB Flotilla MTB 651 20/2/43 Operation Husky Invasion of Sicily Commanding Officer HDML 1227 1/5/44 TLt 9/4/45
- Sea Peter Blackstock LT/JX195889. Prisoner of War, previously served in minesweeping trawlers
- Sto James Arthur Joy Joined in Malta in July 1944. Prisoner of War
Seaman – Peter Blackstock
Wartime Activities
- Mediterranean
- 7/44 Transferred from Malta to the Aegean
Employed in transporting SBS and LRDG personnel using two canoes to transfer them to shore. - 5-6/10/44 Transferred troops into Kythria and waited offshore before returning to recover them. Sunk by German surface ship gunfire off Piraeus. ML 1227 had encountered TA 38 and TA 39 whilst they were conducting a defensive minelaying operation. The crew were rescued and taken to Athens, were they were interrogated and then placed on a train heading for Germany. The train travelled mostly by day. Attacked by American fighter planes, the guards let the POWs leave the train and run into fields as fast as they could, everyone reboarding the train when the planes had gone. They left the train and then were marched and transported by lorry to Slaanske Brod where they suffered another air raid.
They entrained again for Berlin and were sent to Stalag IIIA at Luckenwalde 40 miles south west of Berlin. - On 21/4/45 the German Commandant formally handed the camp over to the Senior Allied officer and the guards left.
- The Russians liberate Stalag IIIA on 22/4/45 and order the prisoners to stay put. There was a rumour that they would be returned via Russia, however the American lines were about 90 miles away. Sto James Arthur Joy joined two other prisoners in an attempt to reach the Americans. They were stopped by a Russian patrol who ordered them to return, but they pressed on amongst the refugees. After three days they reached Maldonbirg bridge where they were stopped and questioned by Russians until an American soldier intervened. They showered, had food and were given American uniforms and were repatriated the next day via a US Air Base in France.
- After about a month, British, American and allied prisoners were repatriated.
