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Readers' Requests for Information: can you help?
Requests for information or clarification relating to the raid, are regularly received by the Society. Generally these can be answered quickly from the various resources immediately available to us: however, from time to time we need to broadened the search to include our many thousands of visitors across the world in the hope that you may be able to help us provide answers.
We are launching the page with the case of Able Seaman David George 'Knocker' White, a sailor from HMS Campbeltown, who, having initially been listed as killed in action, was later confirmed as being a prisoner of war. David was born in Portsmouth, on May 4th, 1909, and his service number was D/J.112406. According to researcher Bernard Petitjean, David entered the Royal Navy in April 1929, signing up for three years in May 1930 - this period of service later extended by another six years.
In 1939, David was posted to the battleship HMS Valiant (Queen Elizabeth Class), and served with her until April 1941, this including a period with the Mediterranean Fleet based in Alexandria. We have been made aware of a number of images sourced from this period - two samples below - whose current owner is anxious to make contact with David's family, or researchers with an interest in HMS Valiant.
In October of 1941, David was reassigned to HMS Drake, the RN shore base at Devonport. before joining the crew of Campbeltown as she prepared for the raid. Although we can't as yet be certain, being a Naval PoW, it is likely David would have been taken to the Naval PoW Camp Marlag und Milag Nord.
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