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Cenotaph record

George William Corp

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Portrait (Northland roll of honour 2002) - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait (Northland roll of honour 2002) - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    George William AWMM
  • Surname
    Corp AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 3744 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    3 September 1911 AWMM England, United Kingdom AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Pre 1940 AWMM Experimental Farm, Dargaville, North Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mrs E. Browne (mother), Experimental Farm, Dargaville, North Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    1944 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 3744 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Medal (MM) AWMM
      25 April 1941 AWMM
      'During operations at TUMMAR WEST, Egypt, on 9 December 1940, Driver Corp drove his vehicle containing troops of the 4th Indian Division to within 30 yards of the enemy parapet, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. He then went to an exposed position and carried a wounded soldier back to the cover of his truck. He showed outstanding courage and coolness throughout the operation.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Corp, George William. (Ref. WO 373/17/196). Military Medal. Awarded for driving lorry to within 30 yards of the enemy parapet, entering an exposed position under heavy fire and carrying out a wounded soldier AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 Unknown 2NZEF Roll 1, p. 41 Taxi Driver/Civilian 2NZEF Roll 1, p. 41
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
    • WW2 POW - Stalag VIII-B (later 344), Lamsdorf, Poland POW Deaths (R25405152)
      Crete, Greece POW Deaths (R25405152)
      1 June 1941 AWMM
    • WW2 POW - Stalag IV-A, Elsterhorst, Hoyerswerda, Germany AWMM
    • WW2 POW - Stalag Luft IV, Gross Tychow, modern day Tychowo, Poland POW Deaths (R25405152)
      Air Raid AWMM
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM
      Killed during in air raid whilst a Prisoner of War AWMM
    • 5 December 1944 AWMMOther, WWII AWMM
      Died following an Air Raid. AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Son of Elizabeth Browne, of Aoroa. His father a Sergeant in the Royal Field Artillery, was killed at Ypres in 1917.

    Alfred Frederick Browne (3766) and his half-brother Driver George William Corp (3744) arrived in New Zealand with other members of the family around 1928, and went to Northern Wairoa to manage the experimental farm around 1937. Both brothers worked on the farm.

    Both enlisted shortly after the war commenced and went overseas with the First Echelon; both were killed in an allied bombing raid.

    He was the first Northlander to win the Military Medal in WWII.

    Was taken prisoner in Crete, along with his half-brother Alfred Frederick Browne (3766), and sent to Stalag VIII B and later transferred to a prison camp near Dresden.

    Alfred Frederick Browne (3766) and his half-brother Driver George William Corp (3744) were killed during in air raid on Germany where they were prisoners of war.

    Driver G. W. Corp, MM; born England, 3 Sep 1911; taxi driver; p.w. 1 Jun 1941; killed (in air raid) while p.w. 12 May 1944. (Source: Henderson, J. 4th and 6th Reserve Mechanical Transport Companies. p.38.)

    'The 4th RMT was well represented in the battle honours. Major Whyte received the OBE ‘for most valuable service’, the citation also paying high tribute to his company's efficiency. Captain McAlpine, who already had been awarded the MBE for consistent good work and devotion to duty, received the MC for controlling and supervising debussing at Tummar West ‘with great coolness and courage’. Lieutenant Muller won the MC for displaying courage and leadership during the engagement; Sergeant Wilson received the MM for bravery and ‘complete disregard for danger’ during the prolonged shelling of Tummar East, and Driver Corp was awarded the MM for driving his lorry to within 30 yards of the enemy parapet, entering an exposed position under heavy fire, and carrying out a wounded soldier.' (Source: Henderson, J. 4th and 6th Reserve Mechanical Transport Companies. p. 38.) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    12 May 1944 AWMM
    Age 33 AWMM
    Germany, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed or died while a Prisoner of War AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Prague War Cemetery, Czech Republic AWMM I. B. 2. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Roll of Honour, Northern Wairoa RSA, Dargaville AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • To a cousin that I never met. I paid my respects at your grave in Prague Czech Republic in summer 2015 and the wonderful Czech people continue to carefully tend the war graves and respect and honour the contribution and ultimate sacrifice that you and others made in WW2
    Public - John - Other relative - 26 June 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    • Henderson, J. (1954). RMT: official history of the 4th and 6th Reserve Mechanical Transport Companies. Wellington: Dept. of Internal Affairs.
      http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Mech.html
      Sources Used
    • 'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the undermentioned awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.' (London Gazette, 25 April 1941, p.2347.). Military Medal.
      http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35144/supplements/2347
      Further Reference
    • 'During operations at TUMMAR WEST, Egypt, on 9 December 1940, Driver Corp drove his vehicle containing troops of the 4th Indian Division to within 30 yards of the enemy parapet, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. He then went to an exposed position and carried a wounded soldier back to the cover of his truck. He showed outstanding courage and coolness throughout the operation.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Corp, George William. (Ref. WO 373/17/196). Military Medal.
      http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7357648
      Further Reference
    • Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
      https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2270146
      Sources Used
    • I visited his war grave in Prague Czech Republic August 2015 his descendants might like to know that Public - John - Other relative - 3 November 2015 - Personal visit and photographs available
  • References
    • Northland roll of honour and servicemen of WW II [electronic resource]. (2002). Whangarei, N.Z.: Returned Services Association. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 1 (Embarkations to 31st March, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 1: WW2 41 AWMM
    • Henderson, J. (1954). RMT: official history of the 4th and 6th Reserve Mechanical Transport Companies. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs. AWMM
      p.38. AWMM
    • Henderson, J. (1954). RMT: official history of the 4th and 6th Reserve Mechanical Transport Companies. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs. AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • Deaths While Prisoner of War - Navy, Army, Air Force and Civilians [WW2 NZ POW Deaths], Archives New Zealand, Wellington, AAAA 7393 Box 1 (R25405152). AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
26 June 2017JohnLondon UKOther relative

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