Thomas Washer-Armitage after being captured in Crete worked as a Lamsdorf POW in the underground Polish coal mines 8 hours a day for 4 years. Between 40,000 and 100,000 prisoners of the Lamsdorf Stalag 344 camp died. With the Russians advancing - taking 4 days food and no shelter he was involved in the Lamsdorf forced walk across Germany in the coldest winter of the 20th century (-25 Celsius). He returned to Manaia, Taranaki where he had a drapery. Buried RSA section of Manaia Cemetery