ANDERSON, Robert R. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Losing nearly a pound a day during the 40 days he was a prisoner of the German government was the experience of Pfc. Robert R. Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Anderson of Darlington, who has just returned home after five months of overseas service. Pfc Anderson along with 27 other men in his outfit, were captured March 18, 1945, during the fighting near the Seigfried line. He had been in action only 30 hours when captured. Harbored first in German pillboxes, the men were soon started on a long march back to Stalag 7 prison camp, which required almost constant marching for 14 days and nights. Arriving in the camp, where 2,800 American soldiers were imprisoned, Pfc. Anderson found it wasn't really a camp at all but a large farming community where the prisoners were herded in the fields and along the roads like cattle and horses. During their imprisonment a number of prisoners were shot and killed for going contrary to the rules their captors laid down for them. During the 40 days their food consisted mainly of dandelions and raw potatoes and small parcels of stale bread which the Germans tossed out to them. Pfc. Anderson weight 178 pounds when captured and only 148 pounds when liberated April 27 by the men of the 63rd tank division. Although 300 miles further east than when he was taken prisoner he and all the other prisoners were still being herded in the fields like cattle.