Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Private J. W. H. Looker, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, late Hampshire Regiment, captured at Hunter’s Gap, near Beja, Tunisia, 1 March 1943

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 1st Army; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (5500317 Pte., R.A.O.C.) correction to service number and unit, good very fine (4) £140-180

John William Horold Looker was born in Alresford, Hampshire, on 26 July 1920. A Builder’s Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Army on 11 April 1939. Serving with the 2/4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, he was taken prisoner at Hunter’s Gap, near Beja, Tunisia, on 1 March 1943. He was held in Campo 66 at Capua and Campo 53 at Macarata, Italy, and then at Stalags 7A at Mooseburg, Bavaria; 17A at Keizersteinbruck, Austria, and 17B at Krems, Austria. During 1944-45 he was in three work camps, Rust, Austria and Fells, Austria, being employed in Labouring work, and Nuehause, Austria, employed in forestry work. In the later work he was twice accidentally injured with axe cuts to his left foot and leg. In his P.O.W. papers he states that he tried to escape from Campo 53 when Italy capitulated but was almost immediately captured by the Germans.

With copied P.O.W. papers.