'Bagged' in World War 2 by Benjamin Knapton

'Bagged' in World War 2 Two Tales of Royal Marines Prisoners of War by Benjamin Knapton

The two stories in this Special Publication are very different, not only from each other, but also from the experience of many Royal Marines prisoners captured during World War 2. About the only thing these tales have in common is that, after being taken prisoner, Jim Fallace and Benjamin Knapton were both pursued and attacked by Allied surface ships or submarines during their shipments of permanent POW camps. They had also both joined as continuous service Royal Marines during World War One. 

They were therefore both older than the average prisoner, Fallace being 39 and Knapton being 41 years old. One was a prisoner of the Japanese and the other of the Germans, both were captured fairly early in the war, but remained ‘in the bag’ for very different periods of time. 

Neither story is typical of the average prisoner, but both have different facets that are unusual and compelling. 

Royal marines Historical Society Special Publication No. 24.