In 1939 John Duffy Gimblett joined the Royal Army Service Corps and was then Commissioned into the Royal Lancashire Fusiliers where he was employed as the Intelligence Officer until his capture in November 1942.

Whilst a POW he became involved in escaping, made a number of unsuccessful escape attempts and assisting others by making escape maps and other items. Despite this he saw out the war behind the wire.

The Red Cross Parcel note shows the sort of items that were sent via the Red Cross to POWs and this one, dated 1943, shows that Lieutenant Gimblett was then in a Camp in Italy. The photo taken in 1944 shows him in a group of POWs in Oflag VIIIF near Brunswick, Germany in 1944. Prisoners of the Italians who could not make good their escape when Italy surrendered where shipped to Germany.

Released from the Army in 1946 he re-enlisted into the Intelligence Corps in 1947 and subsequently served in Trieste (twice), Malaya, the MOD, Cyprus, BAOR and with Northern Army Group before his retirement from the Army in 1973 as Major Gimblett. He died in 1992 aged 92 years.

His medals are, from left to right; 1939-45 Star, Africa Star with 1st Army Clasp, Defence Medal, War Medal and the General Service Medal with Clasps for Malaya and Cyprus.