Ryde Lodge Isle of Wight

[The Thistle]

Can anyone help with this query.

I am researching a Brother Mason who helped form a Masonic Lodge in a POW camp in Germany during WW2. His lodge is named as Ryde Lodge No.195, but I'm unable to find any record of this Lodge. I see there is a Lodge No. 698 called the Ryde Lodge, anybody explain this?

many thanks

[Trouillogan]

The number 195 exists in the UGLE, GLoI and the GLoS registers but not with that name. So have you got the correct number?

[The Thistle]

Trouillogan, the man in question signed his name as A.W.H. Harlow (Rev. M.M.) - Ryde Lodge 195.

[ozmike]

If it was formed while he was in the POW camp then it wouldn't be a regularly consecrated lodge (or would it??) so how did it have a number?

In the Masonic museum in Sydney (UGLNSW building) there are some small "working tools" which were made by POWs in one of the Japanese POW camps (Changi I think). I heard they formed also a "lodge" while in this POW camp too.

Maybe in both cases they were done more for morale and did not continue formally once the war ended?

[The Thistle]

Ozmike, lets start from the beginning. In POW camp OflagVIIB, Sydney Brown and two past masters from Lodges in England, got together and tried to find out what other masons there were in the Camp. They held meetings and a Lodge of Instruction, it didn't have a name or a number, as you say it was for morale.
After D-Day and with the Allies approaching the camp, the officers in the camp were to be spilt up and moved to other camps, so Sydney Brown made up a little booklet informing the UGLE that the Masons hade endevoured to make a daily advancement in Masonic Knowledge. Brown kept hold of the booklet and it was subsequently sent to the G.M. It is now held in the library. In this booklet there are 33 names of the Masons who took part into POW 'Lodge'. They all signed the booklet with their names, where they came from, and the name and number of the Lodge they belonged to. I am trying to trace some of them through their Lodges, hence A.W.H. Harlow (Rev. M.M.) - Ryde Lodge 195, that is what he signed, I have a facsmile copy of the document. So, that might it explain it a bitty better.

[onescot]

There is a 'Ryde' in Sydney Australia perhaps they have a lodge too?


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[Richard George]

If the book was filled in in pencil, it's possible that parts of the number are faded enough to make the number look different. Why not contact the Ryde secretary and ask? The lodge membership records will list him (assuming he was a member of that lodge).

[Richard George]

FWIW, a quick google search on AWH Harlow shows he was the vicar of St. Michael's Church, Middlewich, Cheshire.

and this;

Order of Battle 1st Airborne Division

HEADQUARTER FIRST AIRBORNE DIVISION
GOC Major-General R.E. Urquhart DSO
GSO 3 (CW) Captain P.C.A. Sommerville(Royal Armoured Corps)
ADC Captain G.Chatfield- Roberts(Royal Fusiliers)

GSO 1 (Ops) Lieutenant-Colonel C.B. Mackenzie
GSO 2 (Ops)Major O.F. Newton-Dunn
GSO 3 (Ops)Captain D.G. Grieve

GSO 2 (Air) Major D.J. Madden
GSO 3 (Air) Captain D.W. McCombe

GSO 2 (int) Major H.P. Maguire
GSO 3 (int) Captain C.P. Scott-Malden
Intelligence Officer Captain P.A.H. Hodgeson

AA & OMC Lieutenant-Colonel P.H.H.H. Preston(South Lancs. Regiment)
DAAG Major L.K. Hardman(RA)
S.C.F. Reverand Major Harlow
Regimental Sergeant Major W.O.I H. Hill
Sergeant Major Medical ServicesW.O.II H.W. Evans
DAQMG Major E.R. Hodges(RASC)

RAChD
SCF Major A.W.H. Harlow

There's also an entry showing he was DSO.

And if it turns out be be the same person, this may be telling;
http://mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au/file-view.html?b=4968948&s=B2455&c=HARLOW%20A%20W%20H
as it indicates he was actually an Anzac - thus the suggestion his mother lodge may be down under is a distinct possibility.

I can see why you're researching him!

[The Thistle]

Richard, thanks for your help in this and you as well onescot.

Bill Harlow was the vicar of Ryde on the Isle of Wight, so my next port of call is the PGL of Hampshire and IOW. You might be right with the faint writing, its not a big jump from the Ryde Lodge 195 to the Ryde Lodge 698 and I suppose it could be just that. The 1 does have a slight curl to it and the 5 just might be an 8. He was the vicar of St. Michael and Angels, and the Ryde Lodge was known as the Lodge of Angels. I know of the South Australia connection, he joined WW1 when a student there, but joined WW2 when in England.

I'll let you know what turns up.

[Richard George]

You might be right with the faint writing, its not a big jump from the Ryde Lodge 195 to the Ryde Lodge 698 and I suppose it could be just that. The 1 does have a slight curl to it and the 5 just might be an 8.

I suggested the pencil idea because I have quite a few letters written by my great grandfather to my grandmother from the front between 1914-1917. They are all in pencil.

[Chial1985]

Who lives on the Isle of Wight can help me out,

My step son lives in ryde town and need some where to park his Astra mk4 off road for a week anyone ?

[Peter Moir]

Hello Chial1985, Before posting on this forum the proper thing to do is to visit the Landing Pad section and introduce yourself to the members. Please tell us about yourself (ie) your location or Masonic connections. It may be considered rude to butt into a forum without introduction. Best regards.

[Eckywan]

Good luck Thistle sounds like a fun project!!
An Idea you might follow.....
I did something similar about French prisoners being held in Lanark (between Glasgow and Edinburgh) during Napolionic wars,
They had lodge meetings within their camp, called "Les Amis Reunis Dans Adversitie"( friends reunited (modern name!) in difficult times)
and GLos Museum ( bro Bob Cooper, Curator) found a document with list of names of brethren involved . ( OK all G.O. before anyone asks ) showing their army ranks rather than mother lodges

I took these names to a masonic contact with Army connections in France who was able to trace some of them.

Then I went to RL Amis Reunis in Chateauroux ( I forget their number) where I received the warm welcome we expect worldwide, plus as a visitor from Scotland, plus as I wore kilt etc.,and even more so, at agape / harmony when I told the above story of a previous loge Amis Reunis in Scotland! 200 huindred years ago!
( they could have had their 200th anniversary about the same time as UGLE)

Thistle some Army museum contacts here or in Oz may help. Or 1st Airborn Div. may be able to help.
Locally you have many Army connections / brethren at the castle and of course Bro / Comp Graeme Smith!

Awrabest
frat too eckywan