Hi, I have uploaded an escape and evasion report for my Father Ronald McCurdy. Captured North Africa December 1941 ending up in Camp 146 and escape to Italy. He names in the report Lugi Mocara who helped him and who is also in a list of names in his memorandum book. I have a lot more information if you can send me your details to pm. More information also om the Camp 59 survivers website. He mentions Douglas Allum and George Tudor in his book it appears he was captured at the same place and followed the same moves to Camp 146 but his escape route is different.
Hi, I have put a post on Vitellino's posts you may be interested if you would like more information please let me know how I can contact you by pm.
Thanks ! I am now finished with other work and I will loon into this from next week . Let s keep in touch
Hi Trevor It's amazing how some things come to be. My grandfather was actually PD Bailey...and I've just managed to work out his pow camp etc because we found an old pow letter he sent from PG146 in August 1943... Would be interested to know what other info you may have? Thanks very much Rifleman 11620 P.D. Bailey, held at Camp 146. Rifleman 11623 J.K. Currin, also held at 146
My grandfather is PD Bailey and my grandmother tells me that they escaped but we're recaptured a few weeks later and sent off to Germany. She says he always spoke so highly of the Italian villagers and farmers that looked after them so well... I'd be very interested to see what other info you may have.thanks very much Rifleman 11620 P.D. Bailey, held at Camp 146.
I have translated Prof. Giuseppe Zucca's book about PG 146 into English but it hasn't been published yet as we are still looking for other prisoners to add to his list.. Send me a private message, Vitellino
Hello everyone. I am also researching a family member who was captured in Libya in 1941 and ended up in a camp 146/25 Chignolo PO farming. He escaped on 8th September 1943 and we are trying to piece everything together. The details are: Name: L/Cpl Albert Douglas RASC Service No: T/150995 Ordered to surrender: 8th April 1941 145 Tripoli: 9th April 1941 to 6th Jan 1942 PG 59 Servigliano: 14th Jan 1942 to 6th March 1943 146/25 Chignolo PO: 7th June 1943 to 8th Sept 1943 - Agriculture Work camp I wondered if anyone had any further information about the main camp PG 146 as well as the surrounding area that you would be willing to share with me? Would POWs sleep in the main camp and then during the day go to the farms or did they stay in these satellite camps permanently? I am also keen to map out the route he took and am struggling to identify all the places he mentions in his Escape and Evacuation Report. I've attached the report and help would be enormously appreciated. Finally, would he have escaped because of the armistice of 8 September 1943? Apparently many guards allowed POWs to escape. Really look forward to hearing from you. Thank you, Richard
Hello Richard, In the interest of prompt help/response contact "Vitellino" (you will see her username above in this thread). Click/touch on "Vitellino" and a pop-up box will appear giving you a "start a conversation" option. Click/touch this then away you go. This will be the quickest way to get the help of vitellino's mountain of knowledge. Good luck with all. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Here goes: Just before the armistice the prisoners in Chignolo Po managed to persuade the commandant to take them to the neighbouring camp PG 146/26 Torre d'Arese where, according to the E & E report of POW William Jassinger, Buffs, they managed to lay their hands on some arms with which they intended to defend themselves against the Germans, should they arrive. The Italians left in a panic at the armistice and the pows walked out and dispersed. (WO 208/4255) During the following weeks the prisoners from the Lomellina-Pavia area (and indeed, much of north-west Italy) were contacted by an organisation run by Italian engineer Giuseppe Bacciagaluppi who had a British wife, Audrey Smith. You can read about him in 'A Strange Alliance' by Roger Absalom. As to the route Albert took, I think the train took them from Milan to CHIAVENNA ( he calls it Chiavenin), which is in the in the Province of Sondrio. From there the POWS went over the Passo della Forcola to Switzerland. This was a five -hour trek over the mountains and was little used for a variety of reasons. (source: Giuseppe Bacciagaluppi Final Report on the activity of the National Committee for Liberation in the help given to Allied ex-prisoners of war. Date: 1946 . INSMLI Milan, Fondo Bacciagaluppi Giuseppe, Busta 2 Fasc.13.) Unfortunately I can't read the surname of Rita who helped them - with it I might be able to trace her family but as Albert didn't know the name of her village this is unlikely (though not impossible). Vitellino Forgot to say the book is out. Edited to say a five-hour trek.
Vitellino - an enormous thank you and extremely helpful. I'll take a look a piece things together from what I already know. Really grateful. Rita's surname is Meda according the E & E Report. Though it still doesn't give us a huge amount to help us track down her family. Rich
Hello All, I wanted to share with you this newspaper article in regard to my research. I'm exceptionally lucky to have such a detailed account of what happened and will add what I already know to the story. I thought I would share it as it might help you. I am now looking for a Corporal Bob Brown of Artillery from 13 Baker Street Sheffield.... Richard
I can hardly read this, Richard, though I think the village is St. Angelo near Pavia. Edited : Have eliminated my last sentence - irrelvant now that I have been able to read the article. Thanks.
I must apologise Vitellino - it appears the file was compressed when I uploaded it. Hopefully this is bit better! Final Newspaper.jpg