I am trying to find more information about my father’s time at 3 Transit Camp from 2 Dec 44 until 7 Jan 45 (7889785 James Coubrough RTR). I would like to know what the Camp was, where exactly it was located and what did he do there. I am waiting to get his service records, however, in a 1985 letter from the MOD at my request, along with his other postings, they advised he was “Posted to 3 Training Corps, 2 Dec 44”. However, his RAC Tracer card provided to me from the Bovington Tank Museum Library, says he was transferred “X(iv)/NA 2 Dec 44”. He was with 3rd Hussars from 3 Sep 43 until 2 Dec 44 and I have determined from their War Diaries and from “The Galloping Third, The Story of the 3rd The King’s Own Hussars”, Hector Bolitho,1963, that he was most likely included in the 3rd Hussars “Python” draft returning from Italy to the UK. I have found the following information about 3 Transit Camp from a variety of sources including posts on this site as follows: “Your 3 Training Corps from the 1985 MOD document is more likely Number 3 Transit Camp in the context of an impending UK posting.” WW2Talk Internet Forum Tulleybrone 8 Oct 21 “NA is North Africa – British North Africa Forces (BNAF) but I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on that as denoting his location as at that time, men were often described as BNAF when they were still in Italy. It is an interchangeable acronym with CMF and AAI.” WW2Talk Internet Forum Tulleybrone 8 Oct 21 The following document, WO: CMF, War Diaries, 2nd World War, Italy Camps. 3 Transit Camp. 1944 WO 170/3690, is held at The National Archives at Kew. I thought it may contain useful information about the Camp, however, in a message, Gary Tankard replied “The transit camp file WO 170/3690 simply consists of a daily list of number of personnel in the camp. There is no other info in the file. Regards, Gary.” WW2 Talk, Internet Forum, Gary Tankard 24 May, 2022 I assume that if it was a posting to a 3 Training Corps, as stated in the MOD Letter, it was in Italy and only for about a month. The use of the word “Corps” for a training unit seems very unusual and it was definitely not an RAC unit. It seems it may have been written or interpreted incorrectly in the MOD letter to mean 3 Transit Camp. 3rd Hussars War Diaries mention personnel leaving for long service leave to the UK from 14th Nov up until 2nd Dec 44 and then 3rd Hussars left Italy on 7 Jan 45. It seems very likely that he left the 3rd Hussars on 2 Dec 44 as part of the “Python scheme”. Transferred to the X List XIV/NA 2.12.44 as on his Tracer Card, could mean he was in a Transit Camp in Italy awaiting passage back to the UK. He was eventually posted to RAC Depot/UK 7 Jan 45. I would be very grateful if anyone can provide any information about 3 Transit Camp: 1. where exactly in Italy was it located, 2. what was its role, 3. how was it organised, and 4. are there any Nominal Rolls of people at the Camp in November/December 1944? ___________________________________________________________________________
Later dates, I know, but you could try these two files: Reference: WO 170/7274 Description: Transit Centres and Camps: 3 Camp Date: 1945 Jan.- Dec. Reference: WO 170/9059 Description: Transit Camps: 3 Camp Date: 1946 Jan.- June Two minor war crimes trials are listed as having been held at the camp in 1946: WO 235/147 Defendant: Teodorico Citerni. Place of Trial: No.3 Transit Camp (Italy). Reference: WO 235/201 Defendant: Mario Gori. Defendant: Sabatino Masci. Defendant: Guido Galdieri. Place of Trial: No. 3 Transit Camp (Italy). Our experts in Italy probably know, I'll ask one.
I have read somewhere that it was at Aversa - ex. pow camp PG 71 near Caserta - but can't remember where! As to Aversa's function, see here Scope and content: German General Anton Dostler's body slumps toward the ground after being executed by a firing squad at Aversa, Italy. The general was convicted and sentenced to death by an American Military Tribunal. Might also be worth checking this out: Search results: Aversa | The National Archives
Just in case there's confusion on POW camp numbering, the IRC have PG 63 as Aversa. Website campifascisti.it has 71 as Aversa, with 63 as Carinaro. This website's information is from Italian War Ministry documentation. Edited to say that by 1943 PG 63 was used to house Indian prisoners, whereas PG 71 housed Greek and Yugoslav civilians taken prisoner by the Italians during the Balkans campaign.. By December 1945 PG 71 was being used by the Americans and it was there that General Dostler (see below) was shot on 1 December.
papiermache and vitellino, Thank you kindly for your responses. I am a little confused with the role of the Camp as you have stated, as the POW and the War Crimes aspects all seem to be either earlier or later than 1944. In the context of a Python draft returning to the UK in 1944, do you think this may have been a temporary use of the Camp?
The file relating to Aversa has the dates 1939-1945. You need to get hold of a copy. See my above EDITED post, quoted here: Hence PG71 changed roles from Italian internment Camp to American Internment Camp. Vitellino
Vitellino, Thank you very much for that clarification. I think I might be heading in the wrong direction and I should probably wait until I have a copy of his Service Records before I follow this any further. It will probably save me time in the long run. I intend one day to follow the footsteps of the 3rd Hussars in the Tiber Valley so having accurate information should be a good prerequisite. Once again, thank you kindly for your help. Cheers, Jim
