British/Commonwealth POW's and the Italian armistice

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by andy007, Dec 11, 2009.

  1. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    Glad you enjoyed it Marco, it was very helpful in completing my dissertation even with a slight change in topic.
     
  2. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Two POWs who were with a partisan band named 'Ernesto Melis' based near Castelluccio above the town or Norcia in Umbria, Italy, were shot by the Germans on 4 May 1944 in Norcia Cemetery. They were South African Private Nigel Frank Eatwell and Briton Lt. David Campbell. Campbell and five other men had escaped from PG77 Pissignano on 6 January that year.Below is an account of what happened to them (held in the National Archives London WO 311/336) by Lt. T.J. O'Brien who was operating with the same band.

    Vitellino
     

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  3. sabbia001

    sabbia001 New Member

    Hi Peter, I found this old post, that is very interesting to me.
    I'm researching on Partisan movement in Ossola/Valgrande area, Piemonte, North of Italy. I know Frank Ellis and I could speak about him with 2 old partisan, still alive. They remember that he was an explosives expert. Have you found other information about him? Where did you find out that he lost his eye in Tobruk? How do you know that he survived the war and could testify on Fondotoce massacre? I just know that he was carried to Turin by fascists.
    I've found other names of commonwealth fighters in Ossola/Valgrande partisan brigades:
    - Pitt (UK?)
    - australian commander John Pack
    - south africans Jimmy, Connie, Sinclair

    Do you know anything about them?

    Thanks a lot

    The historian I refer to is Philip Morgan, see The Fall of Mussolini, page 127.

    Whilst researching my book I came across a quite remarkable story of a South African PoW, an engineer called Frank Ellis. He was in the 2nd South African Infantry Division captured at Tobruk, where he lost an eye. In September 1943, released, he made his way north and joined an Italian partisan band in Piedmont, fighting for seven months under the nome de guerre 'Franco'. In June 1944 he was captured along with 45 partisans and was about to be shot at Fondotoce. At the last moment he and two other partisans were hauled out ot the group and taken to Verbania and from there Frank Ellis was removed to Germany, possibly Berlin. He survived the war and later gave evidence about the Fondotoce massacre. Unfortunately I can't find any trace of him in English language sources. There is mention of him here :: Casa della Resistenza - La Storia - Parco della Memoria e della Pace ::

    and here Ecosistemaverbano

    He was possibly still in the group photo of the Partisans made to carry the placard; the woman in the centre front beneath the placard is Cleonice Tomassetti, a very brave partisan courier; she was in the first bartch of three to be shot. As the Germans were about to open fire she called out in a strong voice "Let's show them we know how to die boys! Long live Italy!"
     
  4. I'm looking for a prisoner of the PG77

    Good Morning
    I am a nephew of Arturo Cabrera (aka Martin Antonio) Spanish who joined the Foreign Legion and was fighting in North Africa.
    My uncle fell prisoner and the last news we have of him is April 1943, the date on which he sent us a letter from the PG77 PM3300 prison camp (attached copy of the letter in Spanish)
    My uncle was deemed "disappeared in combat" and we have never heard from him ...
    I am writing to you, in case you could help me find out about your fate.
    Thank you
    Vicente Calero Cabrera
    vcalero@deisa.net
     

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  5. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Good afternoon VIcente,

    The members of the French Foreign Legion were sent from PG77 on to PG 82 Laterina, which is near Arezzo in Tuscany, in the spring of 1943.

    A French prisoner, Pierre Dotremont, talks about the Spanish prisoners in an account given by his daughter to an Italian writer named Enzo Gradassi. I have used part of this account on my website pg82laterina.weebly.com.

    After the Armistice on 8 September 1943 the prisoners still being held in the main camp were sent to Stalags in Germany and German-occupied countries. Dotremonte escaped froom Laterina, so unfortunately we don't know what happened to the other prisoners belonging to the Legion.

    I do know, however, that one was recaptured (not your uncle) and held in Perugia gaol before being sent to Dachau.

    However, you should apply to the International Red Cross in Geneva for your uncle's record card. CLICK ON THIS LINK. The application can only be made every three months and the next date is 25 May. You need to apply as soon as possible after 8 a.m.

    Best wishes,

    Vitellino
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
    4jonboy likes this.
  6. thanks, I will do what you suggest
     

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