POW to Switzerland - Gunner Burton

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Barbara Tabiner, Mar 28, 2013.

  1. Barbara Tabiner

    Barbara Tabiner Junior Member

    James Douglas Burton (Pvte) 943497 of the 67th Medium Artillery regiment. Still alive and kicking aged 94.
    Captured 21st June 1941 (he thinks)about 20 miles from Tobruk. Every man for himself. Prisoner in several camps in Italy.Eventually escaped to Switzerland with the help of the partisans.Hidden by several people including a Mrs Lupo who had a flat in Turin.Taken across mountains with some others by a man called Maurice. Lots of tales to tell.
     
  2. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hello Barbara, I am working exactly on a similar story - several POWs who escaped in Switzerland from Piedmont through the high Western Alps, surviving the alpine trek at more than 4000 meters. He is not on my lists but if he passed through the Ayas or Lys Valleys, as well as from the Valtournanche, I would be surely interested. Thanks for sharing and don't hesitate to write me back on gmail. The address is my name dot surname @ gmail.com.

    Kind regards,

    Marco Soggetto
     
  3. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    James Douglas Burton (Pvte) 943497 of the 67th Medium Artillery regiment. Still alive and kicking aged 94.
    Captured 21st June 1941 (he thinks)

    That would almost certainly have been 1942.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    James Douglas Burton (Pvte) 943497 of the 67th Medium Artillery regiment. Still alive and kicking aged 94.
    Captured 21st June 1941 (he thinks)about 20 miles from Tobruk. Every man for himself. Prisoner in several camps in Italy.Eventually escaped to Switzerland with the help of the partisans.Hidden by several people including a Mrs Lupo who had a flat in Turin.Taken across mountains with some others by a man called Maurice. Lots of tales to tell.

    Hello Barbara

    please post any photos/info you have forum members will be very interested and possibly will be able to add more detail.

    regards
    Clive
     
  5. fenner257

    fenner257 Junior Member

    Dad was captured near Knightsbridge 12 June, 1942 and taken to Italy. Escaped with aid of a Priest and partisans who hid him near Busto Arsizio Italy and directed him towards the Swiss border. They were members of the Italian Resistance.
     
  6. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Dad was captured near Knightsbridge 12 June, 1942 and taken to Italy. Escaped with aid of a Priest and partisans who hid him near Busto Arsizio Italy and directed him towards the Swiss border. They were members of the Italian Resistance.

    But is him the same person we were told about by Barbara? :confused:
     
  7. fenner257

    fenner257 Junior Member

    But is him the same person we were told about by Barbara? :confused:


    sorry, not Barbara. Was just adding to the conversation. My dad was also captured and escaped to Switzerland. Sorry for the confusion.
    Irene
     
  8. Hi Barbara,
    Just picking up on your post.
    Dad, Corporal Joe Smallman of the Sherwood Foresters was in Tobruk just the same as James and toured the Italian POW camps and finally made it to Switzerland.
    It would be of some help if you could post the Camps that he was in plus the place's in Switzerland he stayed as any information would be of help.
    As an example I have been searching for ''Mussolinis hunting reserve'' for many years then a couple of weeks ago a contributor living in Italy finds me the answer plus additional information on the camp at Plemo PG62/51 in Valle Camonica which was dads last.



    Trevor
     

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