Hi, i'm Michele from Parma, Italy I want to tell you what we have discovered: Enrico Vescovi, the grand-grandfather of my wife, was the owner of the inn at Castellonchio, near Berceto (Parma, Italy) during the war. Looking in some old paper from our grand-grandfather we stumbled on a puzzling letter. It has written "Inglesi" (English people) on it, and the letter itself was: "To: The Area Commander ALLIED FORCES The undermentioned family at the inn at Castellonchio gave food & shelter for one night to four officers P.O.W.s liberated from campo di concentramento 49. I request that they be paid therfore Signature true copy by Spr. R. Gelles R. E" I'm wondering what happened and if there can be a way we can find who was this four officiers! You can hel us? Thank you very much! I hope this infos can be useful for someone!
He may have completed a POW Liberation Report held at the National Archives, only around 50% of soldiers did but it could be worth a look. A couple of forum members have access to Ancestry.co.uk and may be able to look further for family etc but that's not an area I know much about so you may not have enough details
Hello Michele, Would it be possible to scan the note and post it so that we can have a look at the handwriting and check on his surname? I can't find him in either of the two prisoner of war lists I have - WO 392/21 or in its German equivalent WO 392/1. If he was released from PG 49 we can presume this was following the Armistice of 8 September so he has a good chance of being on the Italian register ( we know it is incomplete..) I seem to remember having looked for this man before..... Regards, Vitellino
I have a theory about this letter. The text says that 4 officier stayed at the inn, but R.Gelles wasn't an officier, and the letter says "true copy by Spr. R. Gelles". So, my theory is this: 4 officiers escaping from Fontanellato going south stayed one night sheltered at the inn, leaving a letter, signed by one of them. After some times (1 year if i'm not wrong) the Allied Forces reach Castellonchio, and my ggf show them the letter. Maybe the request to bring the original to some officiers, and they make a copy on the moment to let him have some "proof" of his aid. So R. Gelles wasn't a POW but a soldier that have reached Castellonchio with the army. It's a theory! But i'm going to follow your advice and try to find some other info about Gelles! Here the letter!
Richard George GELLES Born : 3rd April 1908 Died : 4 Q 1985 Camden, London. Of interest, he was born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria and was granted exemption from internment on 29th November 1939. Lawyer by profession, training to be a hairdresser. London Gazette 14th September 1948 p. 4967
Hi, i have news about this matter: i have found the original letter with the original signature. Unfortunately i cannot dechipher it... i understand that one of the officier was a Capt. of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment. Could some of you elight me?
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Richard George Gelles Death Age: 77 Birth Date: 3 Apr 1908 Registration Date: Nov 1985 Registration district: Camden Inferred County: Greater London Volume: 14 Page: 1724 TD