Towards the Swiss Borders. Looking for Allied POWs

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Varasc, Mar 5, 2011.

  1. jacksun

    jacksun Senior Member

    Thanks Wayne,

    I tried with several contact sites (I don't know if I can write their addresses here, but they are the most suitable for such a genealogic search) but it was all vane.
    Concerning the General Inquirer suggestion, no, I have never tried, since the British authorities wrote me back that I could not - because, of course, I was not a next of kin nor I had the written, explicit permission of the family... :confused:

    Marco

    Marco, here is the link to MoD for soldier's records. Anyone can apply as a General Enquirer. Soldier must be deceased longer than 25 years I think, you'll need service number and/or birth date and a copy of the death certificate.
    Without next of kin approval they will not give you personal info - family members names, birth dates, addresses, and likely not medical info if it is in the file. What they won't give you may be what you really need :(

    Cost is £30 per record and a 12 month wait.

    how-to-apply-for-records-of-service-of-deceased-service-personnel

    Wayne
     
  2. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Good evening,

    After participating to an international old book exposition in the Aosta Valley, I found further information concerning two British former prisoners of my list,

    chief sergeant William David Lewis from London,

    private Victor Torrig from Liverpool.

    From previous data, I already knew that they were captured at Tobruk.
    Now I found two pictures and many pages concerning their quite long fighting presence in the Aosta Valley, over Fenis, in the "Lexert" partisan group.
    It would be very important for me to find their families, if still existing; unfortunately several kind members of this forum didn't find any match with the "Torrig" surname, although it was confirmed by two different historical sources, not only from the first one I had before.

    Not being a next of kin, and of course without the permission of their next of kins (!), I can't access the British military records of these two soldiers.
    I tried almost everywhere, for instance here:

    WWII veteran from Liverpool, Victor Torrig « Liverpool History Society Questions

    Winter 2011

    Do you have any possibile idea, please? Any other historical society or newspaper?

    I also discovered the unit of a third POW missing from my files, Driver E. T. Lockett, formerly from RASC, 200 Guards Motor Brigade.[FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    Very kind regards,

    Marco



    Hi all,

    I have been searching for the two above mentioned British soldiers for almost two years, but I could not locate their families, due to the British law on privacy.
    I would like to share with you two extremely rare pictures, just found in an old history book by Elio Riccarand, concerning the diary of a famous partisan band. The two soldiers joined for many months this same unit.

    May I ask again your help and suggestions, if possible? I know I already tried with all the possible veteran and local history' societies, for instance with the Liverpool History Society,

    WWII veteran from Liverpool, Victor Torrig « Liverpool History Society Questions

    and I know that without having the express permission of a next of kin, I won't be allowed to access the British archives about Torrig and Lewis. Anyway, it would be extremely important for this search to find at least a family member, an old friend.

    The two captions of the pictures, in English, mean:
    (left page) William Lewis (Davide), one of the two British men of the band, with the young Renata Lexert.

    (right page) Victor Torrig, the other Englishman, with his wife, in a picture taken after the Liberation.

    Unfortunately the old book does not show the sources of these shots.

    Thank you and kind regards,


    Marco
     

    Attached Files:

  3. KBrown

    KBrown Junior Member

    Hi englandphil, just wondering if you were able to find any information regarding Pte Thomas McCarthy? I came across this post during a google search. He is my Grandfather. My father was born 8mths after he drowned so we do not have much information regarding his time during WW2.
    Thank you.
    KBrown
     
  4. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hi englandphil, just wondering if you were able to find any information regarding Pte Thomas McCarthy? I came across this post during a google search. He is my Grandfather. My father was born 8mths after he drowned so we do not have much information regarding his time during WW2.
    Thank you.
    KBrown

    Hello KBrown,

    I suggest you to create an ad-hoc topic, in order to gain more visibility for your research. This is a quite old thread. :)

    Concerning my topic and the .pdf file I uploaded, instead,

    I just wanted to ask your opinion on the uniform of Torrig, showed in the .pdf file. I see it has a badge or medal on the collar of the jacket, even if it's not so easy to perceive. Do you have any idea of his possible unit, probably from the Royal Army?

    Furthermore, I realizes I didn't add the following information on William David Lewis:

    According to the file WO392/21 of the National Archives, he was a RASC driver and his military number was 188777. He was kept prisoner at Camp PG73 at Carpi (Fossoli), near Modena, in Italy.[FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    Thank you indeed,

    Marco
     
  5. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Updated... Do you have any suggestion for an expert or museum (in England) to show the image of the Torrig's uniform, in order to try to identificate it, please?

    Kind regards,

    Marco
     
  6. simon@hiddenitaly.com.au

    simon@hiddenitaly.com.au Junior Member

    Hello Marco. I'm Australian and I organise walking tours in Italy (Hidden Italy - Italy Walking Tour Specialists | Guided Tours and Self-Guided Walks). I am organising a private visit for a family who want to follow their late father's travels thorugh Italy as a POW - he was taken prisoner in Tobruk and then passed through Bolzano, Grupignano (Udine) and finally Selve (Vercelli) before escaping into Switzerland over Monte Moro with the help of local partisans in Sept 1943. He left a 26 page account. We have had a lot of help from people in Udine and also from the Institute of the Resistance and Partisans in Vercelli/Biella. Would you have any information on this period or be able to help us learn more about this period? If so, please contact me via the Hidden Italy website.

    Cordilai saluti

    Simon Tancred
     
  7. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hello Simon,

    Thank you for this kind reply. Of course, I am writing a book on several Pows who escaped through the Western Alps, but not from Monte Moro. Moreover, I was born in Biella.

    Don't hesitate to write me at my gmail address (name.surname) for further info.

    Kind regards,

    Marco
     
  8. tandmcolley@gmail.com

    tandmcolley@gmail.com Junior Member

    Hello Marco I have made a posting on the website under P.O.W.asking for the whereabouts of camp 55/6 at Busseto.You will see on this posting the details of Ernest Warris's escape from the camp 55/6 which we think was a farm, a satellite camp to the main Busseto camp.Details posted are from his Escape report which he made on his arrival in Switzerland.We also have the names(Resistance names) of the Partisans who helped him along the way.We are trying to find the location of S.Antonio la Costa(the satellite camp) so that my Brother has a starting point for his journey to follow ,as near as he can ,the route he took over to Switzerland.He was one of three that travelled together .We understand from other sources that there were very few escaped from this camp .Some got out on the 9/9/1943 but were quickly taken by the Germans.He was interned on 4/10/1943 at Wald then on 17/10/1944 taken to Vevey until 7/5/1944 when he went to Caux.He then went to Prison Vevey on 30/10/1944 we think this was to get discharged back to England.Your help would be much appreciated.(The whole story is under the heading Whereabouts of camp 55/6)
     
  9. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hi all,

    This thread, started concerning my research on the few POWs who reached Switzerland through the Western Alps, received several contributions not directly inherent to its original purpose.
    Anyway, since I just entered the second phase of my search, I thought to open again the debate here, if possible. This, because I am looking for the second group of soldiers who escaped in Switzerland from the Aosta Valley, with the most remarkable alpine trek at over 4000 meters on the Monte Rosa Massif.
    Even this part of the story has never been published before.
    When I was working on the first group of prisoners and on the related chapters of my book, I received a detailed report about other 11 Australians and 2 British men. It seems they have been able to reach the Swiss border up there, in a place reached today only by alpinists, thanks to a guide.

    As usual, I am looking for whatever possible information able to contact their families. I already found the heirs of Barndon, Hayes and Rhodes.

    May I ask you the meaning of "BTY", too? "Battalion...?"
    And 22 MG AIF may stand for a machine-gun squad?

    Thank you indeed and sorry for the weak layout of the list, it was impossible to copy and paste from my draft book. I tried several times but this was the best I could do.


    Marco

    _____________________

    Here their names and ranks (starting with the Australians), for which I am asking your kind assistance:


    [FONT=&quot]2/12th Battalion,Driver[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]TX75 Joseph Henry Turner

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A (anti-aircraft) BTY, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), 1st Australian Corps, Bombardier[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX32995 Thomas Watson Russell

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A BTY[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX32728 Ernest Baden Preiser

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A BTY, Gunner,
    VX47958 William Francis (Bill) Waller

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/28th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]WX15376 Albert Vernon (Mick) Barndon

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX34562 Ernest Andrew Hayes

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX33912 Brian Daniel Smith

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX33373 George James Rhodes

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]22 MG AIF,
    QX9995 Stuart John Lauder

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/23rd AIF, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX36598 Thomas Henry Kelly

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/48th AIF, Private
    Ronald Charles Irwin

    [/FONT]
    British


    [FONT=&quot]21st Field Bakery, RASC, L/Cpl.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]137028 Frederick Donald Cheeseman

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]396 Army, Army Field Boy, Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, Sapper[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2116887 William Edward Croft[/FONT]
     
  10. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hi Marco
    BTY is Battery

    Lesley
     
  11. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hi Marco
    BTY is Battery

    Lesley

    Sure! Thanks Lesley, very kind. :)
     
  12. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Any further idea, please?
     
  13. simon@hiddenitaly.com.au

    simon@hiddenitaly.com.au Junior Member

    Hi Marco,

    Thanks for your reply - I look forward to your book, when do you think it will be published? Are there any books available now on this topic?

    Regards

    Simon
     
  14. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    Hi Marco,

    Thanks for your reply - I look forward to your book, when do you think it will be published? Are there any books available now on this topic?

    Regards

    Simon

    Thanks Simon,

    I am still writing the book and when finished, I'll look for a publishing house. Of course this project will cover all the possible historical references to foreign POWs on the Western Alps I have been able to find, since 1945, from Italian, British, French, US, Australian sources (official and civilian ones). I am around page 207... Or I was there this night.

    I am still looking for help on the previously provided POW list, so if you have any info or idea to contact their families, it would be really appreciated. :)

    Thanks,

    Marco

    Here their names and ranks (starting with the Australians), for which I am asking your kind assistance:


    [FONT=&quot]2/12th Battalion,Driver[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]TX75 Joseph Henry Turner

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A (anti-aircraft) BTY, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), 1st Australian Corps, Bombardier[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX32995 Thomas Watson Russell

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A BTY[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX32728 Ernest Baden Preiser

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]3rd Light A/A BTY, Gunner,
    VX47958 William Francis (Bill) Waller

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/28th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]WX15376 Albert Vernon (Mick) Barndon

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX34562 Ernest Andrew Hayes

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX33912 Brian Daniel Smith

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/24th Battalion, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX33373 George James Rhodes

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]22 MG AIF,
    QX9995 Stuart John Lauder

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/23rd AIF, Private[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]VX36598 Thomas Henry Kelly

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2/48th AIF, Private
    Ronald Charles Irwin

    [/FONT]
    British


    [FONT=&quot]21st Field Bakery, RASC, L/Cpl.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]137028 Frederick Donald Cheeseman

    [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]396 Army, Army Field Boy, Army Field Company, Royal Engineers, Sapper[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]2116887 William Edward Croft[/FONT]
     
  15. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

  16. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Found this thread while looking for any reference on the forum to a place called Trivero - hopefully I'm not hijacking this thread but it has been a bit quiet since 2013 so here goes:

    Episode of Babbiera Bridge, Trivero, 05/05/1944

    List of victims
    Harold Ryrie Blain born 06.04.1916 in Portarlington (Australia),
    William George Harvey born 26/06/1906 in Cottesloe (Australia)
    Clive Eric Liddell born 03/06/1919 in Melbourne (Australia)
    John Richard Nicholls born 25/05/1911 in Boulder (Australia)
    Ernest Stanley Wolfe born 08/05/1921 in Albany (Australia)

    On this event there are two conflicting versions.

    The first is provided by the authors of the massacre in a daily report sent to their superior command from Merico Zuccari, commander of the legion "Tagliamento": "Normal activities of patrols throughout the area controlled by this Legion. Near Monte Barone, northwest of Coggiola, it was reported the presence of some Anglo-Saxon prisoners part of the Lower band (sic Basto) and that, after the dissolution of this, had continued to remain in the area. One of our patrols did a stakeout and, soon spotted the bandits, he opened fire. All members of the rebel group, numbering six, were killed and their weapons captured. In the other sectors we are still ongoing patrol actions ".

    The second was published in "Il Biellese" (n. 34 of 29 April 1975) and is the two-statement eyewitnesses, released in Trivero Friday, April 25, 1975, on the occasion of the event in which, also attended by the Consul General of Great Britain, it was inaugurated a plaque commemorating the sacrifice of six former prisoners.

    This is "The text Biella": "It was a damned spied bring into alpine hut Barbero, just beyond the old bridge Babbiera (high Valsessera), a patrol of fascists. Some of the refugees were in those days gone until about Mosso for supplies and information. They were expected to return and then all brutally killed. The owner was Lorenzo Verzoletto. Even for him it was decided the killing. The hail struck him near the temple, he fell unconscious and when he recovered the Nazi shook him to ascertain if he was dead. Then he was savagely beaten and ordered to make the pit.

    Augusto Massaro too was forced to dig to bury the dead. The fascists then set fire to the hut and went away.


    Sources:

    Google Translate

    Google Translate


    Photos of their graves: WW2 Australian Military casualties (including Army / Navy / RAAF / POW & Civilian Internees)
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2018
  17. Lee-Jay Sexton

    Lee-Jay Sexton New Member

    Hi Marco
    I am one of charles Bradford's grandchildren and believe you have been in contact with my mother Georgina Sexton regarding his exploits during the war, I was wondering.if your book was finished and published and if so where would i be able to locate and also if you wanted further information on my grandfather that myself or family can assist with.

    Kind regards
    Lee Jay Sexton
     
  18. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Lee,
    Marco (Varasc) has only been on the site once in the last 4 years. You could try and contact him via his website (link under his signature)

    Cheers
    Geoff
     

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