Tracking survivors of Italian POW camps

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Russelle, Jun 18, 2010.

  1. geckogirl

    geckogirl Junior Member

    I've just joined as I'm trying to find out some information on my grandfather, William Thomas Dann. He was in the Tank Regiment as a Trooper, was captured at Tobruk and sent to an Italian PoW camp. After a while he & some fellow prisoners escaped and were harboured by Italian farmers. They eventually made their way to the Americans to be repatriated.

    Unfortunately he died in 1960 and my dad (his son) doesn't have any real information about his service, other than a few anecdotes. I'm in the process of requesting his service number, but wondered if anyone on here might have some information or tips on how to find anything out about where he was captured, held and then repatriated.

    Many thanks [FONT=&quot][/FONT]
     
  2. ADM199

    ADM199 Well-Known Member

    I have Tpr W T Dann 7937539 PG 59 Italy in August 1943.

    I've just joined as I'm trying to find out some information on my grandfather, William Thomas Dann. He was in the Tank Regiment as a Trooper, was captured at Tobruk and sent to an Italian PoW camp. After a while he & some fellow prisoners escaped and were harboured by Italian farmers. They eventually made their way to the Americans to be repatriated.

    Unfortunately he died in 1960 and my dad (his son) doesn't have any real information about his service, other than a few anecdotes. I'm in the process of requesting his service number, but wondered if anyone on here might have some information or tips on how to find anything out about where he was captured, held and then repatriated.

    Many thanks
     
  3. geckogirl

    geckogirl Junior Member

    I have Tpr W T Dann 7937539 PG 59 Italy in August 1943.

    Wow, thanks - great stuff!
     
  4. geckogirl

    geckogirl Junior Member

    Thanks to ADM199's info I can now make the trip to Kew to look at any records that may be there relating to my grandfather.

    I know I want to look at his liberation report, if there, which should be in WO344/83. Is there anything else anyone would recommend me checking out while I'm visiting?

    Someone mentioned WO208, and I've seen WO392 elsewhere too, but suggestions/advice from those who have already started on the process would be gratefully recieved!

    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tpr W T Dann 7937539 RAC
    CE C N Cory 1440497 RAF
    Gnr F Cory 1775896 RA fell in Burma 1944
     
  5. ADM199

    ADM199 Well-Known Member

    Liberation Report in WO 344/83/1

    War Crimes files on PG 59 might be of interest when you are at Kew; WO 309/1986 & WO 311/335. Red Cross Reports; WO 224/123 Mar 1942 - Mar 1943. With the Rank of Tpr he would probably been in a Work Camp attached to PG 59.


    Thanks to ADM199's info I can now make the trip to Kew to look at any records that may be there relating to my grandfather.

    I know I want to look at his liberation report, if there, which should be in WO344/83. Is there anything else anyone would recommend me checking out while I'm visiting?

    Someone mentioned WO208, and I've seen WO392 elsewhere too, but suggestions/advice from those who have already started on the process would be gratefully recieved!

    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tpr W T Dann 7937539 RAC
    CE C N Cory 1440497 RAF
    Gnr F Cory 1775896 RA fell in Burma 1944
     
  6. geckogirl

    geckogirl Junior Member

    Liberation Report in WO 344/83/1

    War Crimes files on PG 59 might be of interest when you are at Kew; WO 309/1986 & WO 311/335. Red Cross Reports; WO 224/123 Mar 1942 - Mar 1943. With the Rank of Tpr he would probably been in a Work Camp attached to PG 59.

    Thanks again - and for editing your original response too :D - I was a tad confused, although it doesn't take much! The help is much appreciated.
     
  7. biggerbeard

    biggerbeard Junior Member

    Hi, stumbled on this website by chance, maybe someone out their can help. Trying to trace the p.o.w camp my grandfather was in. I`ve just started reading his diaries he left, its a bit vague bits missing an that. but the info i got goes as follows:-
    Sgt Thomas Dickson
    38th platoon
    E section
    Campo Piigionieri di Guerra
    No 68 P.M 3300
    Entry of diary noted January 2nd 1943

    If anyone can help or may have any information on either the camp or my Grandad Tommy, please gaet in touch
    thanx
     
  8. Rotherfield

    Rotherfield Senior Member

    Hi Russell
    Just saw the name Tarhuna (Libya) on your message which brought back memories for me, not war memories I might add but we used that camp in 1959 during a large NATO exercise, I served with the 1st Btn Royal Fusiliers and spent two weks in that camp during the exercise, I remember the Irish Rangers were the enemy during each exercise, the camp itself was very basic and there were still german signs on some of the walls which was fascinating, I often wonder if it is still there.
    Incidentally during one exercise in the desert out section came across a small groupd of palm trees and under the trees were two wooden crosses with the New Zealand leaf on them, I do know there was a major battle in the area involving the New Zealanders as there were still some rusting hulks of tanks there which we sued for target practice, we stood over those crosses and said a short prayer to two young lads who were a long way from home, I wonder about them also, are they still there or have they been moved.
    Mike (rotherfield)
     
  9. jonog

    jonog Junior Member

    Hello all

    Please could someone help me to find more information on my Grandfather’s (Norman Eric Philip – known as Eric) service in WW2. When he was alive, he never spoke about his time in the war but I do know that he was in the Transvaal Scottish Regiment (South African) and was captured by the Italians (I think) and he was on a ship which was torpedoed off Greece and was taken to a POW camp in Poland where he spent a few years (2 or 3 I think).

    Anyway, since his passing I have been getting more and more interested in this and would like to research and find out more of the detail of this before this information is lost forever. I was very close to my grandfather but my parents emigrated to New Zealand when I was 14 years old in 1995 so unfortunately, I was not able to find out more about my grandfather’s life and his time in the war.

    Please could you help in providing whatever information you can, contacts, regiment details, dates, POW camps he was at and anything else including names of books that you think would be useful. I know very little so anything would help.

    Many thanks
    Jonathan
     
  10. bigringtommo

    bigringtommo Junior Member

    hello russelle,im doing the same research about my grandad listed as captured june 15 1942 at mersa matru,but the date and place cannot be right, drew has sent me the war diary for his battalion for 1942 and they were just south of tobruk.the battalion did a movement called operation freeborne on the night of 14 june,basically a withdrawal that seems to have gone wrong and im of the opinion that this is when my grandad was captured.like yours he escaped in 1943.im continuing my enquirys.find it fascinating
    regards nigel
     
  11. bigringtommo

    bigringtommo Junior Member

    adm 199 can you tell me how to find about camp 53 ???
    regards nigel
     
  12. Pte H Hart Sherwood Foresters. P.O.W. History

    Tripoli

    PG 66 Capua - PG 70 Porto San Gorgio - PG 62 Bergamo - PG 62/51

    I believe that PG 62/51 was a satellite camp of Bergamo which we found out the location of in October 2009 in Plemo.
    This camp provided labour for work on a canal system that the Italians were developing for what now appears to be Hydro Power from research
    I have pictures of the guard hut which has now been incorporated as part of another building and what was described to me also another structure which was the base of a tower.
    This camp is of interest to me,Fursty Ferret and Renne who have received and requested help on this camp as it was the point of demarcation when the armistice was declared in September 1943


    It was subsequently used I believe by the Nazis as a transit camp as described by Prof. Giacomo Sebastiano Pedersoli
     
  13. Jock2012

    Jock2012 Junior Member

    Hi.

    My grandfather was also captured at tobruk and taken to Italy where he later escaped into Switzerland with 2 other guys, that is all i really know. his name was Pvt. James Roy Anderson of the Transvaal Scolttish regiment. (South Africa). does he show on any of those lists.

    thanks

    Steve
     
  14. Hi.

    My grandfather was also captured at tobruk and taken to Italy where he later escaped into Switzerland with 2 other guys, that is all i really know. his name was Pvt. James Roy Anderson of the Transvaal Scolttish regiment. (South Africa). does he show on any of those lists.

    thanks

    Steve
    Steve

    There's a Pvt R J Anderson No 26814 of 1 Transvaal Scottish who made an Escape & Evasion report which can be found at the National Archives in London, file ref WO 208/4239. Captured 21 June 1942 (date of fall of Tobruk) interviewed in Switzerland 1 October 1943, which would suggest he made a very quick escape after the Italian Armistice of 8 September 1943.

    Hope this helps.

    Chris
     
  15. Jock2012

    Jock2012 Junior Member

    Steve

    There's a Pvt R J Anderson No 26814 of 1 Transvaal Scottish who made an Escape & Evasion report which can be found at the National Archives in London, file ref WO 208/4239. Captured 21 June 1942 (date of fall of Tobruk) interviewed in Switzerland 1 October 1943, which would suggest he made a very quick escape after the Italian Armistice of 8 September 1943.

    Hope this helps.

    Chris
    Thanks so much Chris and Stephen, this is great info.

    how does one go about getting a copy of that escape and evasion report from out side the UK. can you just e-mail them and request a copy or do you have to visit the archive
     
  16. Hi Steve

    Can I suggest you try either Drew5233 or PsyWar.Org who both offer very reasonable copying service.

    Afraid I cant see me back at the National Archives for a while otherwise I would have offered to copy the file for you.

    If you happen to find your Grandfather was in Campo PG 54 - Fara Sabina please let me know as I am always looking for information and names from this Camp.

    Good luck

    Chris
     
  17. Dai Parker

    Dai Parker Junior Member

    Hi guys this is my first post on this forum so here goes.
    My grandfather William John Wyndham Parker was a driver (army no. T/10664720) in the Royal Army Service Corps in North Africa. All I knew up to now was that he had been captured, was held in Italy for a while and then sent to STALG IV - D/Z IN Annaburg, Germany (POW No. 227369). I recently found out that he may have been held in PG 65 Gravina, Italy. I would love to no more as he never talked about the war. My father tells me that he disliked the Italians and were better looked after by the Germans.Does anyone know much about the both camps, conditions etc.. I had heared that he may have worked on the Italian railway. Also I would love to know more about his role in North Africa, any information would be most welcome. Many regards , David.
     
  18. OzWartalker

    OzWartalker Junior Member

    Hi Chris,

    This is a longshot. But by any chance would you have Italian camp records for Private Fred Anthony Ernstzen of the South African Cape Corps? Service number: C274832. He was captured at Sidi Rezegh 23/11/1941 and initially held at PG 85 Tuturano near Brindisi. I would like to trace his movements through Italy heading into Germany and finally France. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Regards,

    Zane
     
  19. mw639

    mw639 Junior Member

    Hello

    This is my first post on the forum.
    I am trying to find any information I can about my brother (by adoption).
    His name was Donald William Ward but he was known as Bill.
    I think he was in the REME and was a POW in Italy, and I believe, also in Germany.
    This is a photo of him taken in Italy I think.
    [​IMG]
     
  20. Colby Stein

    Colby Stein New Member

    My great granduncle, John Kenneth Stein (TX850) served in Tobruk. I don't know if that's where he was captured. He was in Capua, then Gruppignano, then finally Vercelli. he spent nearly 3 months in Vercelli until he escaped to Switzerland. So there's a notably amount of similarity there.
     

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