Award Military Cross Lt. G.M. Day, 1st Bn Welch Regiment (Escaper & Evader, Crete 1941)

brithm · Jun 17, 2024

94508 Lt. Geoffrey Maton Day, 1st Bn Welsh Regiment awarded Military Cross

ESCAPES FROM CAMPO 49 (FONTANELLATO), ITALY

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AWARDS

(1) After the Armistice with Italy the Italian Commandte of this Camp handed over to the Senior British Officer, who organised P/W into companies and ordered them to be ready to march out at five minutes notice on the sounding of the alarm by the camp bugler. The Italian Commandante was most helpful, and went so far as to provide some P/W with money to help their escape. He is said to have been taken prisoner by the Germans on their arrival, and sent to Austria. The alarm was sounded at 100 hrs on 9th September 1943.

After the surrender of CRETE Lt. DAY Swam out and brought an Assault Landing Craft into shore. He took about 40 O.Rs. onboard and sailed for island of GAUDOS, where they filled all containers with water, killed two goats, had an excellent meal and set out that night, hoping to be picked up by a Naval Patrol. They ran out of petrol and tried to tow the A.L.C with an 18 ft rowing boat which they had been towing but it was too heavy. Lt. DAY set off in the rowing boat with a crew and a blanket sail intending to make for shore and send help to the A.L.C. After three days they landed on the North African coast. They were under the impression that the enemy had been driven back from BENGHAZI and stopped the first convoy they met on the road thinking it was British. It was Italian and they were captured. This was on 4th June 1941. Lt. DAY was taken via TOBRUK to BENGHAZI, whence he escaped with another officer on July 14th by crawling through a broken wall and the wire. They made for TOCRA after six days marching in new Italian boats. Found no boats. The state of their feet prevented further marching so they jumped on to the back of a lorry going up a steep escarpment. They reached BARCE bit were discovered by the driver who handed them over to the police. Lt. DAY was then sent to Camp 49 (FONTANELLATO). He escaped from here by arranging for himself and another officer to be buried in a trench being dug at the football field. They were dug in and escaped after five hours. They made their way towards SWITZERLAND but after twelve days were caught at COMO and Lt. DAY was sent back to Camp 49. After the Armistice this camp was handed over to the S.B.O. and escaper was arranged by him Lt. DAY contacted American troops on 30th October 1943.

This officer was a most consistent escaper, and his performance were most meritorious.
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WO 373/94/551

Herald of Wales 20th November 1943

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Award Military Cross Lt. G.M. Day, 1st Bn Welch Regiment (Escaper & Evader, Crete 1941)

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Award Military Cross Lt. G.M. Day, 1st Bn Welch Regiment (Escaper & Evader, Crete 1941)

brithm Senior Member

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