Camp 52, Chiavari

Hi all,
I'm trying to find a map showing the location of where Camp 52 Chiavari was. I assume it has now been built over or something, but that's not going to stop me finding it on Google Earth

My grandfather spent some time there after being captured in North Africa, before being moved to Lamsdorf and then on to Teschen in Poland from where he was eventually repatriated.

I'm going to Italy next week and will be passing through Chiavari so thought I might find some more information on the camp in case there is anything left.

I've tried every permutation on google I can think of, but can't find much on the location of the camp.

Cheers for any help!

 

Hi dear,

I spent my childhood in Chiavari but I don't remember this camp. I only know it from official, historical sources.
I will ask about it to a friend of mine who actually lives here.

Edited:

My very kind friend, an air-crash researcher, kindly gave me this link:

Sito Ufficiale del Comune di Coreglia Ligure - Il Campo 52

This page, only in Italian, provides historical explanations on the POW Camp 52. The camp was placed in Fontanabuona (in the municipality of Coreglia Ligure), not in Chiavari, while Chiavari was the biggest town in the surroundings.
My friend said that you may visit this place, even if thare not so many remainings of the past prison.
If you need further information, I opened a topic in this specialized forum:

Campo POW a Chiavari

Lat. 44°23'13.16"N
Long. 9°16'45.28"E

Chiavari is a very, very nice seatown, it surely deserves a visit. It has just been described in last novel from Andy McNab, "Brute Force", but in my mind not in a right way - I didn't appreciate it very much, this time.

Regards,

Marco

 

Wow that's fantastic! Thanks very much!

 

I don't know how to load a link to another thread, but Colin R posted this in an earlier thread in this Prisoner of War forum.

"My wife and I visited the site of PG52 in 2007. It is actually about 15kms inland from Chiavari at Pian de Coreglia, on the edge of a town called Calvari on the banks of the Lavagna River. If you Google earth Calvari, you will see a bridge over the Lavagna river on the outer edge of town, near Pian de Coreglia. We crossed that bridge, and mounted on the side of it was a marble slab erected in 2002, commemorating the site and acknowledging the futility etc. of war. There remains 2 houses (seen on Google earth - just over the bridge), which became part of the camp - other than that there are now just paddocks. The camp was beside the bridge and bordered the river. Believe it or not we met the Italian Camp Commandant (then 92 - in 2007), he struck us as being a nice man.He, nor his 2 sons could speak english, and my italian is limited, however, he had the original books, in pristine condition, recording all the names of the PG52 POW's. I described a cartoon my father had, which I now have, of PG52, drawn by a NZ prisoner, Arthur Douglas, who became well known for his cartoons of prison life. He took us into another room and there mounted on the wall was one very similar to mine, presented to him by Arthur Douglas - one of his POW's. He also had a "blower" ( a metal cooking device made and used by prisoners), which had on it, written in english, "presented to Commandant ---- with respect", dated 1942. I understand life there was pretty grim for the POW's, cold and little food.
I hope this helps a little.
Please note, I found some website saying Pian de Coreglia is near Lucca - there is a Pian de Coreglia there, but it was not the PG52 site.
Regards, Colin R"

Linked added: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/prisoners-war/3975-pow-camp.html#post303945

 

Very interesting, I missed this post - thank you for sharing with us.

Dear Warwick, enjoy your stay in Italy and above all in Chiavari!

 

Thanks Marco, and please thank your friend.

I have tried for years to find PG52.
My father was there in early 1942 before going to PG57 and then on into Poland and eventually Germany.

I passed through Chiavari, on the way to La Spezia, last year but had by then given up attempts to find the camp.

I hope to be back in a few years and will go to where I now know the camp to be.

kind regards
Graeme

 

Thanks Marco, and please thank your friend.

I have tried for years to find PG52.
My father was there in early 1942 before going to PG57 and then on into Poland and eventually Germany.

I passed through Chiavari, on the way to La Spezia, last year but had by then given up attempts to find the camp.

I hope to be back in a few years and will go to where I now know the camp to be.

kind regards
Graeme

Hi Graeme,

How are you?
I fully understand your interest... If you will come back again, maybe I will be able to contact a friend of mine, a local historian and aviation researcher, who will be able to show you the place of this old camp. Furthermore, you'll see one of the best, small towns of the whole Liguria.
I really love Chiavari, wonderful place.

 

Hi All

I have found this very interesting. I also have a copy of Arthur Douglas's Camp 52 sketch that he had sent to my father who was also a POW in that camp. Dad was part of the 25th NZ Battalion. What did you learn in your travels Warwick?I hope to travel here some day as well.

Regards
Phil

 

My father also ended up in Campo 52 after being wounded in Africa, and went from there onto Lamsdorf Poland and Stalag VIIIB. He was there until January of 1945 when they were marched out of the Stalag and around Poland and into Germany where they were found by American troops and repatriated back to Britain. There is not much information available on the Italian Camps.

 

I was looking around on Italian Google and found this site Front Cover | NZETC it has pictures of Italian Camps Including 52 and a drawing of the camp done by a New Zealand POW.

 

Nice and interesting discovery, thanks indeed for sharing!

 

My father also ended up in Campo 52 after being wounded in North Africa, and went from there onto Campo 57 and then to Stalag VIII and on to various camps in Poland finishing up one camp away from Auschwitz. POW's build railway yards, re routed a river and mind coal. He build a close relationship with one Polish prisoner in particular and they remained friends for may years after the event.
As the Russians advanced, one by one the guards abandoned their posts and eventually, when the Russians were only hours away he was ushered out of the camp to begin the long walk to France.
His experience of the Americans was not great. They bombed one bridge in particular costing several POW's their lives and he was forced to change his route. Eventually the number of guards dwindled and he remembered the last one leaving his rifle in the ground; waving them good bye and wishing the prisoners well as he headed for home.
Eventually the POW's came face to face with ground troops and they were gradually flown from France to England to begin their recuperation.
His experience of the Italian camps was mixed. Depending on the camp commander and the quality of the staff/guards they were either fair or terrible. His fondest memory was of the Padre's sharing their resources for each Sunday's church services.

 

Thanks indeed, really interesting. Above all, according to me, the human aspects of your father's friendship with the Polish former prisoner and their common memories, what they faced and survived during the war.

 

Great to receive a quick response. Thank you that is very encouraging.
My present project is to mark my father's route from his home in New Zealand, throughout his active service and back to New Zealand where he was discharged in 1945. Hence my interest in the Italian camps.

 

Great to hear your father's experiences. My Great Uncle William 'Bill' Sheely from 21 Battalion was a Catholic Padre who was captured in North Africa and spent time in P.G. 82 (Unsure if he was in any other Italian camps). After the armistice he was moved to Oflag 5A in Germany.

 

Great to hear your father's experiences. My Great Uncle William 'Bill' Sheely from 21 Battalion was a Catholic Padre who was captured in North Africa and spent time in P.G. 82 (Unsure if he was in any other Italian camps). After the armistice he was moved to Oflag 5A in Germany.

Really interesting, Andy. In this forum there are several members highly specialized in such questions, so maybe they will be able to track the camps your uncle lived in, as a prisoner.

 

There sure are Marco (you included!) I have been in touch with some who provided the above info.

 

can anyone please provide infromation on the attached document, my grandfather was in Campo PG 52 and this is an original document

 

Welcome Mike, looks like something hand drawn by one of the POW's at the camp who then had others sign it indicating where they were from, comments, etc. Maybe shows where they fought, may just be men with the 10 Field company who ended up in the camp.

Just a guess but it doesn't look like an official doc to me. Quite likely a very cherished document by its original owner I would guess.

Wayne

 

Welcome Mike, looks like something hand drawn by one of the POW's at the camp who then had others sign it indicating where they were from, comments, etc. Maybe shows where they fought, may just be men with the 10 Field company who ended up in the camp.

Just a guess but it doesn't look like an official doc to me. Quite likely a very cherished document by its original owner I would guess.

Wayne

Hi Mike, I agree with Wayne, it's like a personal record book in the shape of a single large sheet. Very interesting, never seen one from an Italian camp.