Hi, Is anyone able to point me towards a source that details the formal exchange of prisoners with Italy pre-September 1943? Were they bilateral agreements or something bigger and how often were they held? Many Thanks, Col
Moved above post from Fl/Lt. Denis COWLEY, POW, E&E, Switzerland: Question about POW exchanges as that thread was about one individual.
I searched online with "exchange of prisoners" site:ww2talk.com and had four threads id'd - none appear to concern Italy though. Changed it to POW and that id'd this thread: Did any POW's get released early? On pg.2 & 3 there are posts about an exchange in late 1943 on the Italian front.
From further searches, it seems that the first PoW exchange with the Italians took place in Smyrna on 8 April 1942 when 340 Italian POWs were exchanged for 60 British and Dominion troops. A second exchange took place on 19 April 1943 with 409 Italians exchanged for 450 British and Dominion troops in Lisbon and another 211 for 350 in Smyrna. The third exchange was again in Smyrna when 2,411 Italians were exchanged for 400 British and Dominion troops and Protected Personnel in May 1943. The last exchange with the Italians also took place in Smyrna and saw 2,676 Italian troops and Protected Personnel exchanged for 435 British and Dominion troops and Protected Personnel. Arrangements were well in-hand for a fifth exchange in September 1943 but the Italian Armistice saw the hopes of those chosen prisoners dashed amidst the last-minute re-routing of trains and ships! The first exchange with the Germans took place the following month on 27 October 1943. Hope this helps future searchers! Regards, Col
I did try a search here for repatriation, too many responses and on quick look of the first twenty very few appeared to concern POWs.
For interest, see diary page from WO1771385 - 104 General Hospital from Sep 43 mentioning 'Protected Personnel'. Although location is stated as 'in the Field' pages for July suggest El Arrouch Philippeville
Hutt, Your post is interesting. Hostilities in North Africa ceased 13th May 1943 and four months later 'battle casualties' still arriving. Presumably they could not be moved from the forward hospitals till mid to late September. The use of a hospital ship too. Would that be used for repatriation?
I expect any “battle” casualties Sept 1943 would be personnel evacuated to North Africa from the ongoing fighting in Italy?
Chapter VII of Col. H.J. Phillimore's "Prisoners of War" - {WO 366/26} - deals with exchanges. It all got rather heated in October 1941: ( some CAB files have items on later exchanges ): PRISONERS OF WAR (EXCHANGE NEGOTIATIONS). (Hansard, 7 October 1941) Two files free to download from TNA: FO 954/10B/280 FO 954/10B/282 Good hunting, John.
I'll post some more pages later today. Tullybrone replied before me and is of course correct, they are evacuations from (at this time) Siclly.
