PG 82, POW Jones

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Lizard10, May 11, 2015.

  1. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    Amazing, after so many years.
    I wish this would be true for most of the other camps in Italy, Germany, Poland, etc.
     
  2. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    Thank you for sharing your experiences and photos JJ, my great uncle Bill Sheely was the Catholic padre and one of the only New Zealanders in P.G. 82.
     
  3. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello Andy,

    New Zealander John Richardson was camp leader at the time your Uncle was the padre. Here's what John's daughter sent me from his memoirs:

    The only other New Zealander in the camp was a catholic priest, Father Sheeley. He had been in Rome, and knew Italian, so was a great help with dealing with the Italians. He embellished my status somewhat by telling the Italian officers that I was a Maori chief of some considerable importance. With his help we managed to get a shed of sorts to put the sick soldiers in, who had to cope without any medicines or bandages. Bandages were removed, boiled up with herbs and re-used. The doctors had no instruments so had to perform minor surgery with an army jackknife and a sharpened spoon

    If you send me a private message I can put you in contact with her,

    Regards,

    Vitellino
     
  4. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    Wow Vitellino, that is just incredible, thank you for sharing that excerpt. I will send you a PM.
     
  5. Huronkayaker

    Huronkayaker New Member

    Hello Everyone,

    I ran across this forum as I was searching for information on PG 82 Laterina. My father Solomon Saltiel was in the Greek army in WW2 fighting against the Italians in Albania when he was captured and sent to Italy as a POW. He was in Laterina twice. He was there initially and then, due to the poor conditions in the camp, volunteered to act as translator for Greek officers sent to PG 38 Poppi as he spoke fluent Italian. After several escapes and re-captures around Poppi, he was sent back to Laterina. Conditions were dismal but he tried to avoid transport to Germany because he was hoping the camp would be reached by the Allies. Also, he was Jewish and did not want to go to Germany for obvious reasons.

    My father passed away in 1998 but fortunately made tape recordings of his experiences, most of which I need to yet transcribe. Thank you JJ and Vittelino for the pictures posted of Laterina then and now! They help to bring his experiences to life for me.

    Vittelino, I am especially interested in the war crimes files you have on transports to the train stations. I found one online from a South African that appears to be about the same time as my father was on a march to the train station. My father ended up in Stalag 7A Mooseberg, Germany and used the false identity of Solon Saltas to hide the fact he was Jewish. He was also fluent in French and therefore was able to communicate with other allied POWs who spoke French.

    Attached is a Word doc that I have transcribed with two of his stories. One of a failed escape attempt at Laterina and the building of a tunnel. This was during his first stay. The last story is about the march to the train station from Laterina and his escape attempt.

    I don't know if any records of Allied POWs still remain in Italy,but it would be interesting to find some old documents on my father if they existed. Perhaps through the Red Cross. I corresponded with the Moosberg webmaster some years ago and he posted some things about my father on their site: http://www.moosburg.org/info/stalag/salteng.html

    Thanks,

    Marty Saltiel
     

    Attached Files:

  6. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello Marty,

    Please send me a private message with your email address and I will send you the War Crimes Files. Your father's version is worse than what is in them, I'm sad to say.

    I am collecting material about Laterina in order to produce a website, which I hope to do later this year and your contribution will be invaluable. A member of this forum whose father John Richardson was Camp Leader in the autumn of 1942 is also sending me some important documentation.

    If there's anyone else out there who has information, it will be most welcome!!

    Vitellino
     
  7. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    To all those interested, my site PG 82 Laterina is now up and running, but until Google have catalogued it it can only be accessed vi the Address Bar at the top of the screen.

    Thanks to all those who have conributed, including Bronwen, JJRooyen, Marty Saltiel and Leone G.

    Vitellino

    http://powcamp82laterina.weebly.com
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2016
    JJ van Rooyen and Tricky Dicky like this.
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi Vitellino

    Thats a wonderful job of research and also of the web site itself. :salut:

    They shall all be remembered :salut:

    TD
     
  9. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thanks TD.

    I have a lot of info. on PG 54 but there are already two sites up and running. I might just do something on PG 52...

    Vitellino
     
  10. JJ van Rooyen

    JJ van Rooyen Member

    Well Done Vitellino

    The website is very informative and holds valuable information!

    Regards

    JJ
     
  11. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    Agree with JJ, very well done Vitellino!
     
  12. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thank you JJ and andy007. I f you have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together I'm happy.

    Vitellino.
     
    Lizard10 likes this.
  13. Jenn Pak

    Jenn Pak Member

    . Hi JJ. Thanks for sharing this. I believe that My father, Fred Price, was at Laterino From August 42 until January or maybe April 43. He was from West Australia, captured at Tobruk and shipped to Italy on the Nino Bixio (via Greece). When the armistice was signed he was in northern Italy and managed to get to Switzerland. I am planning to visit Italy and Switzerland next year and hope to be able visit so of the places where he was. Your posts have been very helpful. Cheers, Jenn.
     
    Lizard10 likes this.
  14. Lizard10

    Lizard10 Member

    I’ve only just discovered these replies. Thank you Trevor. I will check this out.
     
  15. Lizard10

    Lizard10 Member

    My grandfather was also there and also transferred to IVB in sept 43 but he died three days later from diphtheria. Reading about your visit has been really helpful.
     
  16. Lizard10

    Lizard10 Member

    Thank you so much.
    I had not realised there were replies here. I really appreciate this information. Sorry it took me so long to find it.
     
  17. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

  18. 2nd SAS Italy

    2nd SAS Italy Member

    Hi,

    I'm new to the forum but i have found it fascinating and very informative.

    My father in law, Frank Cook was a POW at Camp 82 between April 1944 until the 10th June 1944 where he hid in a disinfecting oven with 10 others before the germans transferred them to Stalag VII, Moosburg.

    He was captured whilst with the 2nd SAS on Operation Jonquil in October 1943 and was sent initially to Camp 70 Mont Urano where he escaped after it was attacked by the RAF but was recaptured and sent to Camp 53 Macerata.

    He escaped from Macerata with the help of an australian who provided him with a set of wire cutters. He then initially headed for France but on hearing that the allies were advancing from Mont Cassino made his way south but was captured yet again at Communanza on the 17th April 1944. This is when he was sent to Camp 82 via Camp 102 Aquila, and after escaping made his way to Mont San Savino where he reported to an officer in early July 1944.

    My questions.
    Is there any sources available that would provide information on the various escape attempts that were made from Camp 82 and those that hid with him in the
    disinfecting oven.

    Is there information on the italian partisans that were operating in the area as he was with them for some of the time.

    Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

    Many Thanks
     
  19. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello and welcome,

    There is no single source listing the escape attempts made from the camps after the Italian Armistice (which were by this time transit camps). What is known comes from Escape and Evasion Reports or Liberation Reports (held in the National Archives) from single individuals like your father-in-law. For example, I have two reports from men who escaped from Laterina in May 1944 but were then recaptured.

    Was your father-in-law with the partisans at Communanza or at Monte San Savino or both? I do not have any specific information on the former - send a private message to Ted from Scrubs who will be able to help.

    There was one band in the Monte San Savino area - the 'Renzino' Band - which shot four German soldiers who were relaxing in a social club in the little town of Civitella in Valdichiana. This led to the Herman Goering Division massacring the townspeople and others in neighbouring hamlets on 29 June just after your father- in-law escaped from Laterina. Which Allied troops did he meet up with - 4 Recce of 4th British Infantry Division (who were the first into Civitella after the massacre) or 6 South African Armoured Division? (This is described in my book 'The Arezzo Massacres. A Tuscan Tragedy. pub. Lulu.com)

    Regards,

    Vitellino
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  20. 2nd SAS Italy

    2nd SAS Italy Member

    Vitellino,

    Thanks for the information and i will contact Ted direct.

    I'm not sure which partisan group he was with but it could have been both. I know from my wife that he told her he hide in the trees from the germans and that he hated garlic as he eat so much whilst roaming the countryside. There was other information that he dressed up as a nun in a monastery to avoid the germans but all the information is hearsay and not supported by any reports.

    I have been reading a book, SAS in Italy 1943-1945 Raiders in Enemy Territory, written by Malcolm Tudor and it mentions my father in law, who was looking to cross the lines in the Fermo area around the 25-28th January 1944 as he bumped into a Captain Gunston involved in Operation Maple - Baobab.

    I'm sure there would have been an evasion report as this would have been the basis for his Military Medal award for his escape attempts.
    In relation to the unit he met at Mont San Savino i was hoping to obtain the evasion report which may reveal this information.


    Many Thanks Once again.
     

Share This Page