I'm interested in finding out where the 159 Transit Camp was located as part of a project tracking my Father's movements in Italy with the R.A.O.C. during WWII. In November 1943 the 574 Vehicle Co War Diary has his Unit at the 159 Transit Camp. The HQ for this company is at Pugliano, south west of Salerno. Any assistance would be appreciated.
An internet search reveals it was " literally at the foot of Mt Vesuvius": BBC - WW2 People's War - A Guernsey footballer serves in Africa and Italy BBC - WW2 People's War - 64th (7th London) Field Regiment Royal Artillery 17
Documents at TNA: 159 Transit Camp | The National Archives 159 Transit Camp | The National Archives ebay: Vintage WWII No 159 Transit Camp (Naples Area) Pass-out to Rome slip Undated | #246608742
My grandfather was there 11/1/44 to 3/2/44. It seems likely that he was recuperating after a long-ish spell in hospital, but I didn't think that was really the purpose of a transit camp... I've read: 'at the foot of Vesuvius' / 'halfway between Rome and Naples' / 'About eight miles outside Rome' I was consigned to a transit camp, called 159 Transit Camp, in Rome, about half way between Rome and Naples, down the main road, and I was a Sergeant, ordinary Sergeant, and I had to call the roll every morning, of the people in camp, and in the afternoon there was a list of cards of everyone that was in there, and the regiment he belonged to, and where his regiment had gone while he’d been in hospital, and it was our duty to get them back to their units. BBC - WW2 People's War - A Guernsey footballer serves in Africa and Italy
Thanks Tony and Charley for your speedy responses and the helpful links. "At the foot of Vesuvius" would make sense. My Dad travelled on M.V. Derbyshire from Alexandria, Egypt to Taranto with the 574 Vehicle Co., where they arrived on 7/11/43 then boarded a train for Naples on 9/11 and "detrained" on 10/11/43 and were "Accommodated at 159 Transit Camp". Wiffer