Camp 52, Chiavari

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Warwick13, Jul 12, 2011.

  1. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Vitellino,
    Thanks. I have been in touch with the ladies that own & run the Stea Margherita Guesthouse in Coreglia Ligure where we are to stay when we visit the camp site in June.
    This was apparently the villa that was used for officers accommodation with the ground floor used as the infirmary for the prisoners. The building was within the camp.
    I am exchanging further info with the ladies will let the forum know of anything of interest.

    Cheers
    Geoff
     
  2. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Dear Geoff,

    I have posted the two photos I promised.

    The friend whom I asked to obtain the the photos for you received a reply from someone she knows who works in the Town Hall at Coreglia Ligure and here it is:

    The photo quality is poor but I will ask the town council to trace the originals, which are in the hands of a private citizen, so that the originals may be scanned. I hope to send you the same photos with better definition in the very near future.
    At that time my father was was adjutant the the Camp Commandant and when the camp was dismantled he took away with him all the documentation, including each prisoner's records, thereby making sure that nothing was lost. They contain all details regarding each prisoner – his personal data, the date and place of his capture, the date of his arrival at the camp and his transfer elsewhere etc. After the death of my father I handed over all of this material to the School of Military Telecommunications in Chiavari, which has created a "Memories Room" in which it is currently being held. So, if the interested party from New Zealand is interested in seeing this material I will arrange for him to visit the school
    .

    Regards,

    Vitellino
    image pg 52.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Hi Vitellino,
    I have been in contact with Prof. Giorgio Getto Viarengo, who is a historian with an interest in PG52, and he has sent me similar quality photographs as well as identifying in the photo where Hut 32 was.
    Also I have been introduced to a local historian at Pian De Coreglia / Calvari, Renato Lagomarsino . He was young boy when the camp was there and is involved the local museum in Calvari? which has a room of PG 52 artifacts. He is yet to reply.
    I found the website for the Military School in Chiavari and the Historical Hall is open by appointment from Monday to Saturday.
    La Sala Storica - Difesa.it
    Cheers
    Geoff
     
  4. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Great Stuff. You should find your visit really worthwhile now that you have done all this 'homework'. However, if you need to get into the Historical Hall by appointment don't forget the offer from the son of the camp adjutant- I think he would be delighted to meet you anyway.

    Vitellino
     
  5. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Vitellino,
    I would like to meet him. I am a retired telecommunications engineer so I have double interest in the Historical Hall!
    Geoff
     
  6. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    If you send me a private message I'll forward your details to my friends Robert and Krystn who will arrange it for you. What are the exact dates of your visit?
     
  7. sheilawin

    sheilawin Member

    Hi Geoff, I've just found this post as well as the other one I commented on. My father in law was also in Campo 52 from February to June 1942 before moving to Stalag 344 in Sep 1943. He was captured at Sidi Rezegh on 23rd November 1941 and I am trying to find out what route he took to Chiavari from Benghazi. I see you are going to Italy this year. If you get this message please get in touch. I live in London.
    Regards
    Sheila
     
  8. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Shelia,
    My father, Maurice Muir, #890, served in the New Zealand Army as Regimental Stretcher Bearer in 24 Battalion and was captured on 1st December 1941 at Sidi Rezegh/Belhamed just as the NZ 6th Brigade was retiring from the battle. He was awarded the MM for protecting his RAP from friendly fire.
    As a POW he was taken to Derna by lorry, then on a tram ride to a mountain barracks. From there they were put on the railway at Solok to Benghazi, and by ship to Tripoli. From there were then put aboard a German ship, to be transported to Naples, initially to Capua (Campo 66) near Naples about 30th Dec 1941, then to Campo 52 in early – mid February 1942, He subsequently was moved in late June 1942 to Campo 202 to work as a Medical Orderly in the newly established POW Hospital in Lucca.
    In April 1943 he was repatriated to the United Kingdom via France, Spain & Portugal with a party of about 400 wounded & protected personnel.
    I am visiting the site of all three camps in June this year and will be in London in August.
    Cheers
    Geoff
     
  9. Meloz

    Meloz Member

    Hi Sheila
    My dad was captured 7 months later, at the Fall of Tobruk (21 June 1942), but he describes a route via Benghazi, so I'll just list the places he mentions, in case this might be another common route - although Geoff's father's route is probably more likely, as it was around the same date.
    • (Acroma, Timimi, Derna en route to Benghazi.)
    • Aug-Sep 1942: Boarded an Italian cargo ship, initially hugging the Libyan coast eastwards, past Pantellaria Island, for about 3-4 days before entering Brindisi Harbour. There they did not berth but were taken ashore on fishing smacks.
    • After sleeping part of the night in a garden, they were marched to the railway station whence they departed in cattle trucks at 4am, to Bari. A fairly long march to a dry canal (2 days there), then on to the transit camp P.G.51 at Villa Serena, Alta Mura - where they stayed for some weeks.
    • Oct/Nov 1942: Then by train (3rd class carriage this time - sheer luxury!) through the Apennines, past Rome, disembarking at Lucca for P.G.62 (Colle Compito).
    • Nov 1942: Again by train to Chiavari, before a 16km march inland to P.G.52.
    Cheers,
    Mel
     
  10. B Smith

    B Smith Member

    Hi all
    These posts were quite a long time ago now but I am trying to find out more about my Grandfathers time in PG52. He was part of the NZ Medical Corp, 6th Field Ambulance, 5th reinforcements. His name was Paul Peillon. He was listed believed POW 13.12.41 and repatriated 22.4.43. He died 28.10.1947 at only 38 years old. My mother who was a child believes he was a medic or stretcher bearer. I just want to find out what he actually did. I believe he probably wasn't a medic as he was a carpenter by trade, so suppose he was a stretcher bearer or orderly but I am really keen for more information. I am going through a lot of books but most cover the German camps and there isn't huge amounts about the lower ranks either. Thanks.
     
  11. B Smith

    B Smith Member

    Another question too. Does anyone have any idea if any letters sent from Campo 52 were published anywhere on the internet. If my Grandfather sent any home in his time in camp my Grandmother doesn't seem to have kept them. Would be nice to see what others have written.
     
  12. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Hi welcome to the site. Your grandfathers story is similar to my fathers (see above in this thread and in other threads on the site). I will post a full reply in the next day or so!
    Cheers
    Geoff
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018
  13. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Hi, a place to start is the Auckland War Memorial Museum on line Cenotaph. This is your grandfathers listing;

    Paul Henry Peillon.

    This will give you his service number (41551) and many other details. I have to assume that he was repatriated back to NZ as he was initially in the 4th? reinforcements 2NZEF which arrived in Cairo in mid 1941 and then again in the 14th reinforcements in 1944!

    As far as his role as a medical orderly/stretcher bearer get a copy of "Khaki Angels" by Brendan O'Carroll. This is a very good book about the Kiwi Stretcher Bearers in both world wars.

    Good Luck
    Geoff
    .
     
  14. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    To all those interested in PG 52, please visit my website:


    Vitellino
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2018
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  15. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Vitellino

    Just tried your link and


    This site can’t be reached
    %20powcamp52weebly.com’s server IP address could not be found.
    DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

    TD
     
  16. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thanks TD. I have edited the post and tried out the link - it now works! ( I hope). However, I need to edit the site to add other information and today I am having trouble with Weebly in general,

    Vitellino
     
  17. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    The new link works well -
    TD
     
  18. B Smith

    B Smith Member

    Hi Yes I have his listing, and all his war records. They just don't say exactly what he was doing. He was an orderly on a ship after his time in POW camp but prior to that it just shows him as posted to NZ Medical Corps.
     
  19. B Smith

    B Smith Member

    He was in the 5th reinforcements, 6th field ambulance. He was poosted 22.6.41, then taken prisoner 13.12.41. repatriated back to NZ 26.6.43. He went back on the Maunganui hospital ship on the 23.5.44.
     
  20. B Smith

    B Smith Member

    I have read Khaki Angels and it is a good book. I am still just really wanting to know for certain was he a stretcher bearer or an orderly - or did they do both??? Would he have been out under fire picking up injured men, or would he have been based in a field hospital or dressing station. I guess I really just want to understand what he went through.
     

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