Camp 52, Chiavari

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

  1. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    J5 Prime photos 7thJan17 514.jpg Sheila,
    Copy of my Dad's card. As you can see there is not much more information than his name (initial "N" instead of "M"), rank, his Army # , and his transfer to Lucca. However I obviously cut off the top of the card so didn't get the file reference etc.
    Regards
    Geoff
     
  2. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello Dany,

    It is interesting that you say that many of the files relating to the camp have been lost. When I visited the camp last September I didn't find a single file. Apart from the day book, which recorded the comings and goings of prisoners to the camp, the only information I saw was in the form of Index Cards (see above).

    Lt. Zavatteri, the adjutant at the time of the armistice, took away what I have always understood to be the entire collection of prisoner of war records on 9/10 September 1943 or thereabouts - before the Germans arrived to take over the camp. When Lt. Zavatteri died his son gave the material to the Communications Museum.

    I was accompanied by Lt. Filippo Zavatteri's son when I visited the museum - we have some mutual friends who have a house overlooking the camp. He explained the collection and at no time was it suggested that some of the cards were missing. I had no trouble in finding the soldiers I was looking for. I shall ask him what he has to say on the subject.

    All this makes me think that the missing files could be those kept during the period when the camp was used as an internment camp for political prisoners and Jews, that is, after 8 September 1943.

    Vitellino


     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2019
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  3. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Geoff,

    Glad to see that you've joined in at this point. Were you led to believe on your visit to the Museum in 2017 that some POW information in the form of files was missing?

    Vitellino
     
  4. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Hi, how are you?,
    As you know we were very late arriving at the museum and there was so much to see and it was a bit of a rush.
    However, like you, I understood that individual cards and the day book were all the documents that were there, and from my perspective that is a hell of a lot more than for the other camps that Dad was in.
    I am very grateful that we have two collections of artefacts from PG52 and the excellent guardians that look after them.
    Regards
    Geoff.
     
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  5. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    We're fine, thanks, Geoff.

    As to the material from PG 52 in the museum, it may be unique according to Andrea Giuseppini, owner of website campifascisti.it.
    Let's hope that Dany does find the card relating to Sheila's relative,

    Best wishes,

    Janet
     
  6. Tom Hunter

    Tom Hunter New Member

    Hi everybody. First time post here after using it for much research. Based on everything I found I planned a visit to the little museum for PG52 in Chivari as part of my first-ever trip to Italy. Turned up at the School of Military Communications in Chiavari just last week and despite the fact that they usually require some written request (warning to future visitors, I had not expected that) they were kind enough to provide us with an escort who opened up the whole museum for the school, of which the PG52 section is just a small room.

    And there they were - all the index cards of the prisoners. And just a couple of minutes searching produced my Dad's card.

    IMG_7853.jpeg

    Amazing. A lot more information on it than I have on his German POW card, which he uplifted after the Germans left town and before the Red Army turned up. As is usually the case the capture date is likely out by a day or so, but it's nice to finally have the precise date of his transfer to PG57 in the north of Italy.

    Wonderful feelings to touch this piece of Dad's history. Thank you to everybody upthread, and elsewhere on this site, who contributed the information that allowed me to get here. Thanks also to the great guys of the Italian military running the place: the gate guard, the commander who informed me of the usual written request, but who allowed us to visit it anyway and provided the escort, and lastly to our escort, Warrant Officer Venuto

    IMG_7861 2.jpg

    A great and wonderful day.
     
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  7. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Tom,
    Welcome to WW2 Talk.
    Forgive me for not being explicit that an appointment needed to be made when visiting the STELMILIT Museum in Chiavari. I was in contact with the commandant thru their website Contatti - Difesa.it
    about a month prior to our visit. The commandant at the time was a most gracious host, as were his staff.
     
  8. Tom Hunter

    Tom Hunter New Member

    Thanks Geoff. My heart dropped when he told me that, but he could not have been more kind in allowing us the impromptu visit and providing the escort. I must write them a thank you letter. They also gave me a business card for the place so I'll scan that and put it up on this website.
     
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  9. Tom Hunter

    Tom Hunter New Member

    BTW - I wrote all this up in a blog post for a blog that I'm an author for, one of several authors.

    No Minister: The Strangeness of History

    Ignore the comments if you like. Like all blogs we have some rather nutty people who comment there.
     
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  10. tedfromscrubs

    tedfromscrubs Junior Member

    Apologies if this has already been posted but I have just come across it online some rather wonderful illustrations by Trooper HOrace Wade held at Camp 52
    Campo 52
     
  11. jamie ross

    jamie ross New Member

    Hello, I am a collector of ww2 artifacts. I have in my collection, a handkerchief, from Campo 52, signed by pows. Some have even put their service number, and address!
     

    Attached Files:

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  12. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Hello James,

    Would you be prepared to post them on the forum as I would like to add them to my website?

    Regards,

    Vitellino
     
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  13. Helene Britnell

    Helene Britnell New Member

    Not sure if this is the right place to post.I also have the sketch by Arthur Douglas. My father was Robert William Morris captured in North Africa in December 1941 POW in Campo PG 66 then in September 42 PG 52, then in January 43 at PG107 then sent to Stalag XVIII A January 1944. He never spoke much about the war to me.
     
  14. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Helene,
    Welcome to the forum. Your dads story is similar to mine up to PG 52. (My dad went to PG 202 Lucca Hospital then was repatriated to England in April 43). Do you know your fathers unit?
     
  15. Helene Britnell

    Helene Britnell New Member

    Hi Geoff, Dad was in the Divisional Engineers, 8 Field Company Departed NZ 1 February 1941 on the Nieuw Amsterdam. I have his dog tags with a crudely carved Tiki with them may have been done in one of the camps.
     
  16. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    Dad was captured at at Sidi Rezegh on Dec 1st. He was in 24 Battalion who along with 8 Field Company were part of 2NZEF 6th Brigade that was badly overun , so they cou;d have been captured in the same action. For a description of the battle see page 227/8/9
    CHAPTER 7 — The Crusader Campaign | NZETC
    Any questions post here
     
  17. Helene Britnell

    Helene Britnell New Member

    Hi Geoff His war records say he was posted missing believed POW on 13/12/1941 Pic of Dog tags attached
     

    Attached Files:

  18. GeoffMNZ

    GeoffMNZ Well-Known Member

    After Crusader and the retreat of 2NZEF on 1&2 December, it took some time to sort out who had been killed or captured, so many were dated 13th Decmber initially (as was my Dad) untill they had the whole picture. There is a reference to this in the Official History, but I cannot locate it at present.
     
  19. Helene Britnell

    Helene Britnell New Member

  20. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Whilst on the sibject of PG 52 Please note that the artifacts and POW cards from the camp are now in Calvari , near to the site of the camp. Contact me if you would like to visit.

    Vitellino
     

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