Hello everyone. An Italian friend has acquired the attached documents from a collector who had bought them in a street market. He tells me the diaries relate to Betts' time in Servigliano camp. Can anyone identify this soldier and give any more details? Many thanks Anne
Attestation papers signed to join Royal Artillery 1940. Serving with 31 field regiment R.A. Reported missing 15.12. 1941., then reported as POW 1942 in camp No. 53 Italy. Later entry as in camp Stalag 4D. Torgau (Elbe). Released 1945.
To confirm above UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: W J Betts Rank: Gunner Army Number: 1091436 Regiment: Royal Artillery POW Number: 228098 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: IV-D Camp Location: Torgau, Saxony TD
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: William James Betts Death Age: 84 Birth Date: 28 Aug 1910 - from your documents Registration Date: Mar 1995 Registration district: Eastbourne Inferred County: East Sussex Register Number: A61E District and Subdistrict: 4541A Entry Number: 204 1939 England and Wales Register Name: William J Betts Gender: Male Marital status: Married Birth Date: 28 Aug 1910 Residence Year: 1939 Address: "Snaefell" Residence Place: Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England Occupation: Shop Manager (Grocery) Schedule Number: 48 Sub Schedule Number: 1 Enumeration District: DVDC Registration district: 147/3 Inferred Spouse: Constance W Betts Household Members: Name William J Betts Constance W Betts William James Betts Birth: 1910 - Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England Death: 1995 - Eastbourne, Sussex, England Marriage: Sep 1939 - Buckinghamshire, England Spouse: Constance Winifred Elson F: George Betts M: Lily Harmsworth TD
1091436 BETTS Gnr W J 31 Fd Regt Middle East / Western Desert Casualty list No 735 dated 31 January 1942 Missing 15.12.1941 Casualty list No 764 dated 6 March 1942 POW previously shown as missing Casualty list No 1800 dated 5 July 1945 Previously reported POW in German hands now not POW Buckingham Advertiser and North Bucks Free Press, Saturday, February 7, 1942. BLETCHLEY MAN MISSING A former manager of the Water Eaton Branch of the Bletchley Co-operative Society, Gnr William James Betts, RA, of 'Snaefell', Cottingham Grove, is reported missing since December 15th, 1941. He joined up in October 1940 a year after his marriage. He is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs G Betts, 159, Western Road.
Fantastic info - many thanks. Only to be expected from all you experts! It just remains to be seen if he has any living descendants. Any hints gratefully received Anne
I've been given sight of the diary entries now, which show he was firstly in Camp 59 Servigliano 29/01/42 to 23/02/43, then transferred to Camp 53 (which he calls Urbisaglia but most refer to as Sfozacosta). Looks like he didn't escape at the Armistice and was shipped off to Germany
