Campo P.G. 53 and Campo P.G. 56 Italy

He would have been in one of the Italian transit camps before arriving at PG 53. The most likely ones are Bari (PG 75), Capua (PG 66) or Gravina in Puglia (PG 65). If you apply to the International Red Cross as I have already suggested you should find out.

As to the liberation reports, not everyone filled one in. The German Record card is another issue and I have no idea as to why his isn't in the National Archives. Some of them contained next to no information so it isn't a great loss. However, it might have indicated whether or not he was sent straight to Germany after the armistice or whether he was on the loose for a while before being recaptured.

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Still ferreting around in the Macerata-Sforzacosta debate.

A few figures from the escape reports in the WO 208 series Camp PG 53 to Allied Lines. Source THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DISCOVERY:

WO 208 3316-3336 WO 208/3343-3344 WO 208 5393-5401 total

Macerata 22 58 13 93

Sforzacosta 0 0 69 69

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My contact who lives in the small town of Sforzacosta and who showed me the sites of both PG 53 and PG 56 in September 2023 has now sent me this photo, taken in the 1950s.

The site of PG 56 Sforzacosta, next to the River Chienti, is clearly seen. This tented camp, as I have said earlier in the thread, was closed in September 1942 after a deluge rendered it unusable, and it was NEVER REOPENED.

The layout of PG 53, named as Macerata in the Italian documentation, is clearly visible.



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Edited to say that the newest website on camps in Italy, Camp list | Allies in Italy created by Italians, has this entry: PG 53 Sforzacosta (Macerata, Macerata, Marche)

 

Thanks for the update on 'Allies in Italy' site- looking forward to browsing the content!

 

Back on the old debate, I have been reading a lot of Liberaton Reports recently as I am interested in the men who were moved to northern work camps from PG 53, who escaped following the armistice and were then recaptured and sent to Germany. I haven't kept count, but have read at least 50. All except one refer to the camp as Macerata.

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