Hello, I have been doing a bit of research on my Grandfather's escape from Sforzacosta camp, or Camp 53. I know the general jist of the story: how he escape and the family that took him in, but I was hoping to find out more detailed information of what exactly happened, because the story he told has many gaps. His information is: Q.M.S - Hilder, E.C. 7599687. He escaped from Camp 53 on 20, September 1943. I tried to contact the National Archives about accessing some of the Escape and Evasion reports in order to try and find his name. But unfortunately it looks as though these documents are not available online. Does anyone know of any affordable researcher or have any alternative ideas on how I could access files: WO 208/3298-3327 and WO 208/5582-5583. Many thanks, Emilie
Hi Emilie, Here he is on the WO392/21 list POW's to the Italians August 1943. No real information to add to his story, but nice to see his name on an official document. Steve.
Hello, I have been doing a bit of research on my Grandfather's escape from Sforzacosta camp, or Camp 53. I know the general jist of the story: how he escape and the family that took him in, but I was hoping to find out more detailed information of what exactly happened, because the story he told has many gaps. His information is: Q.M.S - Hilder, E.C. 7599687. He escaped from Camp 53 on 20, September 1943. I tried to contact the National Archives about accessing some of the Escape and Evasion reports in order to try and find his name. But unfortunately it looks as though these documents are not available online. Does anyone know of any affordable researcher or have any alternative ideas on how I could access files: WO 208/3298-3327 and WO 208/5582-5583. Many thanks, Emilie Holy Buckminsterfullerene! Another newcomer!!! Welcome aboard Emilie, good luck with your search, you came to the right place
Hi all. I'm a newcomer, only registered today. Trying to find out as much info on my late father-in-law Charles Dalton Wason, force no 88590V with 1st South African Irish. He was captured at Sidi Rezegh on 22/23 Nov 1941. Interned at Camp 52 until Sept 1943. Thereafter "with Italian Partisans" until RTU on 18/10/1944. The above was obtained from SA Defence archives which is fairly substantial but any further details will be appreciated, especially the "with Italian Partisans" part. Thanks in anticipation. Springbok
Here he is Springbok, Took a while to find him as the Watson's finished, then the WA's started again in column 2. Charles is about two thirds the way down column 2. This is WO392/21 POW's of the Italians August 1943. Cheers Steve.
Thanks Steve. Is there any way I can find out more on his activities and whereabouts after escape? I presume his escape was part of the walkout by POWs after Italy's capitulation and before the Germans took over, otherwise he would have been in German camp. Could you possibly suggest another thread to follow if you know of someone out there who could assist with this info? Regards Ivan.
Hi Ivan, Here is a previous thread on South African POW's. You will see who the main researcher is on this forum from the content. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/26455-south-african-pows-italy-2.html And another: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/prisoners-war/31676-pow-gunner-colin-massey-63151-nz-army.html Good luck.
Fursty Ferret, My father Corporal Joseph Smallman was in the same camp at Plemo as your grandfather and was possibley in the same party as 120 prisoners were moved to camp which is stated in pencil on the MI 9 report as PG56. We visited both PG62 in Bergamo (Lallio) and eventually found PG56? at Plemo with the aid of an Italian friend and the chance meeting of an elderly Italian gentleman in Oct 2009 which I have pictures. The gentlemans nick name was ''Drill'' given to him by the british soldiers. Lets say someone was guiding us?
Fursty Ferret, In depth My father Corporal Joseph Smallman was in the same camp at Plemo as your grandfather and was possibly in the same party as 120 prisoners were moved from Bergamo to the camp at Plemo.The camp is stated in pencil on the MI 9 report as being PG56? We visited both PG62 in Bergamo (Lallio) where there is a memorial garden adjacent to the site of the camp and eventually we found PG56? at Plemo with the aid of an Italian friend and the chance meeting with an elderly Italian gentleman in Oct 2009 which I have pictures who was 11 years of age in those days. The gentleman’s nick name was ''Drill'' given to him by the British soldiers and the meeting was quite emotional as he thanked us for reviving some happy memories from those troubled times. Lets say someone was guiding us, as prior to this meeting we had also met up with a lady in her ninety's and her family who helped dad during his escape who had been found by my friend prior to us arriving. Dad at first he went up into the mountains and travelled south down the Valle Camonica were he met the family high above Fucine as I believe he intended to get to the allied lines however the area was quickly occupied by the Nazis after the armistice as reports state they flooded into the country so he headed back along the valley and then North across the valley into Switzerland. I am sure that the Plemo POW camp was originally a labour camp as dad worked on an irrigation canal which is the size of our navigational canals in the UK and he mentioned a tunnel (Gallery) which is also there and they were not allowed in and I vaguely recall there was some sort of restriction on N.C.Os. It was later taken over by the Nazi's who used it as a transit camp of which I have a paper written by Professor Pedorsoli who I have tried to get in touch with to no avail at the moment as the paper is post 08/09/1943 I need some help also on this story as well from Bamboo Someone accompanied dad also to the farm above Fucine as the family have a small piece of paper on which dad had written his name and his address on and the other only his name but as in Italian. The family assure me that he was not Italian as my father and the chap only spoke in English. The signature was of a Giovanni Dallamore (John Dallamore) is it in the WO 392 POW log There were also Greek Cypriots in the camp which also formed part of dads story which was collaborated by ''drill''. My research continues as another family helped Dad as he collapsed when he swam a river as the Nazis occupied all the bridges. The river was icy cold which could have been the Oglio as he passed through Shilpario on his way to Switzerland on the report I have. Lots of Italians headed into the mountains when the Nazi's arrived including ''Drill'' and his family who also had a small farm stead where they aslo helped escaping prisoners. My research continues and bye the way the Lady who helped dad was awarded a certificate for helping allied prisoners as dad mentioned her name as giving assistance in his report signed by Field Marshall Alexander
Hi Trevor, At work just now, but will have a good look tonight. I'm sure Dallamore will be there if he was an Allied serviceman. Do you want your father's page too?
Trevor, Many Thanks for posting the story of your father. On my grandfathers escape and evasion report it does state that he worked on a canal while he was at Plemo. Unfortunately, the report is very basic and has no specific details on his escape. My grandfather passed away 20 years ago, he never mentioned how he escaped. My grandmother is in her twilight years and she would like to know his story as well as I. Hopefully I can gather information on how he did it, I’ve contacted Monte San Martino Trust a couple of weeks ago regarding if they have any information about the padre at Plemo which I’m still awaiting on. Not trying to be rude, but is the possibility that I can have a photocopy of the paper by Professor Pedorsoli? Or is there a copy on the Internet?
Here you go Trevor, Dallamore was in a Military hospital camp (H201) as of August 1943, but he is there.
Just registered so have revived a pretty old thread! This is my area of interest and I thought the attached might be of interest. The help given by the italian peasantry to young men who days before were their mortal enemy is unique in the history of WW2, especially since these young men often stayed with the peasant families for up to a year, learning the language, working the fields and getting friendly with the local girls! I'd like to see a documentary made of it, and have filmed one survivor, Ray Ellis, author of the book "Once a Hussar", which I thoroughly recommend. Ray has kept in touch ever since with his Italian helpers. There's also an excellent American site with masses of personal testimony: Survivors of Camp 59 And as for escaping to Switzerland - I recommend "In the Prison of His Days" by Norman Davison All the best A
Hi Fursty and Bamboo43 Many,many thanks for the info, it is a mighty big tick as far as I am concerned and any idea how I can find out what happened to John Dallamore as the Swiss in Bern have no information on him and the family never mentioned him being sick and where was H201. Fursty I will put a package together to help you.
Hi Trevor, Sorry I should have posted the camps list as well. H201 was at Bergamo too, according to the lists. Steve.
Emilie, do you know of the book "Once a Hussar" by Ray Ellis. He was in Sforzacosta and describes it very well. It wasn't a very nice place A
My Grandfather was serving with the Hampshire regiment when he was captured in North Africa in early 1943 and taken to POW camp in Naples Italy, from the little info he has given (he died in 1962) he escaped from Italy and got very close to the Swiss border when recaptured and then went to Stalag IVC. I have researched as much as I can at TNA in Kew, and on various websites, I have also contacted the Red Cross, and have limited info from them just names of camps and POW number. I would like to find out who liberated the Camp in 1945 as there is conflicting information, some say USA and others Russia. Or any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
Hi all, I read this long and interesting topic. I kindly remind to you that I am actually looking for Allied POWs who escaped in Switzerland through the Aosta Valley, Northwestern Italy. Further information in this topic, http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/prisoners-war/33692-towards-swiss-borders-looking-allied-pows.html Thanks a lot, Marco
