Partisan group of Nicola Prospero.

Hot off the press from David Paterson, a relative of Donald Russell's who has been contacted by Nicola Russell, the granddaughter of David Russell, Donald's younger brother. It came to him via Facebook:

At war Donald Russell had been taken as a prisoner of war about 2 or 3 times. He did fight with the partisans. When taken as a prisoner, the Germans lined up all the prisoners. They asked uncle Donald if he was English, and he said No, I am Scottish, and he told them that another couple of the soldiers were Scottish too. The German took them all aside and told them to stand at the other side of the room. The Germans then shot everyone else, and let Uncle Donald and the few other Scottish people go. He asked Uncle Donald whereabouts in Scotland he was from and he said Shettleston. The German soldier told them he had installed machinery at McFarlane Langs in Tollcross, and this saved their lives as he let them go.

He took a long time to recover after the war. One of the camps they were in he was injured in a quarry.

Someone once said ---everything comes to he who waits.....

Vitellino

 

Nice one Vitellino the Question about what happened to Donald Russell solved at long last Bravo

 

Here is Donald (left) with his brother David (centre) and his brother-in-law George Davidson. This photo was sent to me by Nicola, David Russell's granddaughter.

A very happy ending.

Vitellino

 

It's great to see the Man at last and as you said Vitellino a happy ending to this war time story

 

The thanks should go to Travers who traced Donald Russell's relative David Paterson. David Paterson was contacted by NIcola Russell and he sent her details to me. Thanks also to Papiermache who provided the war crimes files. A great piece of team work, which is what this forum is all about.

An article has been written on the subject by two people from the area of Forno Canavese and is due to come out now. When it does I will translate it and post it here for all to see,

Vitellino

 

Yes Vitellino as you said Travers, David Paterson, and Nicola Russell all Deserve a big thank you for
Solving the Donald Russell mystery, sorry if I’ve made it sound a bit like an Agatha Christie novel

 

The Article is out!!

It's quite long but I will translate is a.s.a.p.

 

Nice one vitellino

 

It covers 6 pages of A4, I'm afraid, too long to post here. If anyone would like a copy, please pm me with your email address and I will send it on to you,

Vitellino

 

Thanks for the copy it was an Interesting read

 

a Papiermache, buon giorno
leggo solo ora che avrei dovuto dare una risposta. me ne scuso.
torno sull'argomento dopo aver letto su "Canavèis" n. 37 che Janet Dethick Kinrade è giunta alla conclusione che Donald Russel, non è stato fucilato a Forno il 9 dic 1943, ma è stato imprigionato dai Tedeschi ed è tornato a casa a fine guerra. Al suo posto è stato fucilato un altro, ignoto.
Ringrazio e saluto. buon lavoro. giacomo.



Google translate.

to Papiermache, good morning
I'm only reading now that I should have given an answer. I apologize.
I return to the subject after reading in "Canavèis" n. 37 that Janet Dethick Kinrade came to the conclusion that Donald Russel was not shot in Forno on December 9, 1943, but was imprisoned by the Germans and returned home at the end of the war. In its place, another, unknown one, was shot.
Thank you and goodbye. good job. James.

 

Buongiorno Giacomo - sono contenta che abbia letto l'articolo! Chissa chi è stato fucilato, se non Russell?
Good morning Giacomo, I am pleased that you have read the article. Who knows who was shot, if it wasn't Russell?

Vitellino (Janet Kinrade Dethick)

 

Good Morning, James. No need to apologise, Google translate has translated this for me:

Grazie per il vostro messaggio. Quando hai scritto per la prima volta, ero nella felice posizione di poter accedere quasi immediatamente ai relativi file presso i National Archives di Kew. Di solito cerco eventi in Thailandia e Singapore dal 1941 in poi, ma ero interessato a esaminare il caso. Un vantaggio di questo forum è che molti possono contribuire a risolvere un mistero e so quanti sforzi Janet ha messo nella sua ricerca. È un caso molto triste, poiché sebbene sappiamo che un individuo non è morto, resta il fatto che altri lo hanno fatto.

{ Thank you for your message. When you first wrote I was in the happy position of being able to access the relevant files at The National Archives at Kew almost immediately. I normally research events in Thailand and Singapore from 1941 onwards, but was interested to look at the case. An advantage of this forum is that many can contribute to solving a mystery and I know how much effort Janet put in to her research. It is a very sad case, since although we know that one individual did not die, the fact remains that others did.}

John

 

Text deleted and following Vitellino's request (below) a new thread created: Italian POW Camp PG29 @ Veano: two escape and join the Partisans

 

Please start a new thread on Veano.

 

This post is to thank all the contributors to this thread, escpecially Travers who found Donald's family via Facebook and Papiermaché who posted the war crimes file.

I would like to tell you all that Donald Russell's nephew, his great niece and her two children will be visiting Forno Canavese with me on 8 April, kindly accompanied by Professoressa Claretta Coda (who researched the Galisia disaster), to see the memorial stone on which Donald is erronoeusly recorded as having been one of the 18 victims of the German reprisal at Forno Canavese. ( A reminder too that Donald was recaptured and sent to Stalag 4G Oschatz where he remained until the end of the war.)

Giacomo Vieta has also made an excellent small video describing the battle between the partisans and German troops in which Pte. Russell was taken prisoner. It is in Italian so I don't know whether it is worthwhile posting it here.

I will however post some photographs after our visit.

Regards to all,

Vitellino

 

We had an excellent visit to Forno Canavese. We were welcomed by the Mayor, Vincenzo Armenio, and by researcher Claretta Coda and her colleague Alfreda Da Roit, who lives inthe town. We were shown the zone where the partisans were in hiding and from where they engaged the German troops in battle, followed by the 'Casa del Littorio' (the fascist social centre) where Pte Russell and all the other prisoners were held, the area where the summary executions took place and the two plaques on which Pte. Russell is listed among the victims.

Best wishes,

Vitellino (Janet Kinrade Dethick)

Top foto: the plaque

Middle foto from left to right: Janet, Alastair Russell (nephew of Pte Russell) Nicola Russell (great niece), Ellie (Nicola's daughter), the Mayor, Dylan( Nicola's son), Prof.ssa Claretta Coda, Enzo Gilini, Prof. Alfreda Da Roit in the council chamber

Bottom Photo: Nicola Russell next to the memorial plaque