POW Camp 52 Pian di Coreglia Chiavari
Photograph: Gunner W.A. Weakley http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
Camp inspections in Italy were carried out by both the International Red Cross Committee and the Swiss Legation (Protecting Power). At PG 52, of the seven inspections carried out between 1 April 1942 and 7 September 1943 (the day before the Armistice), six were carried out by Capitano Leonardo Trippi of the Swiss Legation and one by Georges Bonnant of the same organisation.
Cap. Trippi was greatly impressed by the running of the camp on his first visit on 1 April 1942. He wrote a letter to Col. Castello-Taddei, the Camp Commander, which is reproduced in Giorgio 'Getto' Viarengo's book - referred to on the LOCATION page of this website - and is translated here:
ROME, 5 April 42
My dear Colonel Dino Castelli Taddei, Camp No. 52
On returning to Rome I would like to express my gratitude for the very good welcome I received on the occasion of my visit.
This week I will try to send out a crate with books via the War Ministry and I hope it will also be possible to arrange for more frequent shipments of Red Cross parcels to be made.
I was very pleased to see that you spare no effort to improve your camp and that you do everything you can to make the time spent there by the prisoners of war as pleasant as possible.
If the water supply can be increased I think it will be one of the best camps in existence, the large dining room will certainly be very much appreciated by the prisoners of war. My special praise goes to the infirmary that has surpassed itself.
I hope to be able to visit you again in a month's time and please accept for yourself and your officers my sincere and kind regards.
Cap. Trippi
Swiss Legation
Cap. Trippi was greatly impressed by the running of the camp on his first visit on 1 April 1942. He wrote a letter to Col. Castello-Taddei, the Camp Commander, which is reproduced in Giorgio 'Getto' Viarengo's book - referred to on the LOCATION page of this website - and is translated here:
ROME, 5 April 42
My dear Colonel Dino Castelli Taddei, Camp No. 52
On returning to Rome I would like to express my gratitude for the very good welcome I received on the occasion of my visit.
This week I will try to send out a crate with books via the War Ministry and I hope it will also be possible to arrange for more frequent shipments of Red Cross parcels to be made.
I was very pleased to see that you spare no effort to improve your camp and that you do everything you can to make the time spent there by the prisoners of war as pleasant as possible.
If the water supply can be increased I think it will be one of the best camps in existence, the large dining room will certainly be very much appreciated by the prisoners of war. My special praise goes to the infirmary that has surpassed itself.
I hope to be able to visit you again in a month's time and please accept for yourself and your officers my sincere and kind regards.
Cap. Trippi
Swiss Legation
Georges Bonnant's report of 19 June 1942 is similarly complimentary:
PRISONER OF WAR CAMP NO.52
BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR IN ITALY
Visit 12 June 1942
BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR IN ITALY
Visit 12 June 1942
Postal Address P.M. 3100
Total Capacity: 3000 places
Strength on the day of visit: 2669 prisoners of war
Officers; N.C.O.s and men
Camp leader: Sub-Conductor BARKER Indian Army
( 1020732 W.J.Barker Indian Army Ordnance Corps. Author's note)
Total Capacity: 3000 places
Strength on the day of visit: 2669 prisoners of war
Officers; N.C.O.s and men
Camp leader: Sub-Conductor BARKER Indian Army
( 1020732 W.J.Barker Indian Army Ordnance Corps. Author's note)
Camp 52, founded in December 1941, is situated in a healthy neighbourhood and is established in accordance with the rules of the Convention. None of the prisoners in this camp is forced to work. This camp was constructed as a prisoner of war camp and presents the typical appearance of such a camp with its parallel lines of small new houses arranged in parallel lines. The windows give adequate lighting. The electric lighting does not enable the men to read easily but the installation will be better when it has been completed. The hutments are so constructed that they give an adequate volume of air to their occupants. The guards have formed a corps of pump workers (firemen, author's note) who, in addition to a pump, now have a supply of spray extinguishers, which are distributed to each hutment. Finally, shovels and sand have been placed in each hutment which the prisoners know how to use. The arrangement of the dormitories is typical with large wooden bunks covered with mattresses each provided with two sheets and pillows, as well a three blankets in the winter.
The prisoners of war have a copy of the Geneva Convention. Orders are given to them in their own language by means of a translation.
There are sufficient latrines, which are well equipped and have a trench covered sufficiently deeply with running water and well disinfected. There are 55 showers giving hot or cold water thanks to a wood-burning boiler. Up to the present the prisoners have had showers every fifteen days, but since the spring the heating of water has stopped, to the great regret of the prisoners who are very anxious to have a hot shower from time to time.
The prisoners have three meals a day. In the morning they have a choice of coffee substitute or hot water with which to prepare the tea or coffee contained in the Red Cross parcels. At 11.30 am the meal consists of meat or of macaroni, etc. The evening meal is taken at 5-30pm and contains cheese or salami sausage. No wine is issued. The prisoners do their own cooking according to their tastes, they have a well-equipped kitchen and the necessary utensils. A dining hall is in process of construction. It will be very practical and the new kitchen in the same hutment will be perfect. The dish the prisoners like best and which they make almost every day is a stew in which they put macaroni, vegetables and their meat ration for the xxx week which thy spread over the whole week. This dish, which is cooked for a long time, seems to be to their taste. In the evenings the prisoners receive bread and cheese and, thanks to their system of spreading out the meat ration, they are able to add to this twice a week by having the same stew as at midday. This arrangement appears to be satisfactory because we received no complaints on the subject of the quality of the cooking. We tasted this dish on the day of our visit (the daily stew) and it appeared to us to be very good.
Finally the prisoners prepare for themselves the food contained in the Red Cross parcels. These goods, of various kinds and excellent quality, are distributed to the prisoners who form themselves into little groups, light a tiny hearth and cook in their mess tins a supplement to their ordinary menu, each to his own taste. This is a characteristic picture of Camp 52 – little groups of men crouching round a mess tin and giving the most serious attention to the cooking of their 'supplement' in their own little kitchen. The question of fuel for the hearths, however, presents constant difficulties because wood is scarce and the prisoners find in their search for chance combustibles a source of distraction and interest.
The prisoners of war have a copy of the Geneva Convention. Orders are given to them in their own language by means of a translation.
There are sufficient latrines, which are well equipped and have a trench covered sufficiently deeply with running water and well disinfected. There are 55 showers giving hot or cold water thanks to a wood-burning boiler. Up to the present the prisoners have had showers every fifteen days, but since the spring the heating of water has stopped, to the great regret of the prisoners who are very anxious to have a hot shower from time to time.
The prisoners have three meals a day. In the morning they have a choice of coffee substitute or hot water with which to prepare the tea or coffee contained in the Red Cross parcels. At 11.30 am the meal consists of meat or of macaroni, etc. The evening meal is taken at 5-30pm and contains cheese or salami sausage. No wine is issued. The prisoners do their own cooking according to their tastes, they have a well-equipped kitchen and the necessary utensils. A dining hall is in process of construction. It will be very practical and the new kitchen in the same hutment will be perfect. The dish the prisoners like best and which they make almost every day is a stew in which they put macaroni, vegetables and their meat ration for the xxx week which thy spread over the whole week. This dish, which is cooked for a long time, seems to be to their taste. In the evenings the prisoners receive bread and cheese and, thanks to their system of spreading out the meat ration, they are able to add to this twice a week by having the same stew as at midday. This arrangement appears to be satisfactory because we received no complaints on the subject of the quality of the cooking. We tasted this dish on the day of our visit (the daily stew) and it appeared to us to be very good.
Finally the prisoners prepare for themselves the food contained in the Red Cross parcels. These goods, of various kinds and excellent quality, are distributed to the prisoners who form themselves into little groups, light a tiny hearth and cook in their mess tins a supplement to their ordinary menu, each to his own taste. This is a characteristic picture of Camp 52 – little groups of men crouching round a mess tin and giving the most serious attention to the cooking of their 'supplement' in their own little kitchen. The question of fuel for the hearths, however, presents constant difficulties because wood is scarce and the prisoners find in their search for chance combustibles a source of distraction and interest.
Inspector Bonnant goes on to describe health care in the camp:
A separate section with some hutments comprises the Infirmary. The patients' rooms are supplied with good beds, with bathrooms, disinfection rooms and with isolation rooms. In this latter group, a short distance from the other patients, the apparatus for disinfection is also to be found, mobile autoclaves 'Gianeli' which rapidly disinfect the prisoners' belongings and the mattresses, sheets and blankets. The medical equipment is good and sufficient.
The infirmary is under the direction of an Italian military medical officer, assisted by Italian medical personnel, to whom are attached two British medical assistants. In all there are 12 men in this medical service.
In this connection, the question arises of medical prisoners of war. The British interpreter states that there are 350 members of the Medical Corps in Camp 52, according to the Italian authorities they lack proof founded on official documents. Up to the present 24 of them have been exchanged in the first repatriation party. We submitted the question of the documents of the medical personnel to the Italian authorities for fresh consideration.
The patients are very anxious to be treated by British doctors, and point out that the latter are in Officers' camps where they have no occasion to practice their profession.
Dental treatment is given by a dentist who visits the Camp twice a week from a place very nearby. In case of need, an oculist is summoned from the same locality. The medical treatment appears to be satisfactory.
At the time of our visit there were eight patients in the Infirmary suffering from slight ailments and all on the way to recovery. There have been no epidemics but these have been provided for and isolation pavilions are available.
Serious cases are evacuated to the Military Hospital of a neighbouring town which we also visited. The prisoners there have special rooms, well situated and very well arranged. They receive excellent medical attention from an excellent doctor and surgeon, as well as from female nurses. There are two wards with 7 beds, a terrace, two private room, 4 bathrooms and all the necessary equipment. Six patients were there under treatment at the time of my visit (See Annexe). A death occurred the same morning as the result of serious bronchial pneumonia. A death occurred in the camp as the result of peritonitis. Five others occurred in the hospital, the results of peritonitis or bronchial -pneumonia.
All the prisoners who have asked to do so have seen the Mixed Medial Commission but this has not visited the camp for a long time, it is desirable that it should pay a new visit as soon as possible.
DISTRICT MILITARY HOSPITAL FOR THE REGION OF FARA & PIAGGIO CHIAVARI
List of prisoners of war now detained in the Hospital:
Sergeant Noel Edward BOURHILL of bronchial pneumonia, a ' focolai multipli subentranti', and grave toxaemia
(There seems to be some doubt as to the date of this inspection - 12 June or 19 June. Author's note)
The infirmary is under the direction of an Italian military medical officer, assisted by Italian medical personnel, to whom are attached two British medical assistants. In all there are 12 men in this medical service.
In this connection, the question arises of medical prisoners of war. The British interpreter states that there are 350 members of the Medical Corps in Camp 52, according to the Italian authorities they lack proof founded on official documents. Up to the present 24 of them have been exchanged in the first repatriation party. We submitted the question of the documents of the medical personnel to the Italian authorities for fresh consideration.
The patients are very anxious to be treated by British doctors, and point out that the latter are in Officers' camps where they have no occasion to practice their profession.
Dental treatment is given by a dentist who visits the Camp twice a week from a place very nearby. In case of need, an oculist is summoned from the same locality. The medical treatment appears to be satisfactory.
At the time of our visit there were eight patients in the Infirmary suffering from slight ailments and all on the way to recovery. There have been no epidemics but these have been provided for and isolation pavilions are available.
Serious cases are evacuated to the Military Hospital of a neighbouring town which we also visited. The prisoners there have special rooms, well situated and very well arranged. They receive excellent medical attention from an excellent doctor and surgeon, as well as from female nurses. There are two wards with 7 beds, a terrace, two private room, 4 bathrooms and all the necessary equipment. Six patients were there under treatment at the time of my visit (See Annexe). A death occurred the same morning as the result of serious bronchial pneumonia. A death occurred in the camp as the result of peritonitis. Five others occurred in the hospital, the results of peritonitis or bronchial -pneumonia.
All the prisoners who have asked to do so have seen the Mixed Medial Commission but this has not visited the camp for a long time, it is desirable that it should pay a new visit as soon as possible.
DISTRICT MILITARY HOSPITAL FOR THE REGION OF FARA & PIAGGIO CHIAVARI
List of prisoners of war now detained in the Hospital:
- Private William Thomas ATWELL suffering from nephritis 'clorunmemica'
- Private Jacobus Johannes VA DER HEEVER suffering from anthrax on the neck
- Private Johannes NELL suffering from pseudo-artrosis of the right arm, the results of a fracture
- Corporal Frank Bester FERREIRA suffering from an abscess on the index finger of the right hand
- Private Claude William BRYAN suffering from acute appendicitis with an abscess 'periapendiculare'
- Private Petrus Johannes BOSCH suffering from bronchial pneumonia in the right lung
Sergeant Noel Edward BOURHILL of bronchial pneumonia, a ' focolai multipli subentranti', and grave toxaemia
(There seems to be some doubt as to the date of this inspection - 12 June or 19 June. Author's note)
The district military hospital Chiavari in the 1940s
There is no work outside the camp. The prisoners, however, still have too little to do. Their games are all played in the open air and the space which they have out of doors it too small to permit them to play such games as football. After 7.30 pm they have to remain inside their hutments. Walks take place every morning in detachments of 200 to 250 prisoners. This system of rotation enables each prisoner to take part in the walk once every ten days. These marches lead them to the neighbourhood round the camp and sometimes to the shore of a lake where they can bathe, thanks to the arrangement of the bank which enables about 300 prisoners to bath at the same time. (For sketches and water colours done by Corporal Horace Wade on these walks see website http://www.lovefromscotland.co.uk/campo-52/) The two Chaplains who are prisoners of war in this Camp can go out when they wish, and are only accompanied by the Italian chaplain.
The Camp Canteen (shop) is open from 9 to 12 noon and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and gives satisfaction to the prisoners. The commandant makes special efforts to see that they can obtain sufficient fresh fruit and vegetables in order to counteract the lack of vitamins due to the eating of too much tinned food such as the prisoners receive. The Canteen sells its goods at local prices with an increase of less than 10% . The profits produced by this increase revert entirely to the prisoners. Of late months the profits have risen to 8982.50 Lire which is sufficient proof that the Canteen has plenty of customers. This money has enabled the prisoners of war to acquire certain articles, such as musical instruments.
Brewing up on a tin stove http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz
There is no restriction on smoking and the prisoners smoke what they get in their Red Cross parcels, their personal parcels and what they buy in the Canteen.
Three clergymen have charge of the religious life of the camp. These are: an Italian Chaplain who is a Roman Catholic; an English Bishop - Lieutenant-Colonel Gerard from New Zealand; and a Presbyterian chaplain - Captain Mitchell, from New Zealand. A hutment is reserved for the service held by the Roman Catholics and another one serves for the religious services of the two others. The two others informed us of their desire to have a piano or small harmonium, as the only piano in the camp has to be carried from the dining-hall to the chapel, which causes certain difficulties.
Regarding the Camp Cemetery, which has not yet been used, the British Chaplains have asked whether special rules have been made on this matter by the British War Graves Commission, and they are anxious to know them. If on the other hand they have to act on their own initiative, they would like to know how much they are authorised to spend in this connection.
They also handed us a list of books, which has been sent to Geneva. A certain number of books have arrived in the Camp sent by the International Committee and by the New Bodleian Library, Oxford. The prisoners ask for some more games to play indoors such as ping-pong, playing cards, chess, draughts, etc.
The projection of films is not allowed in the camp. Wireless is in the process of being installed.
The prisoners have been given facilities for informing their relatives of their capture. They now have the right to write one letter and one card per week, on the official forms. No money has reached them so far.
The last consignment of Red Cross parcels reached them at the end of May. It comprised 5115 parcels to be distributed at the rate of one parcel per week. The last distribution took place on the 9th of June. According to information given by the Commandant of the camp, wagons have been announced to arrive within a few days. Some of the prisoners have received parcels sent to them directly by their families.
As far as the prisoners' correspondence is concerned, this functions regularly but with very great delays. Letters take four months to come from India. For the last six weeks no posts have come from South Africa. Finally, the numbers of letters arriving from England has diminished considerably of late. The Camp Leaders can correspond directly with the International Red Cross Committee and with the Protecting Power.
The prisoners make their complaints to the Commandant, who takes them up when they are justified. The Commandant himself has no complaints about the prisoners. We were able to talk alone with the Camp Leader. He informed us that disciplinary measures had been taken but in accordance with Articles 45 to 49 of the Convention. Some cases of escape have taken place, as well as attempts to escape. The fugitives were caught and disciplinarily punished. At the moment there is a complaint about the Carabinieri who confiscated a civilian garment - a pullover sent by the International Red Cross committee. (See next page for an alternative view of the discipline.)
Two prisoners, Stuart and Downey, have been sent to PG 65 - the first for disobedience and the second for 'an offence against a Chief of State'. (See Downey's account on War Crimes Page.)
The commandant does his best to facilitate the transmission of Wills, Documents and papers of the prisoners.
An obligation to salute exists within the Camp, as well as authority to wear badges of rank. Orders and rules to discipline are communicated to the prisoners in English by means of a translation.
The good order in the Camp is due without any doubt to the military spirit and sympathetic authority of the Commandant of the camp, who, since he has undertaken this charge, has caused the greatest progress to be made in the camp. The prisoners recognise this themselves and point out the making of roads, the organisation of the new kitchens, the construction of a large dining hall with 3000 places, as being the work of the Colonel Commandant of the Camp. The latter intends during the coming weeks to undertake repairs to the roofs which will render them perfectly watertight. The Commandant shows himself satisfied with the discipline of the prisoners, and the prisoners for their part have no complaints to make about their Commandant. This camp consists of 44 hutments with double walls, partly of wooden construction and partly of composition, Every ten days the walls are disinfected, as well as the floors of the hutments. There are always some broken windows in the process of being repaired.
There is no restriction on smoking and the prisoners smoke what they get in their Red Cross parcels, their personal parcels and what they buy in the Canteen.
Three clergymen have charge of the religious life of the camp. These are: an Italian Chaplain who is a Roman Catholic; an English Bishop - Lieutenant-Colonel Gerard from New Zealand; and a Presbyterian chaplain - Captain Mitchell, from New Zealand. A hutment is reserved for the service held by the Roman Catholics and another one serves for the religious services of the two others. The two others informed us of their desire to have a piano or small harmonium, as the only piano in the camp has to be carried from the dining-hall to the chapel, which causes certain difficulties.
Regarding the Camp Cemetery, which has not yet been used, the British Chaplains have asked whether special rules have been made on this matter by the British War Graves Commission, and they are anxious to know them. If on the other hand they have to act on their own initiative, they would like to know how much they are authorised to spend in this connection.
They also handed us a list of books, which has been sent to Geneva. A certain number of books have arrived in the Camp sent by the International Committee and by the New Bodleian Library, Oxford. The prisoners ask for some more games to play indoors such as ping-pong, playing cards, chess, draughts, etc.
The projection of films is not allowed in the camp. Wireless is in the process of being installed.
The prisoners have been given facilities for informing their relatives of their capture. They now have the right to write one letter and one card per week, on the official forms. No money has reached them so far.
The last consignment of Red Cross parcels reached them at the end of May. It comprised 5115 parcels to be distributed at the rate of one parcel per week. The last distribution took place on the 9th of June. According to information given by the Commandant of the camp, wagons have been announced to arrive within a few days. Some of the prisoners have received parcels sent to them directly by their families.
As far as the prisoners' correspondence is concerned, this functions regularly but with very great delays. Letters take four months to come from India. For the last six weeks no posts have come from South Africa. Finally, the numbers of letters arriving from England has diminished considerably of late. The Camp Leaders can correspond directly with the International Red Cross Committee and with the Protecting Power.
The prisoners make their complaints to the Commandant, who takes them up when they are justified. The Commandant himself has no complaints about the prisoners. We were able to talk alone with the Camp Leader. He informed us that disciplinary measures had been taken but in accordance with Articles 45 to 49 of the Convention. Some cases of escape have taken place, as well as attempts to escape. The fugitives were caught and disciplinarily punished. At the moment there is a complaint about the Carabinieri who confiscated a civilian garment - a pullover sent by the International Red Cross committee. (See next page for an alternative view of the discipline.)
Two prisoners, Stuart and Downey, have been sent to PG 65 - the first for disobedience and the second for 'an offence against a Chief of State'. (See Downey's account on War Crimes Page.)
The commandant does his best to facilitate the transmission of Wills, Documents and papers of the prisoners.
An obligation to salute exists within the Camp, as well as authority to wear badges of rank. Orders and rules to discipline are communicated to the prisoners in English by means of a translation.
The good order in the Camp is due without any doubt to the military spirit and sympathetic authority of the Commandant of the camp, who, since he has undertaken this charge, has caused the greatest progress to be made in the camp. The prisoners recognise this themselves and point out the making of roads, the organisation of the new kitchens, the construction of a large dining hall with 3000 places, as being the work of the Colonel Commandant of the Camp. The latter intends during the coming weeks to undertake repairs to the roofs which will render them perfectly watertight. The Commandant shows himself satisfied with the discipline of the prisoners, and the prisoners for their part have no complaints to make about their Commandant. This camp consists of 44 hutments with double walls, partly of wooden construction and partly of composition, Every ten days the walls are disinfected, as well as the floors of the hutments. There are always some broken windows in the process of being repaired.
The construction of a hutment to serve as a Common Room and Theatre is on the point of being completed. Workrooms for the repair of clothing and shoes are already functioning.
(Another photograph showing the entire cast of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' to be found on the website of the Caserma di Caperana. You will need to download the pdf.)
(Another photograph showing the entire cast of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' to be found on the website of the Caserma di Caperana. You will need to download the pdf.)
A photographer comes to the camp every week to take photographs of the prisoners and these photographs are sent to their relatives through the Staff.
(This photograph taken in PG 52 is of New Zealander Maurice Muir, #890, who served in the New Zealand Army as Regimental Stretcher Bearer in 24 Battalion. It was sent to his mother.)
(This photograph taken in PG 52 is of New Zealander Maurice Muir, #890, who served in the New Zealand Army as Regimental Stretcher Bearer in 24 Battalion. It was sent to his mother.)
I received some requests from the prisoners
- They are anxious to be authorised to use the packing materials, cartons and tins from their Red Cross parcels. At present these articles are taken away from them by order of the Commandant.
- Sugar in the Red Cross parcels now reaches them in small metal boxes. They ask that tea should be packed in the same way in order to preserve it better.
- They would very much like see the personal parcels packed in cartons which would survive transport better, because the contents of parcels packed in paper are greatly diminished by the time they arrive.
- The Australian soldiers beg that the Australian Red Cross should be informed that no personal parcels have arrived since September rand October 191.
- The prisoners would like to know what they must do to obtain the money to pay for spectacles or dentures. (Procedure en course)
- 4 Polish prisoners ask for books to be written in Polish.
- The prisoners would like to know if there are any convalescent camps in Italy for those wounded men whose condition does not merit repatriation or hospitalisation, but who are not able to live the rather hard camp life. We have submitted this request to the Italian Red Cross who state they are ready to consider this important suggestion.
- They are anxious to be authorised to use the packing materials, cartons and tins from their Red Cross parcels. At present these articles are taken away from them by order of the Commandant.
- Sugar in the Red Cross parcels now reaches them in small metal boxes. They ask that tea should be packed in the same way in order to preserve it better.
- They would very much like see the personal parcels packed in cartons which would survive transport better, because the contents of parcels packed in paper are greatly diminished by the time they arrive.
- The Australian soldiers beg that the Australian Red Cross should be informed that no personal parcels have arrived since September rand October 191.
- The prisoners would like to know what they must do to obtain the money to pay for spectacles or dentures. (Procedure en course)
- 4 Polish prisoners ask for books to be written in Polish.
- The prisoners would like to know if there are any convalescent camps in Italy for those wounded men whose condition does not merit repatriation or hospitalisation, but who are not able to live the rather hard camp life. We have submitted this request to the Italian Red Cross who state they are ready to consider this important suggestion.
It is interesting to note what Capt. Leonardo Trippi had to say about the camp fifteen months later on 7 September 1943:
REPORT ON PRISONER OF WAR CAMP No. 52
Camp Commander: Col. CASTELLI TADDEI
Camp Leaders: Captain Ch. GOLDIN Senior Medical Officer
Sgt.Maj. John SHIMMIN
The labour camp "Rivarolo" (see our report of 21st April 1943) has been closed and the prisoners of war who worked there have returned to the base-camp No. 52.
The strength of the camp has remained about equal to that which we found when the camp was visited previously on the 21st April, 1943 (for the rest of this paragraph see Documents page of this website) ...
Our conversation with the Camp Leaders, the officers and some men was had in an office without the presence of witnesses.
I. GENERAL
The Camp had the same aspect as previously, it was well kept and embellished with a number of small flower-gardens. Most of the roads are paved. A chapel ha been built and a dental cabinet (surgery) has been installed in the infirmary.
II. CAMP
No changes have taken place. The artificial light is not strong enough. I was told by the Senior Officer that an additional lamp in fitted up in each barrack by the prisoners of war themselves. The nights begin to cool down and the inmates of the camp asked for a second blanket, it was promised them by the Commandant. At present two sections of the huge refectory are occupied with beds.
III. PERSONAL EFFECTS
Upon arrival of new prisoners of war their money is withdrawn and receipts ore issued them. If later on the prisoners of war are found in possession of sums of money, these are confiscated and they get a "confiscation receipt". If the clothes in which prisoners arrive from other camps are in a bad condition, they are exchanged from the stock held by the Senior Officer. In answer to our remarks regarding clothing, Castelli-Taddei stated that the inmates of the camp were provided with clothes by the camp authorities but that they preferred British uniforms.
IV. MAIL
In the Camp Leader's opinion the postal service was quite satisfactory; some letters took a long time to arrive from England some just ten days. The prisoners of war who have come from the camps in southern Italy complained that their mail was not forwarded from the camps Nos. 51, 65, 75 and 85 (these had been closed – see documents page. Author's note.). We shall ask the War Ministry to instruct these Camps not to delay the letters and parcels but to send them on immediately. Capt. BURGER, 279432, who has come from Camp No. 65, reported that he has received no letters letters since May. His address is:
Buitenstreet 29, Voutersderp (Transvaal).
Private parcels arrive in good order but no cigarette parcels have been received. The Prisoners of War may use the "Africans" (Afrikaans) language in their letters.
The Camp Leader has sent a letter dated July 14, 1943 and a telegram to the Protecting Power, regarding the distribution of Red Cross parcels to prisoners of war transferred from Camp No. 65: a communication had been received from the Commandant on July 8, 1943, that no parcels were to be given to these prisoners of war according to instructions from Rome. The order was cancelled on August 9, 1943. Four parcels are still due to these prisoners of war but owing to the. non-arrival of a Red Cross shipment, the other prisoners have also not received their parcels regularly. It was not possible to find out why the instructions mentioned above had been issued. We heard however, from Sgt/Maj. Hamilton that on one occasion foodstuffs had been thrown by the prisoners of war from the windows of a train to the civil population. Possibly it was for this reason that the distribution of parcels had been stopped for some time. 6095 parcels had been received from the Red Cross on July 27, 1943, and another 1554 parcels on September 6, 1943. Every inmate of the camp received only one parcel in two weeks and half a parcel on September 7th. No stocks are on hand.
Letters and postcard-forms have been handed out regularly also to the protected personnel.
With reference to the British Legation's Note (Bern) XIX/202/43 of the 3rd July, 1943, relating to the status of Messrs. Riddell, Pritchard and Hill of the YMCA staff, who are interned in this camp, Mr. Riddell still receives the treatment of a sergeant. We shall again take the matter up at the Ministry of War and explain that Messrs. Riddell and Pritchard who are secretaries of the YMCA, have a status equivalent to that of officers and Mr. Hill, a YMCA orderly, is graded as sergeant. As regards the status of McGREGOR PEARCE (British Legation's Note (Berne) 0XXL/35)4/43 of the 22nd June 1943) Camp Leader Shimmin is going to send us particulars of McGregor's service in the merchant navy.
V. MAINTENANCE
The Camp Leader said that the food was very satisfactory. Vegetables and fruit can be had and are plentiful. The new kitchen is very large and well-equipped and functions properly. The infirmary has now its own kitchen and an English sergeant is hospital cook. Ordinary and diet foods are prepared. The officers now pay 13 Lire for the messing arrangements. The difference between this amount and the former charge has been credited to their accounts as from July l, 1942.
The canteen makes good profits which allowed the purchase a new piano; there is still a credit of about 50,000 Lire left. The Camp Leader would like to use this fund for paying off the prisoners' debts for lost and damaged camp property. This could only be done if the sums were due by repatriated prisoners of war.
At this occasion Shimmin put the question as to what will happen, when the camp is closed, to the things belonging to the prisoners of war, such as the library, musical instruments, games, etc which have been supplied in part by the Red Cross and which, in part, were purchased out of the canteen profits. It was reported that 210,000 Red Cross parcels with clothes, games, and medicaments had been left in Camp No. 65 which had been closed. We said that we would inform the International Red Cress Committee although the Committee probably already know about it.
The cigarettes are issued regularly by the Camp authorities.
VI. CLOTHING
The Camp Leader reports once a month on the clothing condition to the Red Cross and sends a statement of the incoming and/and outgoing items. He said they were short of shoes of the sizes 7; 8; and 9 and had too many large-size shoes. The number of trousers in stock was also not sufficient and many inmates of the camp had their underpants cut down to shorts. The monthly soap ration has been reduced from 200 to 100grams.
VII. MEDICAL SERVICE
The former medical officers of this camp, CAPT. LOSKE (LUSK) and LT. BURNS, have been transferred to Camp No. 57; the Italian medical officer, a Major, has been replaced. At present four British medical officers, a British dental surgeon, two Italian medical officers and an Italian dentist, who calls twice a week, attend to the sick. The British doctors work in turns as there is not enough work for all; one of the doctors is always on duty in the infirmary. I spoke to all the British medical officers without the presence of witnesses, their names are listed below:
Capt. GOLDIN Senior Medical Officer
Capt. MCPHERSON
Capt. John LEE
Capt. J. LEARNER
Capt. A. EKSTEIN
Capt. Goldin reported that the general state of health in the camp was good. He was somewhat concerned about the large number of prisoners affected with malaria, who had come here from Camp 65, and about the lack of medicaments for combatting the disease. The Italian doctor said information had been received that 10,200 attebrin and quinine tablets had been sent to the camp. the shipment was supposed to come in any day. Capt. Goldin further submitted that during the night there were no medical orderly prisoners of war in the infirmary; the infirmary is outside the camp on the other side of the wire enclosure and the prisoners must be in the camp at night-time.
We were told that some beds were infested with bugs, we brought this to the notice of the competent authorities.
Capt. Ekstein submitted that although the dental cabinet (surgery) was provided with the proper chair and drill, some important small instruments, especially burs, were not available he would be glad if the Red Cross could provide the dentist with the required tools and drugs. The Italian dental surgeon, a Major, calls twice a week, he confirmed that many things were missing and said that he had to do without them but that here they were not used to the luxury of complete sets.
Thirteen prisoners of war were confined to the sick-room and nine to the hospital, there were no alarming cases or illnesses: malaria, dysentery, conjunctivitis, glomerulnephritis (a negro had been affected by this disease, he had nearly recovered and, was sent back to Camp No. 122); some were sick with fever and were being examined; others were convalescents from inflammation of the lungs, diphtheritic quinsy, dermatitis of the feet and rheumatism. 165 prisoners of war had been examined by the Mixed Medical Commission in June; other prisoners who have come in July from Camp No. 65 have been listed far examination. The sick prisoners of war also get Red Cross parcels, those who are on a diet are not allowed to eat all the contents.
P.O. RUTHERFORD, sick-berth attendant of the English (British. Author's note) Navy, has no Certificate of Identity, the Camp Leader was going to apply for such a document and will furnish the required data so that the certificate can be procured.
Since our previous visit to the hospital a prisoner of war
JOHNSON George Eric, 1414772,
has died on July 19, 1943; he was buried in the cemetery of Cicagna. The address of his relatives is: 15 Gord Rd., Titchfield Common (Engl.)
VIII. RELIGIOUS SERVICES
The new chapel is available for both Protestants and Catholics. The Catholics have an altar on one side, the Protestants have a harmonium. Capt. MITCHELL asked us again for bibles and scriptures; he particularly needs 400 hymnals with music. We asked the International Red Cross Committee to send the required hymn-books to the Camp. Capt. Mitchell and his colleagues, Capt. TUDOR and Capt. BURGER, are now allowed to visit the hospital in turn.
For the 25 Jewish inmates of the camp there is no room where they can celebrate their religious rites, they may not use the chapel and would be disturbed in the day-room.
IX. PAY
The artisans and barbers get the regular pay, there were no complaints. The non-commissioned officers are paid fortnightly and get Lire 21.30 (instead of Lire 21.42). The pay should be 10 Lire per week, i.e., Lire 42.85 per month of 30 days however, they get a little less, i.e. Lire 42.60 as instructions were issued by the War Ministry to issue Lire 21.30 per fortnight.
The prisoners of war who worked in the labour camp "Rivarolo" have been paid regularly.
The members of the merchant navy have net yet received the allowance of L 2. to officers and L.1 to men as established by Note XIV/174/43, as the letter of the Swiss Legation of the 20th July, 1943 has not reached the camp, although a subsequent letter on this subject dated August 17, 1943 was duly received.
We informed the authorities about the manner in which this allowance is to be issued.
X. COMPLAINTS
The Camp Leader said that they had really no complaints to submit.
The Commandant was satisfied with the conduct of the inmates of the camp.
XI. LEISURE TIME
Some sports articles and books which the Y.M.C.A. sent to the camp have been received. There is a good collection of books. Walks are undertaken three times a week in groups of 200 men. The officers are allowed three walks a week. No news are being broadcast, only musical programs are allowed. Italian newspapers are at present not given to the prisoners of war.
XII. DISCIPLINE
Sgt. W. STRACHAN made an attempt to escape on May 4th 1943 and was punished with ten days close arrest and twenty days open arrest. (See WAR CRIMES)
The discipline is satisfactory; at the time of our visit no one was in confinement; no judicial proceedings were reported.
VARIOUS
We asked the Camp Leader to communicate to the crews of the S.S. "CLAN FERGUSON” and the S.S. "GLENORCHY" the resolution of the Government of Malta. (British Legation's Note – Berne XLVI/57/43 of the 10th June 1943)
Sgt/ Maj. Hamilton and G.R. Newman reported some incidents which had taken place:
1) in camp No. 85 in connection with the employment of prisoners in making concrete for aerodromes. This question has already been taken up by Mr. R. Iselin, a Delegate of the Swiss Legation after he visited the camp on the 8th March, 1943 (Ref. British Legation Note, Bern X7/752/43 of the 22nd July, 1943);
2) in Camp No. 51 regarding transfer of the Camp Leader to other camps without warning and without the possibility to pass on the work to his successor. It was also reported that, for lack of an arrest room, four prisoners of war interned in Camp No. 51 had been confined to a tent where they stayed from February until June, 1943. The two non-commissioned officers are going to send in a detailed report regarding those incidents, we shall forward it promptly and take the questions up with the Ministry of War. (Note that this comment refers to Campo PG 51 at Altamura which by this date had been closed)
(These points were raised by prisoners who had been transferred to PG 52 from these camps. Author's note)
It can be said that the prisoners of war feel all right in Camp No. 52, they are content with the treatment by the Commandant.
The morale and the state of health in the camp are very satisfactory.
Camp Commander: Col. CASTELLI TADDEI
Camp Leaders: Captain Ch. GOLDIN Senior Medical Officer
Sgt.Maj. John SHIMMIN
The labour camp "Rivarolo" (see our report of 21st April 1943) has been closed and the prisoners of war who worked there have returned to the base-camp No. 52.
The strength of the camp has remained about equal to that which we found when the camp was visited previously on the 21st April, 1943 (for the rest of this paragraph see Documents page of this website) ...
Our conversation with the Camp Leaders, the officers and some men was had in an office without the presence of witnesses.
I. GENERAL
The Camp had the same aspect as previously, it was well kept and embellished with a number of small flower-gardens. Most of the roads are paved. A chapel ha been built and a dental cabinet (surgery) has been installed in the infirmary.
II. CAMP
No changes have taken place. The artificial light is not strong enough. I was told by the Senior Officer that an additional lamp in fitted up in each barrack by the prisoners of war themselves. The nights begin to cool down and the inmates of the camp asked for a second blanket, it was promised them by the Commandant. At present two sections of the huge refectory are occupied with beds.
III. PERSONAL EFFECTS
Upon arrival of new prisoners of war their money is withdrawn and receipts ore issued them. If later on the prisoners of war are found in possession of sums of money, these are confiscated and they get a "confiscation receipt". If the clothes in which prisoners arrive from other camps are in a bad condition, they are exchanged from the stock held by the Senior Officer. In answer to our remarks regarding clothing, Castelli-Taddei stated that the inmates of the camp were provided with clothes by the camp authorities but that they preferred British uniforms.
IV. MAIL
In the Camp Leader's opinion the postal service was quite satisfactory; some letters took a long time to arrive from England some just ten days. The prisoners of war who have come from the camps in southern Italy complained that their mail was not forwarded from the camps Nos. 51, 65, 75 and 85 (these had been closed – see documents page. Author's note.). We shall ask the War Ministry to instruct these Camps not to delay the letters and parcels but to send them on immediately. Capt. BURGER, 279432, who has come from Camp No. 65, reported that he has received no letters letters since May. His address is:
Buitenstreet 29, Voutersderp (Transvaal).
Private parcels arrive in good order but no cigarette parcels have been received. The Prisoners of War may use the "Africans" (Afrikaans) language in their letters.
The Camp Leader has sent a letter dated July 14, 1943 and a telegram to the Protecting Power, regarding the distribution of Red Cross parcels to prisoners of war transferred from Camp No. 65: a communication had been received from the Commandant on July 8, 1943, that no parcels were to be given to these prisoners of war according to instructions from Rome. The order was cancelled on August 9, 1943. Four parcels are still due to these prisoners of war but owing to the. non-arrival of a Red Cross shipment, the other prisoners have also not received their parcels regularly. It was not possible to find out why the instructions mentioned above had been issued. We heard however, from Sgt/Maj. Hamilton that on one occasion foodstuffs had been thrown by the prisoners of war from the windows of a train to the civil population. Possibly it was for this reason that the distribution of parcels had been stopped for some time. 6095 parcels had been received from the Red Cross on July 27, 1943, and another 1554 parcels on September 6, 1943. Every inmate of the camp received only one parcel in two weeks and half a parcel on September 7th. No stocks are on hand.
Letters and postcard-forms have been handed out regularly also to the protected personnel.
With reference to the British Legation's Note (Bern) XIX/202/43 of the 3rd July, 1943, relating to the status of Messrs. Riddell, Pritchard and Hill of the YMCA staff, who are interned in this camp, Mr. Riddell still receives the treatment of a sergeant. We shall again take the matter up at the Ministry of War and explain that Messrs. Riddell and Pritchard who are secretaries of the YMCA, have a status equivalent to that of officers and Mr. Hill, a YMCA orderly, is graded as sergeant. As regards the status of McGREGOR PEARCE (British Legation's Note (Berne) 0XXL/35)4/43 of the 22nd June 1943) Camp Leader Shimmin is going to send us particulars of McGregor's service in the merchant navy.
V. MAINTENANCE
The Camp Leader said that the food was very satisfactory. Vegetables and fruit can be had and are plentiful. The new kitchen is very large and well-equipped and functions properly. The infirmary has now its own kitchen and an English sergeant is hospital cook. Ordinary and diet foods are prepared. The officers now pay 13 Lire for the messing arrangements. The difference between this amount and the former charge has been credited to their accounts as from July l, 1942.
The canteen makes good profits which allowed the purchase a new piano; there is still a credit of about 50,000 Lire left. The Camp Leader would like to use this fund for paying off the prisoners' debts for lost and damaged camp property. This could only be done if the sums were due by repatriated prisoners of war.
At this occasion Shimmin put the question as to what will happen, when the camp is closed, to the things belonging to the prisoners of war, such as the library, musical instruments, games, etc which have been supplied in part by the Red Cross and which, in part, were purchased out of the canteen profits. It was reported that 210,000 Red Cross parcels with clothes, games, and medicaments had been left in Camp No. 65 which had been closed. We said that we would inform the International Red Cress Committee although the Committee probably already know about it.
The cigarettes are issued regularly by the Camp authorities.
VI. CLOTHING
The Camp Leader reports once a month on the clothing condition to the Red Cross and sends a statement of the incoming and/and outgoing items. He said they were short of shoes of the sizes 7; 8; and 9 and had too many large-size shoes. The number of trousers in stock was also not sufficient and many inmates of the camp had their underpants cut down to shorts. The monthly soap ration has been reduced from 200 to 100grams.
VII. MEDICAL SERVICE
The former medical officers of this camp, CAPT. LOSKE (LUSK) and LT. BURNS, have been transferred to Camp No. 57; the Italian medical officer, a Major, has been replaced. At present four British medical officers, a British dental surgeon, two Italian medical officers and an Italian dentist, who calls twice a week, attend to the sick. The British doctors work in turns as there is not enough work for all; one of the doctors is always on duty in the infirmary. I spoke to all the British medical officers without the presence of witnesses, their names are listed below:
Capt. GOLDIN Senior Medical Officer
Capt. MCPHERSON
Capt. John LEE
Capt. J. LEARNER
Capt. A. EKSTEIN
Capt. Goldin reported that the general state of health in the camp was good. He was somewhat concerned about the large number of prisoners affected with malaria, who had come here from Camp 65, and about the lack of medicaments for combatting the disease. The Italian doctor said information had been received that 10,200 attebrin and quinine tablets had been sent to the camp. the shipment was supposed to come in any day. Capt. Goldin further submitted that during the night there were no medical orderly prisoners of war in the infirmary; the infirmary is outside the camp on the other side of the wire enclosure and the prisoners must be in the camp at night-time.
We were told that some beds were infested with bugs, we brought this to the notice of the competent authorities.
Capt. Ekstein submitted that although the dental cabinet (surgery) was provided with the proper chair and drill, some important small instruments, especially burs, were not available he would be glad if the Red Cross could provide the dentist with the required tools and drugs. The Italian dental surgeon, a Major, calls twice a week, he confirmed that many things were missing and said that he had to do without them but that here they were not used to the luxury of complete sets.
Thirteen prisoners of war were confined to the sick-room and nine to the hospital, there were no alarming cases or illnesses: malaria, dysentery, conjunctivitis, glomerulnephritis (a negro had been affected by this disease, he had nearly recovered and, was sent back to Camp No. 122); some were sick with fever and were being examined; others were convalescents from inflammation of the lungs, diphtheritic quinsy, dermatitis of the feet and rheumatism. 165 prisoners of war had been examined by the Mixed Medical Commission in June; other prisoners who have come in July from Camp No. 65 have been listed far examination. The sick prisoners of war also get Red Cross parcels, those who are on a diet are not allowed to eat all the contents.
P.O. RUTHERFORD, sick-berth attendant of the English (British. Author's note) Navy, has no Certificate of Identity, the Camp Leader was going to apply for such a document and will furnish the required data so that the certificate can be procured.
Since our previous visit to the hospital a prisoner of war
JOHNSON George Eric, 1414772,
has died on July 19, 1943; he was buried in the cemetery of Cicagna. The address of his relatives is: 15 Gord Rd., Titchfield Common (Engl.)
VIII. RELIGIOUS SERVICES
The new chapel is available for both Protestants and Catholics. The Catholics have an altar on one side, the Protestants have a harmonium. Capt. MITCHELL asked us again for bibles and scriptures; he particularly needs 400 hymnals with music. We asked the International Red Cross Committee to send the required hymn-books to the Camp. Capt. Mitchell and his colleagues, Capt. TUDOR and Capt. BURGER, are now allowed to visit the hospital in turn.
For the 25 Jewish inmates of the camp there is no room where they can celebrate their religious rites, they may not use the chapel and would be disturbed in the day-room.
IX. PAY
The artisans and barbers get the regular pay, there were no complaints. The non-commissioned officers are paid fortnightly and get Lire 21.30 (instead of Lire 21.42). The pay should be 10 Lire per week, i.e., Lire 42.85 per month of 30 days however, they get a little less, i.e. Lire 42.60 as instructions were issued by the War Ministry to issue Lire 21.30 per fortnight.
The prisoners of war who worked in the labour camp "Rivarolo" have been paid regularly.
The members of the merchant navy have net yet received the allowance of L 2. to officers and L.1 to men as established by Note XIV/174/43, as the letter of the Swiss Legation of the 20th July, 1943 has not reached the camp, although a subsequent letter on this subject dated August 17, 1943 was duly received.
We informed the authorities about the manner in which this allowance is to be issued.
X. COMPLAINTS
The Camp Leader said that they had really no complaints to submit.
The Commandant was satisfied with the conduct of the inmates of the camp.
XI. LEISURE TIME
Some sports articles and books which the Y.M.C.A. sent to the camp have been received. There is a good collection of books. Walks are undertaken three times a week in groups of 200 men. The officers are allowed three walks a week. No news are being broadcast, only musical programs are allowed. Italian newspapers are at present not given to the prisoners of war.
XII. DISCIPLINE
Sgt. W. STRACHAN made an attempt to escape on May 4th 1943 and was punished with ten days close arrest and twenty days open arrest. (See WAR CRIMES)
The discipline is satisfactory; at the time of our visit no one was in confinement; no judicial proceedings were reported.
VARIOUS
We asked the Camp Leader to communicate to the crews of the S.S. "CLAN FERGUSON” and the S.S. "GLENORCHY" the resolution of the Government of Malta. (British Legation's Note – Berne XLVI/57/43 of the 10th June 1943)
Sgt/ Maj. Hamilton and G.R. Newman reported some incidents which had taken place:
1) in camp No. 85 in connection with the employment of prisoners in making concrete for aerodromes. This question has already been taken up by Mr. R. Iselin, a Delegate of the Swiss Legation after he visited the camp on the 8th March, 1943 (Ref. British Legation Note, Bern X7/752/43 of the 22nd July, 1943);
2) in Camp No. 51 regarding transfer of the Camp Leader to other camps without warning and without the possibility to pass on the work to his successor. It was also reported that, for lack of an arrest room, four prisoners of war interned in Camp No. 51 had been confined to a tent where they stayed from February until June, 1943. The two non-commissioned officers are going to send in a detailed report regarding those incidents, we shall forward it promptly and take the questions up with the Ministry of War. (Note that this comment refers to Campo PG 51 at Altamura which by this date had been closed)
(These points were raised by prisoners who had been transferred to PG 52 from these camps. Author's note)
It can be said that the prisoners of war feel all right in Camp No. 52, they are content with the treatment by the Commandant.
The morale and the state of health in the camp are very satisfactory.
File WO 311/317 National Archives
1. Extract from a report of conditions in P.O.W. Camps in Italy, North Africa and Rhodes from information obtained from repatriated British, Imperial and Allied personnel
1. Extract from a report of conditions in P.O.W. Camps in Italy, North Africa and Rhodes from information obtained from repatriated British, Imperial and Allied personnel
Accommodation was in stone buildings which were not properly roofed for four months. Lighting was good, but there was no heating, sanitary and ablution arrangements were not good. The latrines were always getting blocked up, mainly because they could only be flushed when the water was on, which was only for three hours each day. It was only very rarely that hot baths were available, and then there was not enough hot water for everyone to bath.
The POWs get about half the ration that the guards get but Red Cross parcels arrive regularly and are distributed daily, one between seven men; also the Camp Canteen stocks fruit and vegetables as well as toilet articles and writing material. The C.C. is very good and does his best to comply with the requests and suggestions of the camp leaders. The internal administration is entirely in the hands of the prisoners. The camp leader is SSM J. SHIMMINS R.A.S.C. who runs the camp as a British Amy Camp.
There are a number of educational courses in progress in the camp, these range from elementary arithmetic to philosophy and metallurgy. Entertainment is provided by the Dramatic Society, the Concert Party and three bands.
The Camp Canteen is run by the Italians but the profits from the canteen go to the camp fund which in March 1943 was 33,000 lire. Monthly expenditure from this fund was about 4,000 lire.
Clothing in the camp is very satisfactory, everyone has B.D. (Battle Dress) and there is a reserve in hand for new arrivals. Boots are a serious difficulty, in March 1943 800 pairs were in need of repair and 800 new pairs were urgently required. The Italians have not supplied materials for repairs since January 1943. Materials are received through the Red Cross but considerably more are needed.
Outdoor games are hampered by lack of space but weekly sports are held In the summer. Owing to lack of space large supplies of sports gear are not needed but such things as music parts for small bands and books are always welcomed.
The POWs get about half the ration that the guards get but Red Cross parcels arrive regularly and are distributed daily, one between seven men; also the Camp Canteen stocks fruit and vegetables as well as toilet articles and writing material. The C.C. is very good and does his best to comply with the requests and suggestions of the camp leaders. The internal administration is entirely in the hands of the prisoners. The camp leader is SSM J. SHIMMINS R.A.S.C. who runs the camp as a British Amy Camp.
There are a number of educational courses in progress in the camp, these range from elementary arithmetic to philosophy and metallurgy. Entertainment is provided by the Dramatic Society, the Concert Party and three bands.
The Camp Canteen is run by the Italians but the profits from the canteen go to the camp fund which in March 1943 was 33,000 lire. Monthly expenditure from this fund was about 4,000 lire.
Clothing in the camp is very satisfactory, everyone has B.D. (Battle Dress) and there is a reserve in hand for new arrivals. Boots are a serious difficulty, in March 1943 800 pairs were in need of repair and 800 new pairs were urgently required. The Italians have not supplied materials for repairs since January 1943. Materials are received through the Red Cross but considerably more are needed.
Outdoor games are hampered by lack of space but weekly sports are held In the summer. Owing to lack of space large supplies of sports gear are not needed but such things as music parts for small bands and books are always welcomed.
2. Part of the affidavit of PKX 87055 Sto. P. O. Glyn Ernest SELLS
Stoker Petty Officer Sells was serving on board HMSubmarine Cachalot when she was captured off Benghazi, Libya on 30th July 1941. Taken prisoner, he was taken initially to Benghazi from where he was sent to Italy via Tarhuna, Tripoli, arriving at PG 66 Capua about 18th September. On 5 October he was transferred to Caserta Hospital where he remained until December. After another week in PG 66 he was moved to PG 52, arriving just before Christmas where he remained until he was repatriated in March 1943. In an affidavit given to the War Crimes Commission he described the conditions in the camp, which included his being operated on in the camp infirmary without anesthetic.
We were housed in huts which were not watertight: there was a constant trickle of water through the roof in bad weather. The food was very inadequate: one roll and a vegetable skilly once in 24 hours and once a week a stew with meat. One of our medical officers, a New Zealander, Captain Lusk, told me of many cases of neglect and ill treatment by the Italian medical officers which resulted in deaths which should never have occurred. The treatment of the prisoners of war by those in command and the guards was brutal in the extreme. There were constant cases of wounding and assaulting by the guards at the slightest pretext and often for no reason.
We were housed in huts which were not watertight: there was a constant trickle of water through the roof in bad weather. The food was very inadequate: one roll and a vegetable skilly once in 24 hours and once a week a stew with meat. One of our medical officers, a New Zealander, Captain Lusk, told me of many cases of neglect and ill treatment by the Italian medical officers which resulted in deaths which should never have occurred. The treatment of the prisoners of war by those in command and the guards was brutal in the extreme. There were constant cases of wounding and assaulting by the guards at the slightest pretext and often for no reason.
3. Part of the Affidavit of E.X.2031 Marine Alan Denis John BAGNALL
I was prisoner or war at Camp No.52 at Chiavari from December 1941 until the end of May 1942. The conditions in the said Camp at that time were:
As regards accommodation, the Camp was not yet completed. Only five huts had by that time been constructed and in wet weather the water came through the roofs in many places. I was one of about 1500 of the first intake into the Camp and the numbers increased until there were about 2,500 there when I left. We were very overcrowded and there was no recreational space. The sanitary conditions at this Camp when completed were passable.
As regards food, the ration was cut shortly after my arrival and in January 1942 we were reduced to 200 grammes of bread per day, about 80 grammes of rice or macaroni in skilly and a very small allowance of cheese or meat twice a week with occasionally vegetables. This was a slow starvation diet. We were without Red Cross parcels throughout most of the winter, and through the inadequate food ration, men resorted to boiling grass and eating it and also the soft centres of cabbage stalks, and a cat was eaten to relieve the pangs of hunger a little.
As to clothing, this and the blankets issued were entirely inadequate for the bitter winter we experienced in 1941/2 and no form of heating was provided in the huts. The Indian troops suffered most severely with the cold and hunger and insufficient clothing.
As a result there ware many cases of disease, chiefly dysentery and desert sores.
As regards accommodation, the Camp was not yet completed. Only five huts had by that time been constructed and in wet weather the water came through the roofs in many places. I was one of about 1500 of the first intake into the Camp and the numbers increased until there were about 2,500 there when I left. We were very overcrowded and there was no recreational space. The sanitary conditions at this Camp when completed were passable.
As regards food, the ration was cut shortly after my arrival and in January 1942 we were reduced to 200 grammes of bread per day, about 80 grammes of rice or macaroni in skilly and a very small allowance of cheese or meat twice a week with occasionally vegetables. This was a slow starvation diet. We were without Red Cross parcels throughout most of the winter, and through the inadequate food ration, men resorted to boiling grass and eating it and also the soft centres of cabbage stalks, and a cat was eaten to relieve the pangs of hunger a little.
As to clothing, this and the blankets issued were entirely inadequate for the bitter winter we experienced in 1941/2 and no form of heating was provided in the huts. The Indian troops suffered most severely with the cold and hunger and insufficient clothing.
As a result there ware many cases of disease, chiefly dysentery and desert sores.
4. Part of the Affidavit of C/KX 97290 Ldg. Sto. Walter Henry John BINDON
Leading Stoker Bindon also served on HMSubmarine Cachalot, which on 29/30 July 1941 was rammed by Italian destroyer Bene Apapa in the Gulf of Sirte. All but one of the crew were picked up by the destroyer and taken to Benghazi. After three weeks at Benghazi and a similar period at Tarhuna, he was sent via Tripoli to Taranto and thence to PG 66 Capua where he arrived on or about 16 September. From Capua he was transferred to PG 52 on or about 4 December along with the other members of his crew.
We lived in huts, which leaked continually in wet weather and the weather was very bad while I was there. There was no heating and we could not dry anything. We suffered intensely from the wet and cold. The food was very poor, being one meal a day: this consisted of vegetable skilly or, once a week, stew with meat (or bones) or cheese in lieu of meat. We had at first 500 grammes of bread but this was reduced to 200 grammes. As regards medical attention, I was told of a man who had died for lack of attention due to lack of food, but I do not remember who told me. I was never an in-patient myself but I did have to wait a fortnight to get a tooth taken out which had an abscess. We had very little clothing and suffered from exposure. Later, Red Cross parcels of clothing and boots came through but the Italians would not let us have any unless we handed in another pair of boots or similar clothing. There were prisoners at Chiavari who never had any boots at all. The guards themselves were in a terrible state for clothing and particularly for boots. The water supply was fairly good but was switched off at awkward hours and at first was entirely in the open. This camp was unfinished when we got there and we had to help to complete the buildings. The sanitation was not at all bad.
We lived in huts, which leaked continually in wet weather and the weather was very bad while I was there. There was no heating and we could not dry anything. We suffered intensely from the wet and cold. The food was very poor, being one meal a day: this consisted of vegetable skilly or, once a week, stew with meat (or bones) or cheese in lieu of meat. We had at first 500 grammes of bread but this was reduced to 200 grammes. As regards medical attention, I was told of a man who had died for lack of attention due to lack of food, but I do not remember who told me. I was never an in-patient myself but I did have to wait a fortnight to get a tooth taken out which had an abscess. We had very little clothing and suffered from exposure. Later, Red Cross parcels of clothing and boots came through but the Italians would not let us have any unless we handed in another pair of boots or similar clothing. There were prisoners at Chiavari who never had any boots at all. The guards themselves were in a terrible state for clothing and particularly for boots. The water supply was fairly good but was switched off at awkward hours and at first was entirely in the open. This camp was unfinished when we got there and we had to help to complete the buildings. The sanitation was not at all bad.
A Testimony from a book by Charles Rollins
2063917 Pte. Stanley John DOUGHTY
12 Royal Lancers
2063917 Pte. Stanley John DOUGHTY
12 Royal Lancers
Eventually, in the autumn, we were taken by train up the length of Italy to a hutted camp just outside Genoa, at a place called Chiavari...
The camp itself was superb after Capua. It was numbered PG 52, was entirely of new wooden two storeyed huts, containing wooden slatted beds, one above the other, and had a brick-built washing trough with cold running water from a series of stand-pipes. Lavatories were of the usual type, a deep trench in the ground over which one squatted and tried to avoid falling in. The camp was situated in a fold in the hills with a steep ascent to one side and encompassed by a river on the other three sides which took up a 'U' bend around the site.
After a welcoming speech by the Camp commandant in good English, telling us that if we were good boys it would be a home from home, we really thought we had arrived.
Charles Rollins Prisoner of War Voices from Behind the Lines in the Second World War Ebury Press 2008, p.91
The camp itself was superb after Capua. It was numbered PG 52, was entirely of new wooden two storeyed huts, containing wooden slatted beds, one above the other, and had a brick-built washing trough with cold running water from a series of stand-pipes. Lavatories were of the usual type, a deep trench in the ground over which one squatted and tried to avoid falling in. The camp was situated in a fold in the hills with a steep ascent to one side and encompassed by a river on the other three sides which took up a 'U' bend around the site.
After a welcoming speech by the Camp commandant in good English, telling us that if we were good boys it would be a home from home, we really thought we had arrived.
Charles Rollins Prisoner of War Voices from Behind the Lines in the Second World War Ebury Press 2008, p.91
111247 Bombardier Ronald Philip Abercromby MYBURGH
2 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, SA Artillery
2 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, SA Artillery
At last we were ushered into 3rd class coaches again for a shorter journey to Chiavari, a seaside resort on the west coast south of Genoa. Having arrived there we had a 16 km march inland to Camp 52, which was situated in a valley in mountainous terrain; scenically it was rather beautiful. We even had to cross a small bridge over the little river, the Entella. (Lavagna - Author's note) to enter the camp.
Here we were issued with battledress uniforms, greatcoats and boots by the Red Cross and our morale improved considerably. This camp, although lacking in space for outdoor sporting activities, was regarded as one of the best camps in Italy. Privates were eventually all dispatched to working camps and we remaining NCOs soon organized inter-hut bridge, chess and spelling bee and general knowledge quizzes. A few lectures were given as well as Church services by lay preachers. All in all life was quite endurable here, though rather cold in winter with no bungalow heating. We were being issued with half a Red Cross parcel per week and a whole Xmas parcel and a whole Canadian parcel for New Year. My 21st birthday (22nd November 1942) was celebrated in this camp by the cooking of a cake consisting of boiling together well-broken Canadian biscuit, a little butter, Klim, raisins, sugar and water! (The ingredients were all from a Canadian half parcel.)
It was the first time I had encountered frozen earth and snow, but I was not impressed! By now some good concerts were being produced – instruments thanks to the Red Cross. The Xmas pantomime was a great success and on Xmas Day the Ities gave us each an orange as a Xmas gift. We also could now start a library with books from the Red Cross and, as the weather improved, tenniquoits and volleyball were played. We were issued with paper camp money with which we could sometimes buy tomatoes and onions from the Italian canteens, as well as stamps to post one aerogramme a week home. They took about 14 weeks to reach Cape Town and, of course, were all censored before leaving the camp.
In the spring we could observe, up on the terraces cut into the surrounding mountain slopes, women holding wooden ploughs pulled by cows – very primitive. In the summer I was able to join two walking parties, which our Italian camp commandant permitted, in which we walked about 8km up the valley road to the next small village. On the next walk we were allowed to have a dip in a pool in the little river!
At times, when no parcels were available, we became very hungry and this was a common feature of POW life. We also had to contend with bedbugs, fleas and lice but by May 1943 the news was much better; Tunisia had fallen to the Allies and so the whole North African coast was in our hands. As Sicily was invaded (July-Aug 1943) some of the Southern POW camps were evacuated and we had to accommodate some fellows from camp P.G. 65 – we were in camp P.G. 52.
A big feature of parcel issue day was always the bartering market that ensued. All items were valued in cigarettes of which 50 came with each parcel; as I did not smoke this enabled me to swap for food items. As I could never be bothered trying to scrounge sufficient wood to boil water for tea, I also swapped my 2oz of tea for, say, a tin of Canadian sardines. During air raid alarms we all had to go back in to our huts, although being of wood and chipboard composition they would not have offered much protection.
At this time, too, we volunteered for small local work parties for gardening and cleaning the camp grounds, fetching the ration 'panis' from the bakery across the river, and various camp improvement projects. I was on a party assigned to collect small round pebbles from the riverbed in order to provide a surface for a path in the camp. Two men would load and carry a sort of wide two-handled bucket back across the bridge and into the camp. At one stage I thought our load was too heavy so I tilted the bucket with my handle and tipped some of the pebbles out. I was spotted by a nearby sentry and what a hullabaloo! The Carabinieri (military police) were called and I was marched off to their nearby HQ and thrust in to a clean whitewashed cell after my bootlaces and belt had been taken from me – to prevent attempts at suicide! I was given a meal and slept on straw on the concrete floor that night and the next day our Italian camp sergeant major, who could speak broken English, came into the cell and lectured me on my bad behaviour before returning my laces and belt and marching me back to the camp!
https://wartimememoriesproject.com › ww2 › view.php?uid=251360
941158 Gnr. Leslie Hutty
Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
On the 26th May 1942 I was a soldier serving with the First Royal Hampshire Artillery in the Libyan desert South of Tobruk, when I, alongside many others was captured and taken prisoner by the Germans. We were taken by truck a distance of about 1,000 miles westward, towards Tripoli where we put into an old Italian barracks called Tarhuna. This place was verminous and we all became infected with body lice. After we had been here for three days we were taken to the docks and onto a ship which was waiting to transport us to Italy. Prior to boarding the ship we were given our rations for the journey which consisted of two small tins of Bully Beef and three small loaves of bread, although water was given daily. The journey took six days and in this time no further rations were issued.
On board ship we were kept in the cargo holds where we had to sleep on the bare iron deck, we slept ‘head to tail’ and alongside each other like sardines in a tin. In each corner of the hold were large buckets which served as our only toilet facility. During the daytime a certain amount of fresh air entered the hold but at night the hatch was closed and secured by tarpaulin sheets. There was no artificial lighting available and those that needed to use the buckets at night very rarely found their way to them and certainly not back again.
Many of the prisoners were already suffering from dysentery so you can quite imagine the terrible stench down in the hold. Despite these conditions there was always some bright sparks who would enliven the situation by singing and reciting, not much would pass the censor. On the sixth day we eventually arrived in the Italian port of Naples all very hungry and weak and were then all marched to a railway siding where we boarded a train which transported us to a Prisoner of War transit camp at Capua, this was a fairly large camp which consisted of tented accommodation, about ten to a tent sleeping on mattresses. On our arrival here we were given a hot meal - a pint of minestrone stew, which contained potato and a little meat. During our stay here we were fed this twice daily plus 200 grams of black bread, first thing in the mornings we were also given about a pint of what was supposed to be coffee, this was our full rations for the day. Most of our time was spent trying to get rid of the body lice of which we were all infested with. Eventually all of us were disinfected and felt much better for it. Whilst I was in this camp I began to suffer from an ear infection, which got worse and as a result was moved from the camp and sent to the Italian Military hospital at Caserta where I remained for about a month receiving the necessary treatment. The hospital ward I was in contained Prisoners of War who were suffering mainly from either dysentery or malaria, I was able to assist them somewhat whilst I was there as they were suffering much more than I was.
On being discharged from the hospital I was sent, together with other prisoners, to another prison camp at Benevento. (PG 87 - Author's note) This camp was very much like the one at Capua, our minds were constantly full of thoughts of food we were told that we would be receiving Red Cross Parcels but I don’t think we ever did, at either the first or second camp.
Towards Christmas 1942 we were moved by railway cattle trucks to a permanent camp at Chiavare (sic) which is situated near to Genoa. Conditions here were much better it was a large camp of about 2,000 prisoners, mostly British and South Africans. The accommodation was in Nissan huts, about 60 to each hut under the charge of a British N.C.O. [Non-commissioned Officer]. We slept in double bunk beds which were a great improvement compared to the other camps; whilst here we did in fact receive Red Cross parcels, which were usually shared, one parcel between five men, these parcels were a lifesaver because the Italian rations remained much the same as before. The parcels contained foods such as biscuits, butter, cheese, dried milk, tea, coffee or cocoa, meat, fish, tinned paste, Oxo or Bovril and many other things. The parcel weighed about ten pounds and when conditions were ‘normal’ we received these parcels weekly but still shared one between five men. The parcel also contained fifty cigarettes which to some of the lads were more important than the food, consequently, following the issue of parcels, the business of sharing them out equally was done, sharing out was easy but cutting up the food equally was difficult because each participant imagined that he was getting less than he should have, this was resolved by ‘cutting the cards’, ‘Ace high’ taking the first choice and so-on until all was divvied out.
One section of the camp was known as ‘the market’ where various items of food and cigarettes were exchanged, as I myself did not smoke, I usually managed to acquire extra food by giving up my cigarettes. All empty tins were saved and from these tins, the very practical types in camp made what became known as ‘brewing-up machines’, they were knocked together to form a space in which an Italian Mess tin could be placed above a small fire box, in which all manner of fuel would be placed and below the fire box would be an empty enclosed space which would be filled by air by the opening of a fan, operated by a handle to give a constant draught below the fire box, a Mess tin with about two pints of water within would be boiling in less than three minutes, the snag was however, that fuel was not easy to find but we managed to and got by, it was a comical sight to see these brewing machines in use, as many as thirty or so at a time, the wooden struts on our bunks were diminishing in number all the time as we were using them for fuel.
There were a large number of educational classes taking place all the time within the camp which were always fairly well attended, there was also an orchestra and a concert party, the orchestral instruments in fact being sent from England. I watched a performance of Bernard Shaw’s ‘Arms and the Man’ performed by the concert party and also a performance of the ‘Mikado’, it was first class stuff and a credit to those inmates who produced and performed it, I believe that the music for the ‘Mikado’ was written down from memory by one of the inmates in the camp.
During the time we were here at Chiavare(i) we were issued with battle dress, jacket and trousers, underwear and toilet requisites, which, were badly needed.
Eventually, in June 1943, I, along with about 100 others, were sent to a small working camp near to the town of Pavia, about 50 miles away, where we were accommodated in a small wire enclosed area under the charge of Italian guards sleeping in double bunks near to where we were to be put to work. Our bread ration was doubled to 400 grams per day and the minestrone stews were still served twice a day but were much improved in the quality and quantity, plus Red Cross parcels.
Our first job was on a farm generally assisting where needed collecting fruit and tomatoes and digging ditches. The temperature was already in the 70 and 80 degrees and we were usually stripped to the waist. The time passed much quicker and we always managed to bring extra food back into the camp with us.
After about a month at Pavia we were moved again to another camp at a small town called Montechiaro Denice where we worked in a brickworks, this was not so good, we could now no longer bring back extra food to the camp, consequently, morale slumped due to the numerous breakdowns of the machinery, usually as a result of sabotage by the other prisoners.
On 11th September 1943 we were told by the Italian guards, who incidentally were reasonably friendly, that an armistice had been signed between the Allied Forces, who were now on the point of invading Italy from Sicily, and the Italians who were loyal to the King. Thus, the Italian Nation became split because the Fascist Forces led by Mussolini were to continue to fight alongside the Germans against the Allies. The Forces of Marshall Badoglio were instructed to cease fighting. It appeared that...the Sentries in charge of our camp were loyal only to the King and Marshall Badoglio. As a result of the situation that developed and the uncertainty of the guards, we decided upon escaping from the camp, and make our own way in groups of four to the surrounding hills, this we did, without any interference from the guards, I believe that they did exactly the same.
For the rest of the story go to https://archives.msmtrust.org.uk/pow-index/hutty-les/
On board ship we were kept in the cargo holds where we had to sleep on the bare iron deck, we slept ‘head to tail’ and alongside each other like sardines in a tin. In each corner of the hold were large buckets which served as our only toilet facility. During the daytime a certain amount of fresh air entered the hold but at night the hatch was closed and secured by tarpaulin sheets. There was no artificial lighting available and those that needed to use the buckets at night very rarely found their way to them and certainly not back again.
Many of the prisoners were already suffering from dysentery so you can quite imagine the terrible stench down in the hold. Despite these conditions there was always some bright sparks who would enliven the situation by singing and reciting, not much would pass the censor. On the sixth day we eventually arrived in the Italian port of Naples all very hungry and weak and were then all marched to a railway siding where we boarded a train which transported us to a Prisoner of War transit camp at Capua, this was a fairly large camp which consisted of tented accommodation, about ten to a tent sleeping on mattresses. On our arrival here we were given a hot meal - a pint of minestrone stew, which contained potato and a little meat. During our stay here we were fed this twice daily plus 200 grams of black bread, first thing in the mornings we were also given about a pint of what was supposed to be coffee, this was our full rations for the day. Most of our time was spent trying to get rid of the body lice of which we were all infested with. Eventually all of us were disinfected and felt much better for it. Whilst I was in this camp I began to suffer from an ear infection, which got worse and as a result was moved from the camp and sent to the Italian Military hospital at Caserta where I remained for about a month receiving the necessary treatment. The hospital ward I was in contained Prisoners of War who were suffering mainly from either dysentery or malaria, I was able to assist them somewhat whilst I was there as they were suffering much more than I was.
On being discharged from the hospital I was sent, together with other prisoners, to another prison camp at Benevento. (PG 87 - Author's note) This camp was very much like the one at Capua, our minds were constantly full of thoughts of food we were told that we would be receiving Red Cross Parcels but I don’t think we ever did, at either the first or second camp.
Towards Christmas 1942 we were moved by railway cattle trucks to a permanent camp at Chiavare (sic) which is situated near to Genoa. Conditions here were much better it was a large camp of about 2,000 prisoners, mostly British and South Africans. The accommodation was in Nissan huts, about 60 to each hut under the charge of a British N.C.O. [Non-commissioned Officer]. We slept in double bunk beds which were a great improvement compared to the other camps; whilst here we did in fact receive Red Cross parcels, which were usually shared, one parcel between five men, these parcels were a lifesaver because the Italian rations remained much the same as before. The parcels contained foods such as biscuits, butter, cheese, dried milk, tea, coffee or cocoa, meat, fish, tinned paste, Oxo or Bovril and many other things. The parcel weighed about ten pounds and when conditions were ‘normal’ we received these parcels weekly but still shared one between five men. The parcel also contained fifty cigarettes which to some of the lads were more important than the food, consequently, following the issue of parcels, the business of sharing them out equally was done, sharing out was easy but cutting up the food equally was difficult because each participant imagined that he was getting less than he should have, this was resolved by ‘cutting the cards’, ‘Ace high’ taking the first choice and so-on until all was divvied out.
One section of the camp was known as ‘the market’ where various items of food and cigarettes were exchanged, as I myself did not smoke, I usually managed to acquire extra food by giving up my cigarettes. All empty tins were saved and from these tins, the very practical types in camp made what became known as ‘brewing-up machines’, they were knocked together to form a space in which an Italian Mess tin could be placed above a small fire box, in which all manner of fuel would be placed and below the fire box would be an empty enclosed space which would be filled by air by the opening of a fan, operated by a handle to give a constant draught below the fire box, a Mess tin with about two pints of water within would be boiling in less than three minutes, the snag was however, that fuel was not easy to find but we managed to and got by, it was a comical sight to see these brewing machines in use, as many as thirty or so at a time, the wooden struts on our bunks were diminishing in number all the time as we were using them for fuel.
There were a large number of educational classes taking place all the time within the camp which were always fairly well attended, there was also an orchestra and a concert party, the orchestral instruments in fact being sent from England. I watched a performance of Bernard Shaw’s ‘Arms and the Man’ performed by the concert party and also a performance of the ‘Mikado’, it was first class stuff and a credit to those inmates who produced and performed it, I believe that the music for the ‘Mikado’ was written down from memory by one of the inmates in the camp.
During the time we were here at Chiavare(i) we were issued with battle dress, jacket and trousers, underwear and toilet requisites, which, were badly needed.
Eventually, in June 1943, I, along with about 100 others, were sent to a small working camp near to the town of Pavia, about 50 miles away, where we were accommodated in a small wire enclosed area under the charge of Italian guards sleeping in double bunks near to where we were to be put to work. Our bread ration was doubled to 400 grams per day and the minestrone stews were still served twice a day but were much improved in the quality and quantity, plus Red Cross parcels.
Our first job was on a farm generally assisting where needed collecting fruit and tomatoes and digging ditches. The temperature was already in the 70 and 80 degrees and we were usually stripped to the waist. The time passed much quicker and we always managed to bring extra food back into the camp with us.
After about a month at Pavia we were moved again to another camp at a small town called Montechiaro Denice where we worked in a brickworks, this was not so good, we could now no longer bring back extra food to the camp, consequently, morale slumped due to the numerous breakdowns of the machinery, usually as a result of sabotage by the other prisoners.
On 11th September 1943 we were told by the Italian guards, who incidentally were reasonably friendly, that an armistice had been signed between the Allied Forces, who were now on the point of invading Italy from Sicily, and the Italians who were loyal to the King. Thus, the Italian Nation became split because the Fascist Forces led by Mussolini were to continue to fight alongside the Germans against the Allies. The Forces of Marshall Badoglio were instructed to cease fighting. It appeared that...the Sentries in charge of our camp were loyal only to the King and Marshall Badoglio. As a result of the situation that developed and the uncertainty of the guards, we decided upon escaping from the camp, and make our own way in groups of four to the surrounding hills, this we did, without any interference from the guards, I believe that they did exactly the same.
For the rest of the story go to https://archives.msmtrust.org.uk/pow-index/hutty-les/
© Janet Kinrade Dethick February 2018
