- Prisoner numbers and nationalities
- Requests for labour
- Transfer of prisoners from PG 87 at Benevento to PG 52
The chart below was compiled from the monthly returns released by the War Ministry (Prisoners of War Office). It will be noted that there are some variations with the numbers given by the International Red Cross Committee held in British documentation and shown below.
Telegram dated 16 07 42
Request from POW Office (MOD) to Commander of XV Army Corps for POWs to constitute a labour force
The Commanding officer is required to send a nucleus of 200 South African POWs to a work camp (unnamed) .
When selecting the men the following points should be borne in mind:
- They must be well disciplined volunteers who are used to working in agriculture and terracing, omitting those whose conduct is poor
- All must be physically suited and not suffering from any chronic illness and this fact should be written in their file
- All must have uniform and footwear in perfect condition and must be supplied with all the items on he attached list, including a water bottle, toothbrush, toilet kit, overalls and shoe laces
- Non commissioned officers should not be included
- They must be accompanied by an interpreter coming from the men present in the camp whose name must be submitted to this office.
Telegram dated 10 02 43
from POW Office (War Ministry) to the Genoa office.
Request for 75 white South African labourers to be sent from PG 52 to Turin to build a new shooting range for Francesco Accati e Co. It is specifically requested that no non-commissioned officers be sent.
Telegram dated 26 October 1942
From XV Army Corps (PG 52 was under their charge) to POW office (War Ministry)
493 prisoners have arrived at PG 52 from PG 87 Benevento instead of 494. 7343998 John Wilson reported to have escaped at Benevento. (He was however registered as being in PG 52 in File WO 392/21 'Prisoners of War held in Italy' so he must have been recaptured and sent on there later. Author's note)
BRITISH
a) The part of these reports which refers to numbers of prisoners, nationality, branch of service, sickness and arrest/detention has been compiled into a chart and is reproduced below :
21 October 1942
The strength of the camp has declined since our preceding visit. This limitation is due to two consecutive transfers of prisoners to a camp for land work (camp no. 107)
20 January 1943
As mentioned in our previous report, 700 prisoners of war were transferred to the work Camp No. 107 which has been visited in the meantime twice and reported on.
21 April 1943
Apart from 7 internees originating from New Zealand, the other New Zealanders have been removed to Camp no. 57 (Grupignano) where New Zealanders are confined. The Commandant, Col. Taddei...informed us of the establishment of three new working camps:
- 170 South African internees detached for work to an independent new working camp bearing the number 113, ( Avio) were just leaving for the railway station to reach their new destination. I had a look at this group and spoke with several of these South Africans. They carried their personal effects; were well equipped and wore good shoes and English Uniforms. In reply to my question whether they liked to go to the new camp, they said that they were glad to get some work to do (agricultural) but otherwise they were sorry to leave Camp no. 52 where they were well cared for.
- Another batch of fifty South African internees are employed in the working camp Rivarolo which is under the administration of Camp no. 52.
- The third working camp 'Broni' to which 90 South African prisoners of war have been detached for agricultural work, to be placed under the jurisdiction of Camp no. 5 (Gavi); it will be visited by us in the near future.
07 Sept 1943
The labour camp 'Rivarolo'... has been closed and the prisoners of war who worked there have returned to the base-camp No. 52.
7 September 1943
- 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.
- In June approximately 465 prisoners of war arrived here from Camp No. 65; at the same time, about 450 prisoners were detailed to the labour detachments of Camp No. 5.
- 59 prisoners of war were sent on July 8, 1943, to Camp No. 53. (THE DESTINATON CAMP IS INCORRECT. THEY WERE SENT TO PG 73 FOSSOLI ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE PRISONERS INVOLVED - KENNETH PERCIVAL WATERHOUSE. Author's note.)
- Four sailors were transferred to Camp No.53.
Extracts can be found in the CAMP REPORTS and WAR CRIMES pages of this website
The men who died in the camp or in the hospital in Chiavari were all buried in Cicagna Civil Cemetery, just a few kilometres from Coreglia Ligure, before being transferred to Milan War Cemetery.
Information about these temporary burials came from website Caserma di Caperana – the Signals Academy at Caperana, Chiavari and also from WO 361/1890. According to the Commission the following servicemen were taken from Cicagna to Milan:
Of these 332 prisoners, one hundred are recorded in National Archives File WO 392/21 (Imperial Prisoners of War held in Italy) as having been previously held in PG 52 Pian di Coreglia, to which another four can be added who were registered in another camp. The names of all 332 can be found on www.campifasciti.it under Documents in the PG 52 Pian di Coreglia page.
The chart below shows the names of prisoners registered in PG 52 which has been extrapolated from the International Red Cross sheet:-
|
Number |
Rank |
Unit |
Name |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2329053 |
DVR |
R. SIGS |
AINSBURY FRANK |
9 |
7912408 |
TPR |
RAC |
HIBBERT SYDNEY |
2 |
6846429 |
CPL |
N.DF |
ASHWOOD FREDERICK C. |
30 |
4974100 |
PTE |
FOR'STERS |
JENNINGS BERTRAM |
3 |
9578366 |
GNR |
RA |
AKHURST PERCY |
1 |
44622 |
CPL |
RASC |
JONES WILFRED |
4 |
875920 |
GNR |
RA |
BARNES GEORGE |
2 |
242072 |
DVR |
RASC |
KINGSNORTH HERBERT |
5 |
4393997 |
CPL |
GN HOW |
BICKERTON LEONARD W. |
3 |
355565 |
PTE |
UDF |
KINCAID ROBERT |
6 |
78980353 |
CPL |
RAC |
BLOOMFIELD DANIEL |
4 |
104317 |
L/BDR |
SAA |
KRUGER PIETER E.J. |
7 |
4749239 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
BOASE LAURENCE |
5 |
55175 |
CPL |
RASC |
LEVY ARTHUR |
8 |
2574985 |
CPL |
R SIGS |
BOUNDEN HARRY J. |
6 |
3406 |
CPL |
UDF |
LISHMAN CLIVE |
9 |
5830015 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
BOWERS LESLIE N. |
7 |
3911114 |
PTE |
SWB |
LLOYD HUBERT |
10 |
7615281 |
L/CPL |
REME |
BROWN ALBERT |
8 |
4127029 |
DVR |
CHES |
LYNCHY BERT |
1 |
123079 |
PTE |
RASC |
CALVERT KENNETH J. |
9 |
5109780 |
DVR |
RASC |
MALLINS HAROLD |
2 |
1531245 |
GNR |
RA |
CRONK CLIFFORD |
40 |
109326 |
L/BDR |
SAA |
MATCHETT MILLER |
3 |
3448943 |
SGM |
R SIGS |
DANIELS JOHN H. |
1 |
79363 |
PTE |
UDF |
MAYNE HERBERT S.P. |
4 |
962485 |
GNR |
RA |
DIMES HENRY A. |
2 |
31081 |
CPL |
UDF |
McCRACKEN LAWRENCE W. |
5 |
7906736 |
TPR |
RAC |
DRISCOLL WILLIAM J. |
3 |
1646995 |
GNR |
RA |
McDONALD DAVID |
6 |
36638 |
CPL |
UDF |
DUNDAS JOHN |
4 |
2331693 |
CPL |
R SIGS |
MINSHULL JOHN G. |
7 |
2078689 |
DVR |
RE |
FIELDING FREDERICK W. |
5 |
251552 |
L/CPL |
UDF |
MITTEN CLAUDE R. |
8 |
111282 |
GNR |
SAA |
FOOTMAN CLARENCE L. |
6 |
7621677 |
CFN |
REME |
MUNFORD PETER |
9 |
824028 |
GNR |
RA |
FOWLER RICHARD |
7 |
43893 |
L/CPL |
RASC |
NASH JOHN |
20 |
105ì85419 |
GNR |
RA |
FRAMPTON WALTER S. |
8 |
985234 |
GNR |
RA |
NEWTON GEORGE |
1 |
116638 |
PTE |
UDF |
FRANCIS WALTER R. |
9 |
4393900 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
OWEN JOHN |
2 |
4390836 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
GARDINER GEORGE H. |
50 |
235192 |
L/CPL |
UDF |
PARNELL NORMAN |
3 |
235788 |
CPL |
UDF |
GARLICK HYMAN |
1 |
2278179 |
PTE |
UDF |
PIENAAR GERHARDUS M. |
4 |
28271 |
CPL |
UDF |
GASCOIGNE EDWARD W. |
2 |
4913521 |
PTE |
FOR'STERS |
REEVES EDWARD |
5 |
73564 |
GNR |
SAA |
GREYLING KENNETH S. |
3 |
26049 |
PTE |
UDF |
REITZ GERALD J.L. |
6 |
43047 |
L/CPL |
UDF |
HANSEN OSWALD H. |
4 |
916986 |
GNR |
RA |
RENNIE ALEXANDER C. |
7 |
6214071 |
GNR |
RA |
HANTON WALTER C. |
5 |
4390629 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
RHODES THOMAS W. |
8 |
6855498 |
L/CPL |
KRRC |
HERUD HAROLD S. |
6 |
2070669 |
SPR |
RE |
ROBINSON MATHEW O. |
57 |
219814 |
DVR |
RASC |
ROBINSON WILLIAM B. |
9 |
1477263 |
GNR |
RA |
THOMSETT EDWARD |
8 |
2587701 |
SGM |
R SIGS |
ROLLS IVOR H. |
80 |
984811 |
GNR |
RA |
TURNBULL JAMES W. |
9 |
2372467 |
SGM |
R SIGS |
SARGINSON WILLIAM |
1 |
7887085 |
TPR |
RAC |
UNDERWOOD HENRY E. |
60 |
826239 |
GNR |
RA |
SAYERS JOSEPH R. |
2 |
1470239 |
GNR |
RA |
URVOY ADOLPHUS |
1 |
2346215 |
DVR |
R SIGS |
SHERRINGTON FREDERICK C. |
3 |
179208 |
DVR |
RASC |
VICKERY DOUGLAS S. |
2 |
2695989 |
GDSM |
SG |
SHIPLEY HERBERT |
4 |
19968 |
SPR |
SAE |
WATERHOUSE KENNETH P. |
3 |
15213 |
TPR |
UDF |
SIECKER CORNELIUS J. |
5 |
4394453 |
PTE |
GN HOW |
WATERS GEORGE |
4 |
157472 |
DVR |
RASC |
SIMPSON JAMES |
6 |
7908158 |
TPR |
RAC |
WAUGH JOHN |
5 |
894698 |
GNR |
RA |
SIMPSON ROERT F. |
7 |
6303781 |
PTE |
R.SUSS |
WEBBER EDWARD F. |
6 |
263542 |
DVR |
RASC |
SPENCER RICHARD |
8 |
2111690 |
SPR |
RE |
WEIR ROLAND A. |
7 |
1569540 |
GNR |
RA |
SQUIRES GEORGE L. |
9 |
5056565 |
PTE |
RAOC |
WELTON REGINALD |
8 |
T/205307 |
PTE |
RASC |
STAITE JACK |
90 |
398361 |
TPR |
RAC |
WHITTAKER GEORGE |
9 |
890806 |
L/BDR |
RA |
STIRLING EDWARD |
1 |
3521162 |
GNR |
RA |
WILKINSON ARTHUR |
70 |
76972 |
PTE |
UDF |
STONE JOHANNES G. |
2 |
2011957 |
CPL |
RE |
WILLIAMS ANEURIN |
1 |
7912333 |
TPR |
RAC |
STRUDWICK WILLIAM W. |
3 |
237701 |
DVR |
RASC |
WILLIAMS JAMES H. |
2 |
191585 |
L/CPL |
UDF |
STRYDOM J. |
4 |
251577 |
SGMN |
SA SIGS |
WILSON EDMUND D. |
3 |
270152 |
CPL |
RASC |
TAYLOR JOHN |
5 |
T/173618 |
PTE |
RASC |
WILSON ROBERT |
4 |
1568491 |
CPL |
RA |
TAYLOR WILLIAM H. |
6 |
34563361 |
DVR |
RASC |
WINSTANLEY JOHN |
5 |
43345347 |
PTE |
E YORKS |
TAYLOR ERNEST |
7 |
173618 |
PTE |
RASC |
WORTHINGTON GEORGE |
6 |
226104 |
DVR |
RASC |
THOMAS JOSEPH |
8 |
913545 |
GNR |
RA |
YATES GEORGE E. |
7 |
4912421 |
CPL |
PC |
THOMPSON ERNEST W. |
9 |
203525 |
DVR |
RE |
YATES JOHN R. |
8 |
224687 |
DVR |
RASC |
THOMPSON LEONARD |
100 |
25367 |
L/CPL |
UDF |
YOUNG M.S. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank |
Unit |
Name |
|
|
|
|
|
Registered in Camp |
1 |
T/164260 |
DVR |
RASC |
HUGHES JOHN L. |
|
|
|
|
87 |
2 |
17420 |
PTE |
NZEF |
RUSHBRIDGE THOMAS R |
|
|
|
|
57 |
3 |
4391120 |
PTE. |
GN HOW |
SALTER HARRY E. |
|
|
|
|
66 |
4 |
325014 |
TPR |
RAC |
WATSON ERIC |
|
|
|
|
66 |
CFN Craftsman CPL Corporal DVR Driver GDSM Guardsman
GNR Gunner L/BDR Lance Bombardier L/CPL Lance Corporal PTE Private
SGM Signalman SPR Sapper TPR Trooper
CHES Cheshire Regiment FOR'STERS Sherwood Foresters GN HOW Green Howards KRRC King's Royal Rifle Corps
N.DF Northumberland Fusiliers PC Pioneer Corps RA Royal Artillery RAC Royal Armoured Corps
RAOC Royal Army Ordnance Corps RASC Royal Army Service Corps
RE Royal Engineers REME Royal Electrical /Mechanical Engineers R SIGS Royal Corps of Signals
R.SUSS Royal Sussex Regiment SAA South African Artillery SAE South African Engineers SG Scots Guards
SWB South Wales Borderers UDF Union Defence Force, South Africa
© Janet Kinrade Dethick January 2018