I’ve exchanged several notes with Bruce Allum throughout 2017. Bruce’s father, Douglas Walter Allum, Service Number 2585112, Royal Signals (2nd Middlesex Yeomanry) was captured in Libya on December 29, 1941.

Douglas was in P.G. 66 Capua (February 2–March 10, 1942), P.G. 59 Servigliano (March 11, 1942–June 2, 1943) and P.G. 146/18 Sforzesca (June 3–September 10, 1943), before escaping and making his way to Switzerland on November 17, 1943.

He passed away on November 6, 2014.

Bruce sent me a two-page prisoner list kept by his father. A note at the bottom of the list indicates “All at Campo P.G. 59.” It contains details on rank, bed, section, and hut.

On the list, there are check marks after four names; a different kind of mark precedes 12 names. There is no indication what these marks signify.

I have rarely seen references to beds, sections, and numbers in any Camp 59 document. One rare example of this is my own father’s list of men he oversaw in P.G. 59. See “Men of Hut 4-Section 11.”

It’s interesting to note that W. Show and S. S. Yates slept in beds 363 and 382, respectively, before Hut 4-Section 11 was reassigned to Americans and Michael Sterm and Alvie Cochran were assigned to those two beds.

For further background on huts, sections, and beds, read “Huts and Sections”

Douglas Allum’s Camp 59 List

Pearson, P. – Rank Sigmn – Bed 293 – Section 9 – Hut 4
Hislop, J. – Rank – Bed 299 – Section 9 – Hut 4
Cildon – Rank – Bed 328 – Section 10 – Hut
Baly, G. – Rank – Bed 261- Section 8 – Hut 2
Crooks, D. – Rank – Bed 251 – Section 7 – Hut 2
Clark, D. W. – Rank – Bed 200 – Section 1- Hut
Lawrence, E. – Rank – Bed 42 – Section 2 – Hut
Fisher, C. – Rank – Bed 439 – Section 13 – Hut
Mellis – Rank Cpl. – Bed – Section – Hut
Umney – Rank – Bed 305 – Section – Hut 4
Doughty, S. – Rank – Bed 445 – Section 2 – Hut
Evans, L. – Rank Cpl. – Bed 478 – Section 13 – Hut
Richardson, S. – Rank – Bed 887- Section 25 – Hut 8
Bagley – Rank – Bed 988- Section 26 – Hut 8
Dobfson – Rank Sigmn – Bed 990 – Section 26 – Hut 8
Walker, L. – Rank Sgt – Bed 936 – Section 26 – Hut 8
Evanson, H. – Rank – Bed 902 – Section 26 – Hut 8
Marshell, H. W. – Rank – Bed 100 – Section 3 – Hut
Baker – Rank Cpl. – Bed 1336 – Section 37 – Hut 11
White, R. – Rank Cpl. – Bed 511 – Section – Hut 5
Barratt – Rank – Bed – Section – Hut
Brown, L. – Rank – Bed 1354 – Section 38 – Hut 11
Barker, R. E. – Rank – Bed 1380 – Section 40 – Hut 11
Bennet, N. A. – Rank – Bed 1408 – Section 40 – Hut 11
Freelove – Rank – Bed 1302 – Section 37 – Hut 11
Grant, K. – Rank – Bed 1300 – Section 37 – Hut 11
Wilson, W. E. – Rank – Bed 1323 – Section 37 – Hut 11
Egerton, P. T. – Rank – Bed 1306 – Section 37 – Hut 11
Pearson, E. S. – Rank – Bed 992 – Section 28 – Hut 8
Marvel, G. S. – Rank Sgt. – Bed 1297 – Section 37 – Hut 11
Cross, M. – Rank – Bed 1542 – Section 43 – Hut 12
Frost, C. – Rank – Bed 1495 – Section 42 – Hut 12
Sprake, K. – Rank – Bed 1455 – Section 41 – Hut 12
Brown, E. L. – Rank – Bed 1558 – Section – 44 – Hut 12
File, M. J. – Rank – Bed 1492 – Section 42 – Hut 1 2
Hemmings, C. – Rank – Bed 1276 – Section 36 – Hut 10
Watson, W. H. – Rank – Bed 1264 – Section 36 – Hut 10
Gresty, N. – Rank – Bed 1289 – Section 36 – Hut 10
Terry, E. – Rank – Bed 1193 – Section 34 – Hut 10
Atkinson, J. L. – Rank – Bed 1290 – Section 34 – Hut 10
Smith, R. – Rank L/Cpl. – Bed 350 – Section 10 – Hut 4
Show, W. – Rank – Bed 363 – Section 11 – Hut
Auger, R. S. – Rank – Bed 297 – Section 9 – Hut
Jevons, R. E. – Rank – Bed 407 – Section 12 – Hut 4
Yates, S. S. – Rank – Bed 382 – Section 11 – Hut 4
Taylor, W. – Rank – Bed 311 – Section 9 – Hut
Botting – Rank Cpl. – Bed 401 – Section 12 – Hut 4
Villiread – Rank Cpl. – Bed – Section – Hut
Tudor, G. – Rank Cpl. – Bed 1636 – Section 46 – Hut 14
Allum D. W. – Rank Sigmn. – Bed 1571- Section 44 – Hut 12
Walton – Rank Cpl. – Bed – Section – Hut
Gottschalk – Rank – Bed 997 – Section 28 – Hut 8
Carr – Rank – Bed 1358 – Section 38 – Hut 11
Hesketh – Rank – Bed 1600 – Section 45 – Hut 14

I checked Italy: Imperial Prisoners of War Alphabetical List, Section 1, British Army—a document produced during the war that contains the names of thousands of British prisoners of war, along with their ranks, service numbers, and military units—for possible matches to prisoners on Douglas Allum’s list.

The following are possible matches:

Pearson, P. – Sigmn.
Alphabetical List (AL): Pearson, P. – Sgm. – 2592536 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Baly, G.
AL: Baly, G. – Sgm. – 2330359 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Clark, D. W.
AL: Clark, D. W. – Sgm. – 2586429 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Lawrence, E.
AL: Lawrence, E. D. – L/Cpl. – 2325451 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Umney
AL: Umney, R. – Sgm. – 2571997 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Bagly
AL: No Baglys are listed, However, there is a Bagley, J.E. – Tpr. – 551916 – R.C.A. – R.O. No. 3

Baker – Cpl.
AL: Two Bakers are listed: Baker, C. H. – Gnr. – 948455 – R.A. – R.O. No., and Baker, E. J. – Cpl. – 2326800 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

White, R. – Cpl.
AL: No R. White is listed; however, there is a Whyte, R. – Gnr. – 851305 – R.A. – R.O. No. 7

Barker, R. E.
AL: Barker, R. E. – Sgm. – 2334700 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Bennet, N. A.
AL: Bennett, N. A. – L/Cpl. – 2585622 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Freelove
AL: Freelove, J. – Sgm. – 2328426 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Grant, K.
AL: Grant, K. – Sgm. – 2363556 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Egerton, P. T.
AL: Egerton, P. T. – Sgm. – 6397716 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Marvel, G. S. – Sgt.
AL: Marvel, G. W. – L/Sjt. – 2323248 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Cross, M.
AL: Cross, M. A. C. – Sgm. – 2578825 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Frost, C.
AL: Frost, C. – Dvr. – 2578944 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Sprake, K.
AL: Sprake, K. R. S. – Sgm. – 2330361 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Brown, E. L.
AL: Brown, E. L. – Drv. – 1061983 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

File, M. J.
AL: File, M. J. – Dvr. – 2329402 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Watson, W. H.
AL: Watkins, W. H. – Dvr, – T/172505 – R.A.S.C. – R.O. No. 29

Gresty, N.
AL: Gresty, N. F. – Sgm. – 2576624 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Atkinson, J. L.
AL: Atkinson, J. L. – Sgm. – 2583123 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Smith, R. – L/Cpl.
AL: Smith, R. – Tpr. 7915035 – R.A.C. – R.O. No. 3

Taylor, W.
AL: Taylor, W. – Sgm. – 2586601 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Villisead – Cpl.
AL: No Villisead is listed; however, there is listed a Viliesid, A. T. – Sgm. – 2576823 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Tudor, G. – Cpl.
AL: Tudor, G. – Sgm. – 2591183 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Allum D. W. – Sigmn.
AL: Allum, D. W. – Sgm – 2585112 – R. Sigs. – R.O. No. 10

Hesketh
AL: Hesketh, S. C. – Sgm – 2350330 – R. Sigs – R.O. No. 1