Occasionally I post a query on this site that goes unaddressed for months or years, and then suddenly, out of the blue, the mystery is addressed. This happened to me last week. 

In 2015 I had published a post titled “Italian Helpers—Two Queries.” My friends Anne Copley and Giordano Viozzi were searching for information on Ronald P. Holmes, who had been sheltered by Oreste Belleggia of Piane di Falerone.

At the time I couldn’t help.

However, last week I received an email from James Davis:

“My grandfather’s Wellington Bomber ran out of fuel and landed in Sicily, with at least some of the crew ending up in PG 59.”

It turns out Ronald P. Holmes was the navigator on this downed Wellington Bomber.

“I’m slowly working through archives to find out more of his story,” James explained. “I’m organizing my notes at fettle.org.uk/DV416/.

It turns out James’ web page is a gold mine of information on five PG 59 prisoners. All five escaped from PG 59 at the time of the mass breakout on 14 September 1943.

The “Alphabetical Lists”—WO 392/21 in The National Archives, UK—(published in August 1943) are compilations of WWII prisoners of war in Italy from all branches of British Forces. These lists are based on Italian or Red Cross records of prisoners in Italian hands. POW camps for each of the Wellington Bomber’s crew members are noted in the lists:

Pilot: F/O Samuel Beckett (106061)—PG 49 Fontanellato (mainly a camp for Allied officers)
Second Pilot: W/O Stuart Marshall Cross (1051162)—no camp listed
Navigator: Sgt. Ronald Percy Holmes (1375674)—PG 59
Wireless Operator: Sgt. Edward Ronald Ashton (1282755)—PG 59
Front Gunner: Sgt. Robert Veitch (1107337)—no camp listed
Rear Gunner: Sgt. Robert Charles Davis (644393)—PG 59

In a statement, crew member Robert Veitch explains:

“All of crew were taken prisoners by Italian Coast Guards. Apart from shock none of us were injured. P/O Beckett captain of a/c went to PG 78 Sulmona and was afterwards repatriated.

”The rest of crew including myself were all taken to PG 59 Servigliano. When Italians capitulated all the others except myself and the navigator were repatriated. I was recaptured by Germans in Italy.

”R. P. Holmes was shot by Fascists in Italy whilst attempting to reach own lines.”

I have published a separate post with details on the killing of Ronald Holmes and PG 53 escapee Morgan Francis—see “Escaped Prisoners Morgan Francis and Ronald Holmes Killed While on the Run.”

Regarding the discrepancy in camp listing for Pilot Samuel Beckett, it’s entirely possible he was transferred from PG 78 Sulmona to PG 49 Fontanellato.

Concerning Stuart Cross and Robert Veitch, it’s clear from their statements that each was interned in PG 59.

I asked James how he came to be interested in his grandfather’s story.

He replied, ”I’ve got a general interest in archives, ephemera, and aviation history. My grandfather’s death opened up the opportunity to request his records and start following the documentary trail of his service. As more records get transferred to the National Archives, more people discuss these documents online, and I’ve picked up more and more of the trail. It’s been an on and off (mostly off) mini-project of mine for the last ten years or so.”

This research has finally come to fruition—James launched his web page just two weeks ago!

For information on other Royal Air Force internees in PG 59, see “The ‘Alphabetical List’—PG 59 Royal Air Force Internees.”