Category Archives: Prisoners—Camp 59

A Daring Escape through the Alps

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I received a note recently from Marco Soggetto, who lives in Northern Italy.

Marco is engaged in a difficult historical search, concerning a small group of Allied soldiers who escaped from Italian camps and tried to reach the Swiss border through Italy’s Aosta Valley, on the Western Alps.

“They climbed the highest mountain chain in the whole of Europe,” he explained, “without being trained or equipped to do so, and as an alpinist I know how difficult this may be.”

One of the prisoners in this group came from Camp 59. He was Charles John P. Bradford, a British rifleman from the Rifle Brigade, 6915262. He was born March 8, 1918 and he died in 1989.

I asked Marco if he would send me detailed information about his research that I could post on the Camp 59 site. This morning he sent me the following note, which tells of his research and also is a request for assistance from anyone who may be able to help him in his quest for information.

If you know anything about any of the soldiers he mentions, please write to me at hilld@iu.edu and I will share the information with Marco.

Dennis Hill
Camp 59 Survivors administrator

Escape through the Alps

Allied soldiers on the run between Piedmont and the Aosta Valley

April 15, 2012

To the kind attention of the public of Camp 59 Survivors website,

Good evening from Biella, a small town in the northwestern part of Italy.

I am writing this short article and request for information on the very kind suggestion of Dennis Hill, webmaster of the nice and impressive website dedicated to deepening the history of Camp 59.

I am a researcher—both for work and in my free time—and I’ve spent my life under the stars of two different and powerful passions: mountaineering and history.

These two great, fascinating interests first captured me in a difficult search between August 2009 and the following Christmas. In a few words, after many years spent on the Western Alps in the beautiful Aosta Valley, I found the wreckage of a legendary plane, which crashed during the Second World War on the Dame di Challand (Ladies of Challand) group at about 2,900 meters above sea level.

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Heard over Shortwave

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During WW II citizens in their homes across the U.S. listened to shortwave radio broadcasts for information about Allied POWs.

The broadcasts came from behind enemy lines. Faithful listeners recorded what they heard and attempted to relay information about the soldiers to their families.

The following two notes regarding a September 1944 broadcast were sent to Willman King’s father, Emery King.

A September 1944 broadcast would have come over three months after Willman was recaptured by Axis forces on June 1, 1944. (He had escaped from Camp 59 on September 1943 and evaded the enemy for 8 1/2 months).

Savannah, Ga.,
Sept. 11th, 1944.

Mr. Emery King,
Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Dear Sir:-

Heard over Short Wave that Pvt. William King -37093828, is a prisoner of Germany. Part of his message to you was:- “I am well. Love – Bill.” Thought you may not have heard the broad-cast. We listen every night, as my son. St Sgt. Richard M. Osbourne, is missing in action over France since Aug. 13th and we hope to hear good news of him soon.

Respectfully,
Mrs. E. W. Osbourne
7 W. 31st St.,
Savanannah,Ga.

Note: The U.S. National Archives lists Staff Sergeant Richard M. Osbourne of Georgia, Army Air Corps (heavy bomber), was “returned to military control, liberated or repatriated” from Stalag 17B in Austria—Mrs. Osborne was to have her good news in time.

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Willman King—Enlistment to Capture

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Willman King, late fall 1945. The photo was taken in front of the farm home where he worked before WW II.

“The man with my dad and string of fish is Carl Eidensheink,” says Joe King. “He was a farmer my dad worked for as a hired man.” Circa 1938–39.

I received an email from Joseph M. King in January of this year. Joe wrote:

“I am sending information that I believe will add one more man to your list of Camp 59 survivors. He is my father, Willman I. King (Pvt. 37093828). He was born in 1919 and he died in 1980.

“Sometime in the late 1970’s, when I was home for a short visit, I did a mini-interview with Dad one evening at the dinning table. I was only about 30 years old, so I had very limited life experience to ask the in-depth questions I would ask today. But at least I got a small sketch of the chain of events from dad’s enlistment in the Army to his capture in North Africa. I say enlist because that is what his friend Johnnie Eidensheink told me Dad did.

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Willman King—A 1979 Interview

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Click on the image above for access to a file that can be enlarged for better viewing.

Willman King—prisoner of war

The Record
Monday, April 2, 1979

[The Becker County Record serves Becker County and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.]

By Larry Windom

In 1942, one of the persons to take part in the initial landing in Africa was Willman King.

He landed in North Africa and helped capture the city of Oran, Algeria, a couple of days later.

King spent about three weeks in Oran and one of his duties while there was to watch some prisoners. They were political prisoners, he recalls, like German counselors and attaches.

Just the other day, King reflected back to the fall of 1942 while sitting at his kitchen table in his home 8 miles east of Detroit Lakes. Recalling watching the prisoners, he stated, “At that time, I never thought that I would be taken prisoner, too. One thing we never considered was being taken prisoner. I think that was true of the others, too. It just never occurred to us.”

But King was taken prisoner shortly afterwards. In fact, he spent most of his army career as a prisoner of war.

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Additional Camp 59 Prisoners

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Since the recent New Names for the Prisoner List post, Robert Newton sent a few more names for the master Prisoner List.

These servicemen are:

Willard J. Bergstrom—From Traverse City, Michigan, “Bill” Bergstrom was formerly of the 1st Armored Regiment. He was interned at Camp 59 and escaped with Paul Alsin and John S. Skulborstad.

Alphonse Buttacavoli

James Edward Kavana—Escaped from Camp 59, was recaptured by the Germans, and escaped again.

William J. “Kivvy” Kivlehan

Leslie O. Parker

Robert D. Power

Kenneth G. “Bull” Seldon—Escaped from Camp 59 but was recaptured and sent to Germany.

Regarding servicemen from other countries who were interned at the camp, Robert wrote:

“There were Canadians in the area for sure. Raymond Cox told me that.

“Ferree Grossman also said there was a Welshman with my uncle [Corporal Robert Alvey Newton].”

In going though his research resources, Robert found he had two copies of the 1991 membership directory of the national American Ex-Prisoners of War (AXPOW) organization. He generously sent his extra copy to me.

The directory lists home addresses and all of the camps where each member was held. This listing of all camps for each serviceman is especially valuable because the National Archives Records of World War II Prisoners of War lists only the last camp where each man was interned.

As I find time to go though the full AXPOW directory, which contains thousands of names, additional names for the master Prisoner List are sure to surface.

Many thanks to Robert for his generosity.

New Names for the Prisoner List

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Late last month Robert Newton of Hillsboro, Oregon, provided me with a list of many POWs who, until now, have not been included on the master Camp 59 Prisoner List.

Robert’s uncle, Corporal Robert A. Newton, was a prisoner in Camp 59, (this site has several posts concerning him), and Robert has conducted years of research into WWII POWs. In fact, I found among my own father’s papers after he passed away in April 2000, letters Robert had sent to him in 1992!

Robert explained, “I either corresponded with these vets or their family members, or met them personally, or heard about them from other escapees. For example, Ken Lightbody told me that he spent nine months on the run with J. B. Tackett.

“Most of my contacts were 20 years ago, so most have since left the stage.

“As you noted, the official records are ambiguous and simply state that a POW returned to allied control. I have enjoyed trying to find out as much as possible to advance the history of these brave men.

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James Osborn in Italian and German Camps

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Above: Jim Osborn in 1945, at the time of his marriage to Betty Ephgrave.
Note that the crest on his cap seems to be that of the Royal Artillery, and the ribbon bar above his left pocket flap bears a number 8. I believe it is the Africa Star 8th Army bar.

I received an email from John Osborn, who lives in Derby, England, on January 12.

John wrote, “I am trying to trace the movements of a relative of mine who I have just discovered was a POW held at Camp 59 and who is not on your list. My uncle, James Frederick Osborn was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery of the British Army.

“My uncle Jim was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, on 26 July 1920. He was one of three sons of Frederick and Hilda Osborn. His brother Les was about a year younger and my dad, Ray, was three years his junior. At the outbreak of World War 2 the family was living in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK.

“The three brothers all volunteered before they were drafted, as their conscription age approached. Jim went into the Army, Les into the Royal Air Force, and my dad went into the Royal Navy.

“I have always known that Jim had been a POW from early on in the war and I have some vague memory that I was once told that he was captured in North Africa rather than France.

“My cousin Christine, Jim’s daughter, sent me photocopy of a POW postcard from Jim to Betty Ephgrave, who was at the time his fianceé. They married in 1945 on Jim’s return home.”

The return address on the card is Osborn, James Fredirick, Gunner 1602265, Camp PG No 59, PM 3300 ITALIA.

John continued, “Jim ended the war in Stalag VI-B at Mühlberg in Germany.

“Christine told me that at some time during his captivity, possibly at the end of the war, or possibly before he was transferred from Camp 59, Jim was involved in a breakout.

“During the breakout he lost what personal papers he had. These were found by a German soldier. Some years after the war (about 1948-49) this German returned the papers to Jim. From then on they sent each other Christmas cards and visited each other!”

Albert Rosenblum with the Virgili Family

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Above: Duilio Virgili

Alle amico [To a friend]
Alberto Rosenblum
Duilio

Last June, Alan Rosenblum sent me a detailed account of the protection his father, Sergeant Albert Rosenblum, was given by the Virgili family of Ortezzano, Italy, after his escape from Camp 59 in 1943.

Al also sent scans of a few old photographs and an envelope from a letter sent by Duilio Virgili to his father after the war (the letter has since been lost).

I forwarded Al’s account and the photos to Italian researcher Filippo Ieranò in Servigliano, Italy, explaining that Al was interested in making contact with the Virgili family.

In September, Filippo replied: “It was not easy, but eventually I managed to get in touch with Rita Virgili, the sister of Duilio Virgili of Ortezzano.”

Filippo explained, “Mrs. Virgili recalls that Albert and several other American prisoners came to their house during the war. She currently lives in Rome, and would be very glad to establish a relationship with Alan Rosenblum.”

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Mrs. Dickinson to Mrs. Crooks—Letters

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The following two letters were sent from Robert Dickinson’s stepmother to Denis Crooks’ mother when the two sons were overseas during the war.

Robert’s mother—also the mother of his brothers James and William—died young. Robert’s father, Leslie Dickinson, married again—to Nellie, the author of these two touching letters.

Leslie and Nellie had a son together, Len Dickinson. Letters and cards Robert sent while in service to his little brother Len are posted elsewhere on this site.

Thanks to Denis’ daughter, Maggie Clarke, for sharing this material.

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