Here are further details about 14 of the 24 prisoners listed in “British Escapees from Camp 59—New Names.” This additional information is courtesy of researcher Brian Sims.

These British prisoners were all in Camp 59 at the time of the escape in September 1943. They all reached Allied lines by traveling southward—some over land and some by means of transportation down the coast.

Note that several of the entries reference an escape by boat along the Adriatic Coast from San Benedetto Del Tronto to Termoli. This surely is the escape described in “Nicola and Liberato Lagalla—Rescue by Sea.” In fact, one of escapees listed below, Howard Jones, we know to have escaped from Camp 59 with Captain J. H. D. Millar, and Captain Millar was among those known to have been skippered to safety by the Lagalla brothers (although he is not on Brian’s list).

Frederick Thomas Lockett

Service Number—5050489
Sergeant
2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment
Date of Birth—February 20, 1921
Home address—Woodbank, Penkridge Staffs, UK

Captured—December 2, 1942
Transit in North Africa
Camp 98 Sicily, December 3–29, 1942
PG 66 Capua, January 2–February 5, 1943
PG 59 Servigliano, February 7–September 15, 1943

Helper:

Francesco Vallorani (farmer)
Montefalcone
Sheltered and fed September 20–November 14, 1943

Transported from San Benedetto to Termoli by boat; arrived November 18, 1943

Albert Ambrose Willis

Service Number—5774137
Sergeant
2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment
Date of Birth—January 27, 1912

Captured—December 1, 1942
Transit North Africa
PG 98 Sicily
PG 66 Capua, January–February 8, 1943
PG 59 Servigliano, February 9–September 14, 1943

Helper:

Gino Mundi (Farmer)
San Lorenzo
Sheltered and fed for two weeks

Transported from San Benedito to Termoli by boat with help from “A Force”; arrived December 13, 1943

Continue reading →

The 30 men listed below were at one time interned in Camp 59. All were transferred to other camps before the September 1943 breakout. Dates of the men’s P.G. 59 internment are listed with their names.

Twenty-nine of the 30 soldiers are new to this site—Patrick Cahill is the one exception.

British researcher Brian Sims gleaned this information from his British National Archives data. I am most grateful to him for this generous contribution.

Unlike the 24 British soldiers listed in “British Escapees from Camp 59—New Names, who escaped to the Allied lines in the south, these 30 men found freedom via other routes. All returned home safely.

James Bough
Service Number—1086472
Gunner
102nd Regiment, Royal Artillery
Captured January 21, 1941—Sidi Rezegh, Libya
Camp 59 internment—January 23, 1942–January 24, 1943

Victor Boulter
Service Number—T/164744
Driver
Royal Army Service Corps
Captured April 8,1941—Fort Michelli
Camp 59 internment—March 1942–May 1943

R. C. R. Boulton
Service Number—5732581
Corporal
2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment
Captured December 4, 1942—Tunis, Tunesia
Camp 59 internment—March 5, 1942–June 3, 1943

Continue reading →

The second episode of a two-part documentary on the WW II breakout of Allied prisoners from Italian prison camps aired on the BBC yesterday.

The documentary was created by veteran journalist and author Edward Stourton.

Listen to Part 2 of “The Italian Freedom Trail” (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039dbjp)

The BBC yesterday broadcast the first episode of a two-part documentary on the WW II breakout of Allied prisoners from Italian prison camps. The programs are the work of veteran journalist and author Edward Stourton.

This documentary was planned to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the September 1943 camp breakouts and the protection of the escapees by the Italian contadini.

Listen to Part 1 of “The Italian Freedom Trail” (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038zcqh)

The far reach of the BBC ensures that this story will be heard not only in the UK, but around the world.

Stay tuned! Part 2 of Edward Stourton’s report is scheduled for broadcast next Friday, September 6.

Continue reading →