Stalag IVB

[MaxD]

According to listings of Italian POW camps, Campo (also PG) 87 was at Benevento, about 60 miles from Vesuvius but the topography is such that a view of one from the other is probably possible.  I have been able to find, in Italian, this paper about the camp produced by an Italian academic from Italian Army papers :
https://www.academia.edu/12297014/Il_campo_di_prigionia_di_Benevento  (if this link doesn't wotk, it is attached.

(The picture of David Niven is unrelated to the camp)

My Italian is a wee bit rusty but the article references a memoire by a British prisoner Donald I Jones called "Fuga da Salmona"  Escape from Salmona (Found on Amazon but expensive, try your local library).

It also references another prisoner Vincent Roberts whose own papers apparently say he was transferred to Stalag IV-D at Torgau in Germany.

There is a listing of your father at Stalag XVII-A at Kaisersteinbruch Austria but you have this I imagine.

Hope this helps and welcome to Rootschat?

MaxD

[MaxD]

Brief extracts from the Italian article:
The article explains that the Italians were not prepared for so many Brits to be taken prisoner at the time of Tobruk and they constructed seven new POW camps, among them this one at Benevento, in the area of Cardoncelli, in the middle of the countryside.

The first 1874 prisoners entered the camp on 1 September 1942 followed by many more during that month.  They were mostly English but there were also Canadians, Australians, South Africans, New Zealanders and Indians.  The camp commandant was Colonel Amleto Garattini (note the name!!)

The POW Donald I Jones in his book “Escape from Sulmona” explains he first was in a camp in Benghazi , then a brief transit through a camp at Capua followed by 6 weeks "of misery" at Benevento.  At the beginning of October 1942 [the party he was in] was marched to the station at Benevento and they were sent 100 miles north to Sulmona.

It is suggested that the reminiscences of Vincent Roberts, taken prisoner at Tobruk and in Benevento for some months, can be found on the internet

The only building that still remains of the camp is the hospital building  It has since been used for other purposes, including a restaurant but at the time of writing the article (2014) , was unused.

The picture of a long white building is of the camp hospital.  The pictures of a tented camp and huts with a line of men are from a similarly constructed camp in Croatia.

MaxD

[MaxD]

Maggie

I believe you have seen the two posts about Campo 87 but you have not indicated whether my work was of use or of interest or indeed whether you want any more assistance.

It would be nice to hear from you.

MaxD

[maggieloughran]

Sorry Max
yes  this is all fascinating, and i am so grateful for your interest and information
i am at the beginning of this journey into tracking down my dad's War history.
Like many, he spoke very little of his story to me.
however so much of what you tell me rings bells.  i will certainly follow up on much of what you tell me.
I am going to Austria in March to visit ST. Wolfgang where Dad ended his War Story in a tree felling gang.   i have information about the exact spot where the  English group were held for about 18months and i believe i can find the very building.

I think Dad spoke to me more about his time there because it was relatively easy compared to his experiences in Germany and Italy.   he certainly had very fond memories of his Austrian 'overseer' and i have had contact with the family of this kind Austrian man who at times risked his life to take care of them and make their lives a little easier..

is it possible to find out who the other men were in this gang? 

as i said, i am early in this journey and perhaps  you have some tips.

many thanks Max,   this clearly is a passion for you.    there are so many stories still untold.
Best regards
Maggie



 

[maggieloughran]

Max
i cant seem to find this book  'Escape from Sulermo' on the internet.   is there an ISBN for it  ?

[maggieloughran]

no worries.. i just found the book and have ordered it,  thanks Max

[MaxD]

Maggie

Delighted to hear from you.  Can we just cross check a bit.  You mention St Wolfgang.  The top left image on this link shows a road building party of POWs (not sure what nation) at St Wolfgang. which is in the Salzkammergut in the province of Salzburg.  https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=roGnlfKD&id=065A905BDB36CCB1938F0AEAB34A694D1739CA52&thid=OIP.roGnlfKDdyBVPVeYfPlq4wEsCd&q=pows+st+wolfgang&simid=608029038839926609&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0

Your father also appears in a POW list in Kaisersteinbruch in the province of Vienna although it doesn't have dates. 

I can't though find St Wolfgang named in the comprehensive list of POW camps in Austria.  It also doesn't come up in the on line POW lists - do you have any other info regarding his location in Austria??

MaxD

[maggieloughran]

i have only verbal  from dad..   and i have wonderful   watercolour  PAINTINGS of the  house where the were held on SCHWARTZENSEE       just up from   St Wolfgang

I have contacted The local  Toursit information  and they have offered s a tour to the area..how lovely is that?   

i am  confident that i can  locate the exact position of  the house where they were held....  there are only  3 possible locations..

what do i do with this information Max...   i am  almost beyond myself !

another thing...

Dad told me that there is a house in St. Wolfgang which Hitler GAVE.. lent    to   Duke of windsor.   he was so  definite about this...  he told me about this MANY years before it was known that he was a  Nazi supporter.   

[Malcolm33]

Brief extracts from the Italian article:
The POW Donald I Jones in his book “Escape from Sulmona” explains he first was in a camp in Benghazi , then a brief transit through a camp at Capua followed by 6 weeks "of misery" at Benevento.  At the beginning of October 1942 [the party he was in] was marched to the station at Benevento and they were sent 100 miles north to Sulmona.

MaxD

       I wonder if that might have been the camp where my Uncle Richard Oliver Draffan was after he was taken prisoner in North Africa.    Uncle Dick was in the DLI and I remember all the concern for Auntie Mary when she had no news from him for some six months.  I would only have been about 10 years old at the time.      He did escape from an Italian camp but ran into a German patrol when he and some others were about to cross into Switzerland, or so the story goes.    If only I had had the sense to talk to him about it in all the many years afterwards.   Anyway he spent the remaining war years in a German POW camp.