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Trading Weapons for Ploughshares
Former Camp 59 internee Don Robinson’s daughter, Georgina Stewart, sent me the heartwarming news story featured in this post, which appeared in the Hereford Time (Herefordshire, England) in 1984. See...
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Letter from P.G. 59 Chaplain “Neil” Nye
Georgina Stewart, daughter of Don Robinson, who was a prisoner in P.G. 59, shared a letter with me that was written by Reverend Nathaniel “Neil” Nye to her mother during the war. The letter offered...
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In Print—New Escape and Evasion Devices Book
British researcher and author Phil Froom recently told me about his new book, Evasion and Escape Devices Produced by MI9, MIS-X, and SOE in World War II. The book concerns the profusion of covert E...
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Scottish Escapee Thomas Penman
A hale and hearty Thomas Penman in 1946, after medical treatment for malnourishment in Chepstow, Wales— a “fattening up” gradually on small amounts of food, chocolate, and milk I received a note from...
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After 72 Years—Dewey Gossett Home at Last
Dewey L. Gossett, a World War II soldier whose A-36A Apache fighter/bomber crashed in Italy 72 years ago, was laid to rest with full military honors six days ago at Fort Prince Memorial Gardens in...
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Jimmy Feehan and Thomas Penman
Escaped P.O.W.s arrive at Royal Park, Victoria, Australia, 1944. From left: Private J. W. Feehan from W.A. (Western Australia), Sergeant E. J. Brough from Victoria, Lance Corporal L. Worthington from...
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Dedication in Comunanza
A new memorial plaque In the Italian village of Comunanza last Sunday, May 15, a plaque was installed to commemorate the killing of escaped Allied prisoners of war in 1944. See “An Execution at...
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Eric Rockliff Sanderson
Front and back of a Christmas postcard Eric Sanderson sent to his nieces in Doncaster, Yorkshire (England) from P.G. 59 on November 11, 1942 Yesterday I received a note from David Sanderson, who lives...
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Americans Who Died as POWs in Italy
U.S. Navy Musician 2nd Class Lucas Swanson salutes after playing taps at the Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy, on Memorial Day 2013. Each year U.S. and Italian service...
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Coenraad Stoltz—the “War-Box”
Letters dating back to the war are arranged on Coenraad Stoltz’s open “war-box” Earlier this month, Frank Vaccarezza and I received a note from Conradt Stoltz, who lives in South Africa, concerning...
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Coenraad Stoltz—Escapee from Camp 52
Coenraad Willem Frederik Stoltz As mentioned in the previous post, I heard from Conradt Stoltz, Coenraad’s grandson, earlier this month. (Read “Coenraad Stoltz—the ‘War-Box.’”) Concerning the photo...
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Charlie Standing—Escapee from Camp 82
Charlie’s brother Fred Standing (left) and Charlie in the doorway of their family’s home at 54 Lincoln Street, Brighton. This month I received a note from Simon Hasler of Brighton, UK, addressed to...
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R. W. B. Lewis
Recently, Luigi Donfrancesco—nephew of I.S.9 Italian agent Andrea Scattini—and I have been in touch with Nancy Lewis, the wife of Captain Richard W. B. Lewis, an American officer with I.S.9 POW rescue...
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Airman Robert McIntosh “Back Home Again”
1st Lt. Robert McIntosh (right), U.S. Army Air Force Photo—Young-Nichols Funeral Home/family photo Eddy Arnold’s Back Home Again in Indiana, one of the state’s most beloved songs, is an expression of...
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Tom Kelly—Escapee from P.G. 59
Scotsman Tom Kelly I hear this week from Linda Veness, daughter of R. J. “Jimmy” McMahon. Her father’s story is covered in two posts on this site, “R. J. McMahon, Part 1—Battle and Captivity” and “R....
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William Kornrumph—Hut 4, Section 11
I received an email recently from Adam Rolloff. He sent me photographs of a Bronze Star Medal awarded to William Kornrumph, as well as the American serviceman’s separation papers. He wrote, “I enjoyed...
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The Alphabetical List—British Soldiers N–Z
In 2013, researcher Brian Sims gave me access to his photographs of the complete contents of a booklet entitled Italy: Imperial Prisoners of War Alphabetical List, Section 1, British Army, which is...
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Trooper Harold Knibbs
Trooper Harold George Knibbs I heard earlier this fall from Don Knibbs, who lives in the village of Sheet, which is in Hampshire, in the south of England. He wrote: “I came across the Camp 59...
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Trooper Victor Styles—P.G. 52 Prisoner
Trooper Victor Kensett Styles I received a note recently from Vic Styles, a nephew of Victor Kensett Styles. Trooper Victor Styles, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC), was captured in North Africa and...
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Brave Young Fighter Gino Beer
Gino Beer, with some girls at Farneta, near Montefiorino, 1944 I corresponded this week with Italian Michele Becchi concerning Gino Beer, who as a young man served in the fighting group headed by...
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