At the fall of Bengazi........

At the fall of Bengazi in January 1942, a large column of our troops and transport left the area in an attempt to reach Cairo by crossing the North African desert. I was Senior N.C.O in charge of a 3-ton lorry with 10 men and an Indian driver, with orders to bring up the rear of the column and to pick up any stragglers I came across in the desert. During the first night on the road we burnt all transport and Bren Carriers which we thought would be unable to make the journey, and then started the long trek across the desert. We found vehicles having got stuck in the sand and towed them free, and we picked up a number of stragglers so that we found ourselves miles behind the column. At about 2p.m. a 15cwt. truck came to meet us carrying an Army Officer who shouted to us to keep to the left of the truck as there were unexploded bombs to the right. This officer turned out to be a German in British uniform who wanted to drive us to a mine-field. Those of us who ignored his orders were fired on latter. Then my lorry broke its springs and buried itself bonnet-deep in sand, and we were left with no alternative other than “shanks pony”. I checked the number as we left the lorry and found that there were 29 of us. I split the group into 3 parties, - two of 10 men and the other of 9, - but the men of my own battalion wanted to come with me so that there were 11 in my party and 9 in each of the others. Each party had a N.C.O. in charge.
On the forth day, five of the men in my party were taken very ill and needed medical attention. After discussion with the men I took the five to within 100 yards of the nearest enemy position and saw them being picked up by Italian soldiers.
On the tenth day the remaining six of us were sick and our feet were very swollen. Two of the men had high temperature and fever, and these together with another man and a Corporal, decided to take a chance on the road.
L/Sgt. Churchill and I were now left. We travelled eastward and lived quite well on provisions we found in broken-down lorries.
On the 20th day, after we had had a two-day rest we saw a great deal of activity on the horizon. We gathered as much food and water as we could carry and beat it. After we had been on our way about three hours, sand began to blow up around our feet, - and then we heard a bang! We made our way towards a wadi but found ourselves confronted by six men – a German Recovery Section. The German Captain approached us and took all our particulars. We were about 250 miles behind German lines.
For five days we were treated with unusual civillity, - until our hosts realised that F/Sgt. Churchill was not connected with Mr. Winston Churchill. We were taken back to Bengazi and handed over to the Italians about three o’clock one afternoon, and placed in a stone-built guard-room which had a small window covered by some strands of barbed wire. We escaped through this window, but we were in strange territory on a very dark night and were re-captured after about four hours of freedom and admonished by an Italian Officer. That night we were taken by road from camp to camp until, at the end of four days, we reached the outskirts of Tripoli. Here we met 31 survivors of a prison-ship which had been torpedoed a few hours after leaving Tripoli, among whom was the Welsh Middle-Weight boxer Tommy Enoch. After three days we were taken to Tripoli and put on board a prisoner-of-war ship bound for Italy.
We were taken to a prison camp near Brindisi, where we arrived in the afternoon. By midnight we had effected our escape and were near Brindisi port, but were captured and returned to camp by morning. On our return we were called to the tent of the camp R.S.M. a New Zealander, who informed me that if I wanted to escape again, he would arrange for a supply of dried food, raisins, sugar, oatmeal etc. Three days later, Churchill and I, simply walked out of the camp. It was so easy that we thought that a trap had been laid for us, so we took it easy for a couple of days, but on the 5th day we were picked up by Italian police and brought back to camp.
After about two weeks near Brindisi we were transferred to P.G.65., near Bari. This camp had no lavatories, - just a pit with planks across it. Water was brought by truck and buffalo cart. There were fleas as big as flies. I complained about these conditions on my letter-cards and was brought before the Camp Commandant. We formed an escape group but although several prisoners managed to get out, they were at large only a few hours. On one occasion I insulted a Caribineri (police) Officer and was placed under arrest. The guardroom was outside the main camp wire and whilst I was confined there I realised that it provided an easy escape route. I was after three days and set about exchanging soap, tea, tinned meat and Scotch-oats for chocolate, coffee, raisins, sugar and biscuits. Then I made sure of being placed under arrest and found myself once more in the guardroom. After roll-call at 7pm I got out by taking the window off its hinges and parting the barbed-wire. I now had 13 hours before the next check. Instead of going through Bari via Altamura, I went through Gravina, making for on the coast. I was free for four days and then, while passing a “Contradini” farm house I noticed some tabacco plants and fancied a smoke. I picked a couple of dry leaves and rolled them and smoked them. This was a very foolish thing to do, for someone passing by noticed the smoke and I had it! One shout from those Ities and 60 per cent of the population came running, - for to catch an “Ingleezi” soldier meant praise for the village from Mussolini himself. I was taken to the leading Fascist and then, while they all embraced and congratulated each other, I was taken back to the camp.
Ten days latter I was taken to another section of the camp and had to report to the guard every four hours. I got a friend to report for me and arranged with another chap to escape the next day. This time we were on the run for 10 days before being picked up.
In February 1943 most of the senior N.C.O.’s were moved north to P.G.52 at Chiavari, near Genoa, and here Churchill and I were parted. Here the Italians took every woollen garment away from us, except our socks, but we received Red Cross parcels often. In order to enable us to boil water for tea, parties of 20 to 30 men would go out under escort to collect dry wood. I attached myself to this party one day and told the sentry I was the British N.C.O. in charge. After I had exchanged tunics with a British Tommy, a couple of chaps started a fire to distract the sentries and I just walked away. I kept inland, about 20 kilometres from the coast, and on the morning of the third day I came across a bicycle belonging, I presume, to a farm worker. I travelled on this for about 16 hours and then concealed it under some hay and made my way on foot.
I arrived at Benivento on 17th August1943. There was a curfew in force and I was picked up by the Caribineri at about 4.30pm and taken back, via the civil prison, to P.G.52. Here things went on much as usual – bribing the sentries for information which might lead to escape.
On 6th September 1943 we were informed that Italy had capitulated. The Camp Commandant called the Camp R.S.M. and told him that he had been informed by his superiors that we would be released at the earliest opportunity. He assured the R.S.M. that he and his men would defend us against any attempt by the Germans to interfere with the camp. Imagine the laughter this caused.
The Germans walked in at 4 o’clock on the afternoon of the next day, and caused chaos. They fired their revolvers and drove us all inside. On the morning of September 10th all senior N.C.O.’s were rounded up and marched to Chiavari railway station, en route for Germany.
We were herded into freight cars, - 40 men to a car. Three of the cars had small apertures in them and, by a quick count, five of us managed to position ourselves so that we gained a place in one of these. At about 2am three of us decided to jump the train as it travelled round a curve at about 20 – 30 m.p.h. Helped by the others, I got through the small aperture, and was followed by Flt/Sgt. McNeil and Sgt.Irnine, R.A.F. We got off without mishap and lay still on the ground in case we should be spotted by one of the German look-outs on the front of each car. We made our way to a farm-house to find our position; we were a few miles north of Cremona. For the next fortnight we slept rough but lived very well and travelled fast, resting every fourth day. We walked to Mantova, swam across the River Po, and on via Modena to Bologna.
At Bologna we met four Italians who were friendly towards us and who wished to help in the downfall of Fascism. At a tunnel outside the town we cut a large tree which fell across the railway line and blocked the whole entrance to the tunnel.
We moved on to Lugo, where the German motor transport convoys passed us often. We saw an old trailer and turned it over in the road. Then through Forli towards Perugia. Fifteen miles from Perugia I parted company from the other two as the pace was too slow for me. I by-passed Perugia in an attempt to reach Rome.
When I reached a village near Terni I came across some Germans having target practice at a cross-roads. Here I had to seek the assistance of an Italian civilian, who said he would take me to a “circle” in Terni, but that I must have civilian clothes. He provided me with a pair of trousers, a shirt and a coat, and we took the electric-train for Terni. After a few minutes he went to the lavatory and on his return I saw an officer, sergeant and two men of the German Air Force come towards me with drawn revolvers. They asked me for my papers of identity and then searched me and found my A.B.64 and my attestation papers. They handcuffed me and stopped the train and ordered me off, at revolver point, about 4Kms from Terni.
I was taken to Perugia Castle, where the German Command was stationed, and interrogated by three German officers. I refused to answer their questions and was then put in a chair with my hands tied behind my back.


Evan-Llewellyn Edwards 3957688 Welch Regiment