211062 Cpl. Ernest Albert "Chalky" White British Army 5th Battalion Hampshire Regiment from:Boscombe, Hampshire Having been captured by the Germans in Tunisia on 27 February, 1943 my father, Ernie White, was handed over to the Italians and embarked on an Italian ship at Bizerta for Naples and then by train to PG 66 at Capua. He received his first letter from his wife, Iris, on 15 May, enclosing a photo of herself taken in February 1943. On 16 June he was moved to PG 82 at Laterina. On 23 August another move took him to a working camp - No. 82/XV at Borgo san Lorenzo - where he worked on building a sugar refinery. On 8 September 1943 Italy signed the Armistice and the prisoners of war finished work the next day. The Italians deserted the camp and the prisoners, having heard (false) reports of Allied landings at Ancona and Leghorn, fled into the countryside. After 3 days of liberty Ernie bumped into a column of German tanks and was recaptured (13 September)and taken the following day to an evacuated officers' camp at Bologna.
On 16 September 1943 Ernie, along with many other P.O.W.s, were herded into railway horse trucks and after a nightmare journey of 4 days and nights via the Brenner Pass arrived at Stalag VIIIA in Gorlitz in Lower Silesia.
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