240507 Pte. George Henry Keates British Army 2nd Btn. Hampshire Regiment from:Southampton My father's uncle was George Keates from Southampton. He was in 2nd Battalion, Royal Hampshire Regiment. I have a PoW War Report for him from the National Archives. He was captured in Tunisia on 3rd December 1942. He goes on to say:
"We were surrounded by German tanks and infantry. My Co. commander asked 2 others and myself to make an attempt with him to get behind the infantry to do any good that might have been done. On spending all our ammunition we crossed a river in the hopes of getting back to our own lines but we ran into a German patrol and were taken prisoner"
He was sent to Capua PG Campo 66 which was a Quarantine and Transit camp. George was here until 28th February 1943.
He was then transported, probably by train, to Campo PG 59 in Serigliano which was near the town of Ascoli Piceno, Italy where he arrived on 1st March 1943. George was transferred from here on 21st May 1943 to Chignolo Po, Italy to Campo PG 146/25.
The PoW Camp at Chignolo Po was called PG Campo 146/25 which was typically only used for the ranks of privates and non-commissioned officers below the rank of sergeant. The number 146 refers to the main camp which was based in the Italian town of Mortara. The second number (25) refers to the working camp. Working camp 26 is in Torre d'Arese, Italy (146/26). These are all hard labour camps and George was listed as a farm labourer at both 146/25 and 146/26 camps. He was here until 9th of September 1943.
George goes on to say that he and two others were helped by two Italian families. These families helped to hide them.
He gives the names and last known addresses of the families but what is interesting is that fact that he names Giovanni Agnelli as helping him.
Giovanni Agnelli was the founder of Fiat, the Italian car company. What isn't clear is what role Giovanni played in helping George. Giovanni would have been in his 70s at this time. Giovanni's grandson was also called Giovanni. He went on to take over the Fiat business after his grandfather's death in 1945 so I am not certain if it was Giovanni the older or Giovanni the grandson who helped George and the others escape to Switzerland. He mentions that they are part of the Italian Partisans organisation. Gerorge arrived in Switzerland in January 1944.
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