Pte. Francis Ernest Gooch
New Zealand Army 25th Battalion
from:Wellington, New Zealand
My late father, Frank Gooch, was captured during the desert campaign in Egypt at El Meir during the First battle of el Alamein on the 22nd of July 1942. After capture he was transported to Italy were he was a prisoner of war at Campo PG 85 then Campo PG 57. After Italy capitulated Frank was transported to Germany were he was imprisoned at Stalag 344 then at Stalag 317.
I still have my father's Stalag 317 dog tags which have stamped on them number 33135. Unfortunately, Frank died at the relatively young age of 51 years in May 1970 so stories of his war service experience and subsequent capture were not passed on to his family.
