Send a Message via the The Wartime Memories Project Website
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224695
Cpl. Ernest Arthur John "Barry" Rollinson
British Army Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Harlington Hayes
Although my father, Ernest Rollinson would not talk to me about his captivity, mum told me about a couple of failed escape attempts he made in Italy which resulted in him being held in chains on the journey to Germany. It was there he was forced to work in salt mines and treated so cruelly as a result. Later on in life we would go on our holidays and dad would never go swimming with us and would never be seen in shorts. When I asked why this was, mum said that due to the cruelty suffered in the hands of the Nazi soldiers where he had his shin smashed open by a rifle butt and the scars of the chains, although faded, could still be seen. He never wanted to present the opportunity to anyone to ask questions about these scars, he just wanted to forget.