Appx IV. DIARY OF OPERATION, NORTH ITALY FOR COLLECTION AND GUIDING OF ESCAPED ALLIED PoW. Sgt. HWJ Guest ‘R’ Coy, 1 Para Bn.

Sgt. Guest H. ‘R’ Coy, 1 Para Bn.

1943. DZ Porta Recanati, R. Potenza.
Oct 2. Emplaned BARI 1545 hrs. Parachute descent 1730 hrs on exact D.Z. Perfect drop with no casualties. Enlisted help of Italians (who rushed to us with grapes and wine) to bury containers and 'chutes, then with half an hour of landing we set off N.W. across country towards mountains. We later heard that a German patrol (motor) arrived within an hour of us landing. We marched across country for 8 hrs in pouring rain, then lay up in a farmhouse (a doubtful welcome, but improved immensely).

Oct 3. We enlisted a relation of farmer to guide us to mts and at 1730 hrs we left, marching on secondary rds and through two villages, we reached another farm at 0500 hrs near ANGOLI.

Oct 4. From here day marching was possible as we were near mountain regions; met party of Italians who had formed as guerillas; one volunteered as guide (spoke perfect German and French). Reached farm at foot of Mt S. Vincino, decided to make HQ here for three days.

Oct 5. Constant stream of visitors all day, but no knowledge of present whereabouts of PoW., though two reported in vicinity yesterday. 48 hr rations finished, but feeding extremely well at farm.

Oct 6. Two British PoW. contacted – DLI., Camerons (Tobruk). No idea where others may be, but think must have moved further South, as they have come from far North (Verona).

Oct 7. Moved today to empty house deeper in mountains, started distance patrols but only infm is of PoW. passing through.

Oct 8. Patrols no contact. Previous PoW. still with us.

Oct 9. Lt. Halstead, on infm received, contacted 2 Bn party who had dropped on wrong D.Z. No offr, Sjt. Wright in charge with two PoW. (one from 4 Para Bn).

Oct 10. Patrols all day; no contact. 2nd Bn moved off for own area. Contacted Italian Royalist Marquis. Good lunch, but he advised us to move, as he believed Germans knew our rough location.

Oct 11. Decided to split into two parties, move South and meet at Mt FIENGE in three days time. Lt. Halstead, Sjt. Peters, Cpls. Tynan, MacMurray, L/Cpls. Quilliams, Cartwright in one party; Sjt. Russell, Sjt. Guest, L/Cpl. Venables, Cpl. Padula (Interpreter) and the two PoW. in the other.

Oct 12. My party made no contact with any other P.W. for next five days; also could not contact Lt. Halstead’s party. We reached RV at given time.

Oct 17. Contacted 3 British offrs, 2 RAMC, 1 Commando (No. 3). Gave them money, maps, compass, and sent them to embarkation point, other two PoW. stills stayed with me. (No knowledge of offrs from then on, but no boats arrived at any time).

Oct 18. Nothing to report, just march, march – all day long; it seems easy to travel by day here. Decided not to attempt to reach boats.

Oct 19. Crossed State rd at dawn between S. SEVERINO and CASTELRUMONDO. Lot of traffic but no sentries. River was fordable.

Oct 20. Nothing to report, just continuous marching, still feeling very good.

Oct 21. Still no contact with Lt. Halstead, but plenty of reports of his movements.

Oct 22. More Germans about here, but still easy to move by day.

Oct 23. Met 8 British and American P.W., boots in bad need of repair but no ill health among them. Gave money, map, compass; advised them to keep moving South. Met Lt. Halstead – his party split again. Tynan, Quilliam’s, Cartwright in one; Lt. Halstead, Peters, MacMurray in another with one guide and one English offr PoW.

Oct 24. Arrived at S. MARTINE. Plenty of P.W. here – one of our own Bn (Cpl. Redman, taken at TAMERA). [1] Supposed to be 30 PoW. in area. Fed well today as we bought sheep. Met Quilliam and party – two PoW.

Oct 25. So far have met 18 P.W. here, gave all money, but maps and compasses have finished. Other party still here, moving tomorrow.

Oct 26. Other party gone, met Colonel 12 Lancers (Col. E.O. Bourne, [2] captured at TOBRUK with two other offrs and one Cpl). Moved off right after getting shoes repaired. Advised me to go his direction, but would not agree.

Oct 27. Moved off today, harder going, mts higher; met Italian guerilla band near PACHELA, hard to convince we were not Germans, but got through okay.

Oct 28. Crossed State Rd. More difficult here as Chiente river very deep, but managed to find Br. Traffic on rd considerable.

Oct 29 – Nov 2. Nothing to report, no P.W. here, but food harder to get. All persons frightened of arms. Believe us to be Germans, but have managed okay, so far.

Nov 3. Crossed State rd (ASCOLE) and found about 20 P.W. in village at foot of Mt Vittore. Got all their boots repaired, and left them with copies of maps. But they decided not to take our advice to move.

Nov 4, 5, 6. Still marching, food still hard to get; one loaf and some figs all we have for our days food.

Nov 7. Crossed main rd and entered village of NERETO. This is a fascist stronghold, so could not get food. Fascist phoned for Jerry, but we went quickly and by good luck struck a tunnel from NERETO to village of PIETRALCAMELA – 8 kms long. We persuaded the fascist in charge we were Germans and he pushed [us] through on four wheeled bogey, frequently saying “Heil Hitler”; we entered the village and tried to get food; they were too scared as German controlled Caribinieri were in charge of the village, but we had to have food as it was six miles across the mountains to our next calling place., so we went and forced the police to give us bread. The guns persuaded him so we left with bread and
two fowls.

Nov 8. Spent last night in shack in mts, reached village of CHERKARA this afternoon and found it full of P.W. and Yugo-Slav political internees. Decided to stop here for a few days and see what we could do to help. Taken ill, all limbs swollen through Italian food.

Nov 12. Moved off today from CHERKARA. Got what repair we could done to boots and left them with copies of map. American Cpl Interpreter left behind. He decided it was too risky after listening to P.W.’s talk. Now we must cross or go round the Gran Sasso Range, but have decided to go round as it is supposed to take three days to cross.

Nov 13. Around Sasso, reached FARANDOLA, but did not enter as Germans have just made raid and caught two P.W., Col. E.O. Bourne was one. Two Germans shot here by Commando, so must leave quickly.

Nov 14. This area here is full of P.W. and Slavs. No food at all, stole sheep and cooked in a shack we had to break into. Money getting low, now too many P.W. to give money to.

Nov 15. No food today, things look bad. The weapons frighten all the people here. Still meeting P.W. All say it is impossible to cross PESCARA, but must try it.

Nov 16. One loaf today, nothing else; getting kind of hungry; must get rid of arms and pack.

Nov 17. Crossed PESCARA rd and river, walked across dam at mid-day with Sten gun over shoulder. One German lorry driver standing by lorry 15 yds away from us when we crossed rd, but he did not attempt to stop us; something to be said for arms after all.

Nov 18. Met Quilliam’s with 2 nd Bn Pte and two P.W. Met Yugo-Slav and exchanged Sten for Beretta revolver, and got food as easy as could be.

Nov 19. Lot of P.W. around here, so we’’ make endeavour to contact all, see if I can do anything. Sound of guns very near, now plenty of air activity.

Nov 20. 2nd Bn Pte moved off with Italian offr and 11 others to break through, but have taken to the plains. Think it is a mistake.

Nov 21. Still meeting P.W. there are 33 in this area, 7 of them officers – one accompanied by English wife of an Italian (lucky dog).

Nov 22. Living in hut, about 3 ft of snow all around, but as lousy as hell. Have competition every day– anyone falling short of 100 lice is barred, but we are all eligible so far. Have 4 Americans with us in hut. Have persuaded them to come with us when we break through.

Nov 23. Can’t do any more than buy sheep for P.W. to eat. Food is scarce as it has to come from RAPIANS village 6 km away. One Italian has organised the village to provide us food. Good man this – deserves some recompense. Name – Pavlucer Paclino.

Nov 24. Gun fire close now, but plenty of reply by Germans. A lot of air activity. Quilliam’s moves into our hut, is very ill with yellow jaundice, so we’ll wait for him before moving. Got doctor from village to see him, also English doctor. Medicine from Priest. Heard today that the 13 who attempted to get through all got captured at GUARDIAGRELE. Tough luck, but it’s a lesson to us. We must keep to the mtns as long as possible.

Oct 25-Dec 7. During all this time Quilliam’s has been ill; he is now weak but says able to move. 00 tomorrow we stat on last lap. Our guns are within 8 miles of us as far as I can calculate, but it will take at least 7 hrs for us to get there over the mtns. No one else has moved from here yet. We are taking the four Americans and of course the two P.W. who have been with us all through. Have arranged to send signal back if we get through on the route I have informed them I am going.

Dec8. At 0300 hrs we started our homeward trek. Went okay for two hours then unluckily met German working party engaged in digging howitzer or mortar pits in ravine facing GUARDIAGRELE, so was forced to go off route and climb higher up mtns. Struck quite good paths and it was a lovely moonlight night. Again unlucky on route as where I attempted to get down from mountains to cross rd to Penne Picmonte we found it impossible, so was forced to take the path. This led right into the centre of PENNE PICMONTE, which we know was one of the German defence lines. We walked in and out of slit trenches, A.A. posns (no guns) and found ourselves on the rd with a rd block on either side and wire in front. This seemed impossible to get away from, but we finally managed to climb the block. On doing this we were challenged and fired upon by the sentry, who had evidently just woken up. The time was now 2015 hrs. Luckily no one was hit, so splitting into two parties, we ran like hell.
We came across more German defences but all had been vacated through our shelling, so we knew that all being well we were safe. It took us about three hours from here over impossible country to reach our lines which we did at 12.5p.m. (0005 hrs/Dec 9), and by good luck hit our 2nd Bde outpost (4 Bn), so renewed acquaintance with Lt-Col. Coxen. Apart from the interrogation by Bde I.O. to whom we gave some fairly good infmn, we had now finished our sojourn in O. Territory. So on 19 dec we flew home and landed in England. Boxing Day at Isle of Anglesey still footsore, but otherwise okay.

NOTES:
[1] 5443909. Pte. Harry Redman. Anti-Tank Section, ‘S’ Company, 1st Parachute Battalion. Discharged 13/02/1945.
[2] Colonel. Eaton Oldbury Burne, O.B.E. Commissioned into the 12th Royal Lancers in 1924. He was captured in 1942, escaped 1943, but recaptured & spent the rest of the war in a German POW Camp.