P.G. 53
Sforzacosta Macerata



Link for more information about the above picture: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/3819

(with thanks to the Imperial War Museum)

A linen factory, which was to be found in the hamlet of Casette Verdini to the south west of the settlement of Sforzacosta in the direction of Urbisaglia. It was designated as a site for a Prisoner of War Camp in July 1942. On 30 November 1942 there were 5.503 prisoners in the camp. A report dated December 31, 1942 indicates that was still under construction. On 13 March 1943 the number of inmates had risen to 7,250, of whom were 7,061 British, 3 Canadian, and 286 white South African.

More  information about this camp can be discovered at these links

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/cPG_53_History1.htm

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/24736-pof-wcamp-53-settore-no-1-pm3300-italy/

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/29772-taken-pow-at-mersa-matruh-15-june-1942/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aew6dktDJDQ

http://www.msmtrust.org.uk/escape-stories/the-revealing-contents-of-a-school-exercise-book/



Names
(Please email names to powsitaly@mail .com)

(Cecil) George Abel
Ernest Argent
Ronald George Banks
James Walter Bush
Roger Collinson
John Craven
Sydney Dembinsky
​James William Gardiner                  
Edward George Kennell
Harry Leonard
​R C McDonnell
​John Henry Pope
Arthur Mell
Geoffrey Pickering        
Cecil Walter Roberts
​Arthur Scott (see also PG60 )
Arthur Dobbinson Smith
​Auguste Jeanne