Private Derek G. Miller
Name: 1442918 Parachutist Miller, Derek G.
Unit: Special Air Service.
Date of Birth: 6th October 1921.
Date of Enlistment: 25th January 1939.
Captured: 15th December 1942.
Escaped: 12th September 1943.
Peacetime Profession: Aeronautical Engineer.
Private Address: "Fiveways", 1 Hope Road, Shanklin, I.O.W.
1. Capture.
At Sogna-Hun, 120 miles south-east of Tripoli, on 15 Dec 1942 at 1400 hrs. Went behind lines in Jeeps to mine roads and blow up bridges and destroy barracks and dumps.
2. Camps in which imprisoned.
Civilian jails in Africa until 26 Dec 1942.
Taken to Taranto by submarine.
Camp 75, Bari: 1 Jan to 1 Mar 1943.
Camp 85, Tuturano: 1 Mar to 15 Jun 1943.
Camp 70, Monte Urano: 15 Jun to 12 Sep 1943.
3. Attempted Escapes.
Took part un tunnelling through sewage pipes at Camp 85, Tuturano and Camp 70, Monte Urano with Sgt. McInnes, 1 S.A.S. in summer of 1943. Helped Sgt. Dorton-Duff, who was free 10 days, and Source had to report to authorities every 2 hours.
4. Escape.
From Camp 70, Monte Urano on 12 Sep 1943. Major Parkes prohibited escape and said Source would be charged with desertion. The wire was cut on 11 Sep 1943 and three warning shots were fired. On 12 Sep Source got up to sentry box and bribed sentry with Red Cross vest and pants and got over walls and went to the hills:
Source escaped with:
Cpl. Douglass, M., 1 S.A.S. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/20)
Parachutist McClements, T., 1 S.A.S.
(Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/24)
After leaving Camp 70, Monte Urano, they went south-west to Norcia, headed south-east to Ascoli, Termoli, by-passed Chieti, Venogrande, and Cassaclenda where they contacted Green Howards and K.O.Y.L.I.
The whole journey was made on foot and they were assisted by farmers and given food and shelter.
Parachutist McClements was chained to flag post for three days at Camp 198, Sicily.
INTERVIEWED: 3 Jan 1944.
Corporal M. Douglass
Name: 6920227, Cpl. Douglass, M.
Unit: 1st Special Air Service.
Date of Birth: 16th November 1912.
Date of Enlistment: 17th October 1940.
Captured: 17th December 1942.
Escaped: 12th September 1943.
Peacetime Profession: Stockkeeper.
Private Address: 405, Archway Road, Highgate, London.
1. Capture.
At Terhuna, Tripoli, on 17 Dec 1942. They were raiding supply columns and had a Jeep crash. While trying to repair the damage that night, the Arabs gave them away and they were surrounded by armoured cars and Infantry. They held them off for a time until the ammunition gave out.
2. Camps in which imprisoned.
Source remained a week in Africa.
Camp 66, Capua: 9 Jan to 12 Feb 1943.
Camp 70, Monte Urano: 12 Feb to 12 Sep 1943.
3. Attempted Escapes.
In Jul 1943 L/Cpl. Smith (he is now in Germany) and Source hid themselves under the empty Red Cross tins and got carried out of the camp, but they tipped them out sooner than expected and they were discovered.
4. Escape.
From Camp 70, Monte Urano on 12 Sep 1943. Source walked out with:
Pte. Miller, D.G., 1 Bn. S.A.S. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/21)
" McClements, T., 1st Bn. S.A.S. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/24)
" Kitchener, R.A., 2 Para. Bn. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/22)
They bribed the sentries and Source gave a watch and the others gave underwear.
Source's story is the same as Pte. D.G. Miller's, 1 Bn. S.A.S.
INTERVIEWED: 5 Jan 1944.
APPENDIX A.
(1) HELPERS.
Sep 43. Luigi FRANCESCO, Venagrande, Ascoli-Piceno. Shelters Source, Pte. D.G. Miller, Pte. R.A. Kitchener and Gnr. W. Whincup at great personal risk to himself. The Germans had completed surrounded Ascoli at the time.
Sep 43. BILLO, 10 Casa Calenda. Sheltered Source and the other 3 ex-P/W in his party while the Germans came daily to get food from his farm. Brought them safely through British Lines.
(2) At Campo 70 there was a certain amount of ill feeling between N.C.O.s and men on the subject of escaping. On Sep 10, 1943, all O.Rs. were paraded after some naval ratings had effected an escape. C.S.M. Atkinson and an R.S.M. (both of the Green Howards Regt.) held the parade and said that escapes must stop, and that the Coldstream Guards guarding the camp had orders "to shoot to kill". Major Parkes, R.A.M.C., S.B.O. at Campo 70, had received orders for all to remain in the camp. Source spoke well of this Officer as having on an earlier occasion given him some useful escaping advice, but he stated that after the announcement of the Armistice Major Parkes announced that any escaper would be charged with desertion on arrival at the British Lines. On the British invasion of Italy a large number of British P/W were brought to the Camp and tents had to be put up alongside the walls of the Camp to accommodate them. A tunnel was started inside one of these tents by Sgt. M. Swingbourne (M.E. Commando) and reached 80 ft. in length. It was betrayed to Colonel Papa, the Italian Commandant, allegedly by an English soldier whose name was stated to have been given by Colonel Papa to Major Parkes.
Private R. A. Kitchener
Name: 6145649, Pte. Kitchener, R.A.
Unit: 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.
Date of Birth: 2nd April 1917.
Date of Enlistment: 15th February 1940.
Captured: 5th December 1942.
Escaped: 12th September 1943.
Peacetime Profession: Organ Builder.
Private Address: 223, Acton Lane, Chiswick, W.4.
1. Capture.
Outside town of Tunis on 5 Dec 1942. They were making their way back after an operation and ran into an patrol. Several were killed and Source was wounded in the arm.
2. Camps in which imprisoned.
Source was flown to Sicily and was in two hospital for ten days.
He was then sent to Palermo Hospital, where he stayed until 23 Jan 1943.
Camp 98, Palermo: 23 Jan to 4 Mar 1943.
Camp 70, Monte Urano: 4 Mar to 12 Sep 1943.
3. Attempted Escapes.
Nil.
4. Escape.
From Camp 70, Monte Urano on 12 Sep 1943. Source was with:
Pte. Miller, D.G., (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/21)
" McClements, T. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/24)
Cpl. Douglass, M. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/20)
INTERVIEWED: 5 Jan 1944.
Private T. McClements
Name: 1470461, Parachutist McClements, T.
Unit: Special Air Service Brigade.
Date of Birth: 19th September 1920.
Date of Enlistment: 18th July 1940.
Captured: 15th January 1943.
Escaped: 12th September 1943.
Peacetime Profession: Shoemaker.
Private Address: 45, Bond Street, Waterside, Londonderry, N. Ireland.
1. Capture.
200 miles S.W. of Tripoli on 15 Jan 1943. They were engaged on sabotage work and while lying up waiting for dark were surrounded by German Armoured Cars and Italian Infantry. They were using Jeeps and a shell hit Source's Jeep and he was tossed out with concussion.
2. Camps in which imprisoned.
Source was taken to Tunis and a week later was sent to
Camp 98, Palermo in Sicily. After a fortnight he was sent to
Camp 53, Macerata, and a few months later he was taken to a camp in Rome for interrogation.
After two weeks he was sent to Camp 70, Monte Urano.
3. Attempted Escapes.
Nil.
4. Escape.
From Camp 70, Monte Urano on 12 Sep 1943. Source got over a wall with:
Parachutist Miller, D.G. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/21)
Cpl. Douglass, M. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/20)
Paratrooper Kitchener, R.A. (Report No: S/P.G./MISC/INT/22)
Source's story is the same as that of Parachutist Miller, D.G.
After 33 days they joined British Forces at Casacalenda.
INTERVIEWED: 3 Jan 1944.
My thanks to John Howes for these reports.