Sergeant Percival Peter Clements
Name: 2564415 Sgt. Clements, Percy Priestley
Unit: Parachute Regiment.
Date of Birth: 21st. February 1910.
Date of Enlistment: for 16 years.
Captured: 12th February 1941.
Escaped: 14th September 1943.
Peacetime Profession: Regular soldier.
Private Address: 145 High Road, Chilwell, Notts.
1. Capture.
At Callitri, Italy on parachute raid on Calabria, on 12 Feb 41.
2. Camps in which imprisoned.
Camp 78, Sulmona: 27 Feb 41 to 14 Sep 43.
3. Attempted Escapes.
4. Escape.
On 12 Sep 43 Major Cochrane, S. African Artillery, S.B.O. of Capp 78, Sulmona, took over command of the Camp and gave orders that no-one was to attempt to escape. P/Ws were allowed outside the Camp within a certain perimeter, but only in organised parties.
On 14 Sep 43, at 0900 hrs., the Germans took over control, with a resulting clash between the British and Germans inside the Camp. Source and others in a party on the neighbouring hill were advised that the Germans would open fire on them. He therefore made up a party consisting of:-
Source.
Sgt. A.W.A. Lawley, Parachute Regiment. (S/P.G./Misc.Int/8).
Pte. J. Rae, Parachute Regiment. (S/P.G./Misc.Int/278).
They made for the British lines by way of the hills, bypassing Letti-Palena; Monte Nero Domo; Civita Luparella; Fallo; Rosello; Castiglione Messemarino; Schiavi d'Abruzzo; Trevento Marrone, and joined the Allied Forces at Casa Calenda after an uneventful journey.
Pte. Rae was unable to keep up with Source and Sgt. Lawley and fell out at any early stage.
INTERVIEWED: 7 Nov 43.
APPENDIX A.
(1) HELPERS.
Sep - Oct 43. Giovanni MELFI, Capella da Santa Maria, Morrone nel Sannio, Prov. Campobasso. Hid Source and Sgt. Lawley for 18 days, together with 5 five other escaped P/W. Others were sheltered by him during that time for periods of 2/3 days.
Sep - Oct 43. Alfredo ROSSI, (and wife) Monte Nero Domo, Prov. Chieti. Provided food, clothes & shelter for at least 30 British ex-P/W and were most helpful to many encountered on the way whose names were not given.
My thanks to John Howes for this report.
See here for further information on Sergeant Clements.