BECKETT, Samuel, F/O (Flying Officer) R.A.F.- 106061

DAVIS, Robert Charles, Sgt., R.A.F. – 644393 (Grandfather of James Davis)

Earlier this year I was contacted by James Davis who was researching his grandfather, Robert Charles DAVIS (644393), and his escape from PG 59 at Servigliano, which just so happened to be the exact same POW camp that both Keith Killby and Armie Hill escaped from in September 1943, stories captured beautifully by Armie’s son Dennis Hill, the author of the extraordinary Camp 59 Survivors website.

Photo courtesy of the Davis family

James records in his website, entitled Vickers Wellington (IC DV416), that his grandfather (above) was the rear gunner of a bomber (similar to the one below) transiting from Gibraltar to Malta on a relocation flight that took place on 28th December 1941 with the following crew of 6:-

X9889 BD-D in Gibraltar. X9889 was destroyed in a raid on Luqa on the same day that DV416 should have arrived.

Out of curiosity I decided to have a search in The National Archives and I was fortunate to find 2 results for Warrant Officer Stuart Marshall CROSS (1051162), the 2nd Pilot on the mission, and one of the results was available to download, which confirmed the names of all the crew:-

  • • WO 208/3320/91
Screenshot of a section of WO 208/3320/91 being a Statement by Stuart Marshall CROSS, the Second pilot of the flight.
  • • WO 208/5273/3399 – but the second was not yet digitised.

Interestingly, The National Archives report provides a very detailed description of the events that took place specifically for two of the crew, namely CROSS and COWLEY, after they left PG 59 at Servigliano on 14th September 1943, shortly after the Italian Armistice.

The report also lists some other men who were making similar attempts to reach their lines, namely:-

  • STOCKWELL, F., Spr. R.E.
  • BANNISTER, Tpr., Tank Corps
  • HANNAH, W., Pte., New Zealand Infantry

Sadly, not everyone attempting to reach the safety of the Allies advance into Italy ended the same way and the story of Ronald Percy HOLMES (their Navigator) 1375674 who left the camp after the Italian Armistice, along with 4079066 Private Morgan Francis of 1/SWB, was shot near Penna San Giovanni. The killings were the subject of a war crimes investigation file WO311/1214, the shooting of two escaped British POWS.
AIR 81/11245 for DV416

In corresponding further with James it became obvious that the pilot of the bomber, Flying Officer Samuel BECKETT, was separated from the other members of his flight crew and was sent to a POW camp for Officers, ultimately ending up in PG 49 at Fontanellato with my Dad, whilst his crew were incarcerated at PG 59 at Servigliano. John provides me with a report of Sam’s circumstances following the forced landing of his plane on enemy occupied Sicily.

And for more, see the Page for BECKETT Samuel under POW stories.

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