BRIGGS, Keith Joseph

At some point in April 2025, I stumbled upon a website called The Pegasus Archive

After a random Google search on PG 49 had unearthed an anonymous story entitled ANON, I noticed that there were 3 other POW stories listed under the PG 49 link on the Italian POW page that had been created by Mark Hickman.

I contacted the Author of the website to ask if it was OK to use the documents that he had gathered about BRIGGS, MAINWARING and WEAVER as it looked as though these had been gleaned from the National Archives and he was quick to respond most generously.

“Yes the escape reports of Briggs, Mainwaring and Weaver are all from the National Archives and can be downloaded direct from their site, so help yourself to those.“

Transcription of National Archives catalogue reference – WO 208/3320/70

Name: 105517 Lieut. Keith Joseph Briggs.
Unit: Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, First Army.
Captured: Near Tunis, 21st January 1943.
Escaped: Campo 49 (Fontanellato), 9th September 1943.
Left: Naples, 8th June 1944.
Arrived: Liverpool, 17th June 1944.
Date of Birth: 12th October 1914.
Army Service: Since October 1938 (Territorial).
Peacetime Profession: Surveyor.
Private Address: “Donington”, 12, Myddelton Park, Whetstone, N.20.

1. Capture: I was captured on 21 Jan 43 near TUNIS whilst we were consolidating after an attack.
2. Camps in which imprisoned:
Campo 66 (CAPUA); 28 Jan – 11 May 43.
Campo 49 (FONTANELLATO); 11 May – 9 Sep 43.
3. Attempted Escapes: Nil.
4. Escape: After the Armistice with ITALY had been made known the S.B.O, in the camp, Col. de BURGH, organised an evacuation on 9 Sep and we went into the hills.
On 12 Sep we dispersed.

“I, with three others, Lieut. D. GRAHAM-CAMPBELL, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (last seen NAPLES, Jun); Major L. YOUNG, Beds & Herts Regt. (ex-Campo 49) and P/O RICHARDSON R.A.F. (ex-Campo 49) moved to near PORNOVO (ITALY, 1:250,000, Sheet 11, P 97), where we stayed till late Sep. We were given shelter and civilian clothes in an Italian farmhouse (name not known). Lieut. GRAHAM-CAMPBELL and I then moved on, leaving the other two, and we took approximately the following route:- CASTELNOVO NO MONTI (Sheet 17, L14) – PAVULLO (Sheet 18, L 43) – FIRENZUOLA (L 90), – S. SOFIA (Sheet 19, R 3386) – S. ANGELO (Sheet 23, R 75) – near FABRIANO (Sheet 24, S 11) – NORCIA (B 26) – MONTEREALE (Sheet 28, B 33).”

“At MONTEREALE we picked up a Petty Officer STRUTT, who moved with us.
We continued to SCOPPITO (B 3819) – MASSA D’ALBE (G 5089) – FRATTURA (Sheet 29, G 8971), which we reached on 4 Nov and where we left P.O. STRUTT. We continued to LECCE NE MARSI (G 7470), where we joined forces with a Major McLAREN and Captain PREACHER both D.L.I. From here we made an attempt to cross our lines, but had to give it up on account of the snow.”

Whilst trying to establish if McLaren and Preacher had also been in PG 49 at Fontanellato I came across a fabulous photo on WW2Talk of the 8th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry published by The Tatler on 5th March 1941 which identified Major R.S. McLaren.

The fabulous “Mr. Jinks” supplied not only the above War Office document from the National Archives but also the following:-

“Ross Scott McLaren was born in Lartington. Yorkshire on 3 March 1906. He was educated at Rossall School and Armstrong College, Durham University and served his apprenticeship with the Lambton, Hetton and Joicey Collieries Ltd. He gained his Manager’s Certificate in 1930 and in 1933 was appointed manager of Eppleton Colliery, later transferring to Silksworth Colliery, the largest in the company at the time.
In 1939. as a Territorial Officer, he served with the Durham Light Infantry in France where he was awarded the D.S.O then the Middle East and in 1941 was taken prisoner and sent to Italy. On the capitulation of Italy McLaren escaped .
Apart from his mining and Military activities he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Durham in 1948 and a Justice of the Peace for South Shields in 1950 and then in 1953 for Durham County.
He was awarded the MBE in 1940 for war activities and the OBE in 1964 for his work with the NCB. In 1965 Ross McLaren suffered a severe stroke and was forced to retire. He died on 6 June 1975. (DLI 1920-46)“

The other DLI officer ?

Full Name PREACHER, THOMAS
Rank : Temporary Major
Service Number :88762
Award Details MiD Distinguished Service
Gazette Info : Page 3606 | Supplement 36637, 1 August 1944 | Londo…
Gazette Date :3 Aug 1944
Gazette Page :3606
Regiment/battalion 8th Durham Light Infantry

“We returned to LECCE NE MARSI, where we stayed till 30 Apr.
Whilst here a Lieut. EADIE and Lieut. BUIST (both from Campo 49) were picked up by the Germans. In Jan a Major J. SALEBY, Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, had joined us and he was captured by the Germans on 1 Apr. On the same day a Dvr. SEDDON, J., R.A.S.C., was shot by the Germans and captured. A Pte. BUTCHER and one other, name not remembered, left the village to try and reach our lines and were not heard of again by us. Two further ones to disappear from LECCE NE MARSI were Captain TAYLOR R.E., and Lieut. MOSSES, Light A.A. (about middle Apr).
On 30 Apr Major McLAREN, Captain PREACHER, Lieut. GRAHAM-CAMPBELL and I moved on via OPI (Sheet 29, G 85) to M. PETROSO (G 9347) and made contact with Italian troops fighting with us South of LA META (G 9543).
On approaching our lines on 4 May one of us detonated a mine and Lieut. GRAHAM-CAMPBELL and I were both wounded. We were evacuated to an Italian hospital, from there to 15 Mobile C.C.S. and from there to 92 General Hospital, NAPLES.
I left NAPLES in the hospital ship “AMRA” on 8 Jun and reached LIVERPOOL on 17 Jun.”