SECTION 6 – INDIAN ARMY (WO392/21) – PG 49 at Fontanellato in Italy – The Story of allied servicemen who were held prisoner of war in this town in Italy in World War II

Names of Indian Army Officers on Page 1 of this Section

Shown above, and below, is a list of British Indian Army Prisoners recorded as being in Camp No’s. 49, 17, 21, 29 and 66 that I have compiled from this magnificent page sent to me in the very early days of my research by the very inspirational Dennis Hill, author of the truly excellent Camp 59 Survivors, without whom this Weblog would never have been attempted.

1. PG 49 – FONTANELLATO (to which I have added the names of others listed in other camps*)

No.	PG	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
1	21*	Abbott	D.	Maj.	AI. 874	18 R. Garh. Rif.
2	49	Browne	N.Q.	Capt.	907. AI	4 G.R.
3	49	Bruen	E.J.D.	Lt.	IA. 1254	6 Rajput R.
4	49	Davies	S.H.	Capt.	EC. 799	2 Punjab R.
5	49	Derozhinsky	D.	Capt.	EC. 422	5 Mahratta L.I.
6	49	Duncan	W.W.	Capt.	EC. 830	10 Baluch R.
7	21*	Durrant	N.S.	Maj.	AI. 873	18 R. Garh. Rif.
8	21*	Du Vivier	C.L.E.	Capt.	658. AI	11 P.A.V.O. Cav.
9	49	Finch	R.J.	Capt.	687. AI	12 F.F.R.
10	???*	Fitzpatrick	T.S.	Capt.	RO. 783	R.I.A.S.C.
11	49	Fraser	I.M.	Capt.	AI. 1056	13 F.F. Rif.
12	49	Glover	W.	Capt.	E. 123824	I.A.O.C.
13	49	Goldingham	M.J.D.	Lt.	EC. 3512	18 Cav.
14	21*	Houghton	H.W.	Maj.	255. IA	7 G.R.
15	49	Leach*	E.R.	2/Lt.	EC. 775	I.A.C.
16	49	Meares	J.	Capt.	662. AI	I.A.C. (18 Cav.)
17	21*	Mumford	E.N.	Capt.	AI. 632	3 G.R.
18	49	Philip	J.	Capt.	EC. 1797	7 Rajput R.
19	17*	Philipsz	T.G.	Capt.	RO. 3454	5 Mahratta L.I.
20	49	Smith	R.J.	Capt.	EC. 1240	4 G.R.
21	49	Stephenson	A.T.	Capt.	760. AI	18 R.Garh.Rif.
22	49	Walker	J.M.P.	2/Lt.	EC. 1283	I.A.C.
23	49	Werner	R.L.H.	Capt.	EC. 189	4 G.R.
24	17*	Whitaker	G.A.	2/Lt.	EC. 1343	10 Baluch R.
25	49	Williams	R.N.D.	Capt.	1093. IA	4 G.R.
26	49	Willis	A.G.R.	2/Lt.	EC. 1357	11 Sikh R.
27	49	Rolland	E.V.	S. Cndr.	787040	I.A.O.C.

Source: Prisoners in Italian Hands (Indian Army): A – British Officers

* Eric Rivington Leach
Acting Captain, 2nd Royal Lancers, I. A. C. Born 7/8/06 in Kensington, London. Educated Rugby 1919–1923 but from 1927 onwards he was a tea planter in India. He got married in 1940 in Calcutta, India. Emergency Commissioned into I. A. as 2/Lt 09/11/40, War Substantive Lt ? , Acting Captain ? Taken PoW 08/04/1941 in North Africa, along with most of the officers and men of the regiment. In camp No. 49, Italy in 1943. May have been in Oflag 79, Germany afterwards. Known to be in South Africa from 1947 onwards until? involved in the tea trade.

Also – Man Mohan Singh Bedi (seen under Section C above – King’s and Indian Commissioned Officers (Indian)
Lt, 2nd Royal Lancers, I. A. C. – Regular Indian Army commission 1939 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun.
Taken PoW 08/04/1941 in North Africa. In camp PG 35 in Italy in 1943. Escaped and made it to Allied lines after Sept 1943. Re-joined the 2nd Royal Lancers in May 1944. Commanded 2nd Royal Lancers March 1948 to June 1950, retires as a Colonel in the post-Independence Indian Army.
_{Credited to Matthew Broadbridge – 16th February 2025}

Listed in PG 49 – Fontanellato (18) plus Other Ranks (1)
Listed in PG 17 – Rezzanello (3 of which 2 have later been identified as being in PG 49)
Listed in PG 21 – Chieti (69 of which 5 have later been identified as being in PG 49)
Listed in PG 29 – Viano (27)
Listed in PG 66 – Capua (4)
Not Listed – (1)
TOTAL in Fontanellato 27– as identified by Ian English in APPENDIX 8 of the Nominal Rolls dated September 1943.

OTHER RANKS

Camp No.	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
49	Rolland	E.V.	S. Cndr.	7872040	I.A.O.C.

Source: Prisoners in Italian Hands (Indian Army): B – British Other Ranks

Thanks to an approach from a relative of the abovementioned E.V. Rolland I’ve been able to establish that he had arrived at PG 49 at the end of March 1943 together with twenty-one others from PG 35 at Padula near Salerno in Southern Italy.

S. Cndr. Emile Victor Rolland admits in his own story that he had been mistaken for an Officer when captured, instead of a Warrant Officer or Staff Sergeant in the Indian Army Ordnance Corps (I.A.O.C.). This could possibly have been at the fall of Benghazi or maybe even Tobruk when he and 14 others had been picked up by a “Jerry Tank Commander” and transported to Tripoli via Agheilia (?) and Tarhuna (see below) before being shipped to Italy via Pantelleria, Palermo and Naples and settling first at PG 66 at Capua and then on to PG 35 at Padula near Salerno.

© 2016 Victoria University of Wellington – NZ National Library

2. PG 17 – REZZANELLO near Piacenza

No. of Men	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
1	Kennedy	K.C.	Lt.	IA. 1249	C.I.H.
2	Philipsz	T.G.	Capt.	RO. 3454	5 Mahratta L.I.
3	Whitaker	G.A.	2/Lt.	EC. 1343	10 Baluch R.

[Those in BOLD identified as being in PG 49 at the time of the Italian Armistice on 8th September 1943, as recorded by (a) Ian English in his book “Home By Christmas?” and (b) NOT recorded in Ian English’s book BUTevidence of presence at P.G.49]

3. PG 21 – CHIETI

No. of Men	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
1	Abbott	D.	Maj.	AI. 874	18 R. Garh. Rif.
2	Ackroyd	C.	2/Lt.	EC. 4250	2 Punjab R.
3	Alexander	C.L.	Maj.	430 AI.	I.A.C.
4	Allen	G.St.G.T.	Lt.	EC. 806	7 G.R.
5	Avis	H.G.	2/Lt.	EC. 1813	10 Baluch R.
6	Ballin	J.F.	Capt.	AI. 51	7 Rajput R.
7	Bridges	M.D.H.	Capt.	IA. 1252	5 Mahratta L.I.
8	Broucke	A.J.	Capt.	EC. 2329	12 F.F.R.
9	Cadman-Smith	G.V.	Lt.	EC. 2437	R.I.A.S.C.
10	Carmichael	D.S.	Capt.	EC. 41	I.A.C. (P.A.V.O. Cav.)
11	Chambers	R.F.	Lt.	EC. 1762	2 Punjab R.
12	Colley	G.F.	Maj.	IA. 1134	11 Sikh R.
13	Crowe	R.V.T.H.	2/Lt.	EC. 4057	18 Cav.
14	Deavin	J.	Capt.	EC. 299	18 R.Garh. Rif.
15	Durrant	N.S.	Maj.	AI. 873	18 R.Garh. Rif.
16	Du Vivier	C.L.E.	Capt.	658. AI	11 P.A.V.O. Cav.
17	Foxcroft	T.L.	Capt.	EC. 1418	I.A.O.C.
18	Gardner	H.B.C.	Capt.	IA. 1256	10 Baluch R.
19	Garland	H.E.	Maj.	116. IA	3 G.R.
20	Gibb	J.S.F.	2/Lt.	EC. 1918	7 G.R.
21	Gilbert	C.	Capt.	EC. 262	6 Raj. Rif.
22	Gotch	C.W.G.	Capt.	EC. 1008	R.I.A.S.C.
23	Gray	Charles Edward	Lt. Col.	102. IA	3 G.R.
24	Gray	D.K.	2/Lt.	EC. 1875	18 R.Garh. Rif.
25	Hall	J.F.	Capt.	RO. 3620	2 R. Lncrs.
26	Harris	J.R.M.	Capt.	AI. 742	11 Sikh R.
27	Heath	G.F.M.	Lt.	IA. 1139	12 F.F.R.
28	Houghton	H.W.	Maj.	255. IA	7 G.R.
29	Howes	J.F.W.	2/Lt.	EC. 3515	11 P.A.V.O. cav.
30	Hubbard	J.G.	Capt.	801. AI	2 Punjab R.
31	Lambert	J.B.	Capt.	IA. 1122	5 Mahratta L.I.
32	Leatherdale	V.W.S.	Maj.	IA. 650	2 Punjab R.
33	Lennie	M.S.	Capt.	EC. 1126	I.A.C. (P.A.V.O. Cav.)
34	Lett	E.G.A.	Maj.	50112	R.I.A.S.C.
35	Lewis	E.	Capt.	EC. 21	I.A.O.C.
36	McDowall	P.C.S.	2/Lt.	EC. 1901	4 G.R.
37	McFarlan	J.W.	Capt.	EC. 2230	11 Sikhs.
38	McGowan	J.G.	Capt.	507. AI	I.A.C.
39	McKenzie	A.	2/Lt.	EC. 3060	8 G.R.
40	Marshall	H.H.	Lt.	EC. 1358	12 F.F.R.
41	Marshall	W.D.	Lt. Col.	IA. 749	5 Mahratta L.I.
42	Marten	C.W.	2/Lt.	EC. 1236	4 G.R.
43	Martin	I.R.	2/Lt.	EC. 5316	5 Mahratta L.I.
44	Meehan	T.S.	Capt.	EC. 2091	11 Sikhs
45	Miles	P.P.	Maj.	RO. 3591	R.Bombay S.& M.
46	Moore	A.C.S.	Maj.	AI. 420	12 F.F.R.
47	Mumford	Edward Neville	Capt.	AI. 632	3 G.R.
48	Murray	H.L.	Capt.	EC. 117	10 Balluch R.
49	Notley	J.F.	Lt.	EC. 1768	5 Mahratta L.I.
50	Panton	F.S.	2/Lt.	EC. 3498	10 Baluch R.
51	Pearson (M.C.)	B.R.	Capt.	IA. 1119	2 Punjab R.
52	Philips	H.C.A.	Lt.	EC. 126	12 F.F.R.
53	Pope	H.F.	Lt.	ST. 152	R.I.A.S.C.
54	Power	T.C.	Lt.	EC. 762	R.I.A.S.C.
55	Robertson	J.D.	Capt.	EC. 4806	I.A.O.C.
56	Simpson	J.W.	Capt.	EC. 764	6 Rajput Rif.
57	Spooner	A.P.	Capt.	IA. 1222	8 G.R.
58	Stirling	D.P.L.	Lt.	EC. 1714	R.I.A.S.C.
59	Stone	F.W.	Capt.	IA. 1762	7 G.R.
60	Stonehouse	W.G.	Capt.	EC. 4543	7 G.R.
61	Stonehouse	C.G.	Capt.	EC. 1402	7 G.R.
62	Trout	D.A.	Capt.	871. AI	2 Punjab R.
63	Tyndale	C.H.G.	Capt.	950. AI	6 Rajput Rif.
64	Wall	R.R.C.	Maj.	283. IA	8 G.R.
65	Wauton	D.H.	Lt.	IA. 1248	I.A.C. (18 Cav.)
66	White	D.E.	2/Lt.	EC. 751	6 Rajput Rif.
67	Williams	R.G.	Lt.	IC. 298	Ind. Arty.
68	Wilson	D.G.	Capt.	EC. 1256	7 G.R.
69	Yates	D.A.	Capt.	566. AI	7 G.R.

Source: Prisoners in Italian Hands (Indian Army): Held in P.G. 21 at Chieti

4. PG 29 – VIANO near REGGIO

In attempting to identify exactly how many men marched out of PG49 on 9th March 1943 I’ve been trying to ascertain who was there, and this little clip from a Diary of Colonel Tom Vickers indicates that it could have been 610 – 490 officers and 120 other ranks (O.R.’s).

***“The daily evening roll call at 6.30 pm took 25 minutes because of the recent arrival from P.G.29 at Viano near Reggio of 29 senior officers with names unfamiliar to the Italians.”***

Below is a list of those men shown to be in Camp No. 29 in the original document sent to me by Dennis Hill shown above. Could these men possibly be the last arrivals before the outbreak from Camp No. 49?

No. of Men	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
1	Bayer	C.P.	Lt.-Col.	194. AI	I.A.C. (P.A.V.O. Cav.)
2	Brady	R.H.	Maj.	EC. 221	I.A.O.C.
3	Dalrymple-Hay	H.B.	Maj.	IA. 33	2 R. Lncrs.
4	De Salis	R.A.	Lt.-Col.	IA. 25	2 R. Lncrs.
5	Dowson	H.B.	Capt.	939. AI	2 R. Lncrs.
6	Farmer	L.F.W.	Maj.	787. IA	R.I.A.S.C.
7	Gade	F.T.	2/Lt.	EC. 4705	13 F.F. Rif.
8	Gordon	J.R.	2/Lt.	IA. 1244	2 R. Lncrs.
9	Johnstone	A.J.F.	Capt.	IA. 350	5 Mahratta L.I.
10	Knox	J.U.	2/Lt.	EC. 2786	11 Sikh R.
11	Lancaster	M.P.	Lt.-Col.	IA. 769	5 Mahratta L.I.
12	Lavender	S.S.	Lt.-Col.	749. AI	16 Punjab R.
13	Llewellyn	A.E.	Capt.	EC. 1308	5 Mahratta L.I.
14	Lunn	A.A.	Capt.	RO. 3427	R.I.A.S.C.
15	Macnamara	A.D.	Maj.	IA. 34	I.A.C.
16	Morrison	M.	2/Lt.	EC. 2317	11 Sikh R.
17	Nash	C.S.	Maj.	284. IA	11 Sikh R.
18	Oldham	A.J.	Capt.	IA. 354	5 Mahratta L.I.
19	O’Neill	S.G.	Maj.	MZ. 13189	I.A.M.C.
20	Orgill	A.W.	Lt.-Col.	80. IA	7 G.R.
21	Sanders	H.W.	Maj.	746. IA	R.I.A.S.C.
22	Stray	G.F.M.	Lt.-Col.	AI. 573	7 Rajput R.
23	Sundius-Smith (D.S.O.)	B.L.	Lt.-Col.	AI. 169	10 Baluch R.
24	Tatham	P.R.	Lt.-Col.	196. AI	I.A.C. (P.A.V.O. Cav.)
25	Vaughan	D.E.	2/Lt.	EC. 3809	8 G.R.
26	Weallens	W.R.W.	Lt.-Col.	134. IA	4 G.R.
27	Young	D.	Lt.-Col.	EC. 2074	Ind. Arty.

5. PG 66 – CAPUA

No. of Men	Name	Initials	Rank	Pers. No.	Regt. or Corps.
1	Allen	W.F.	Lt.	ST. 236	R.I.A.S.C.
2	Grose	M.A.S.	2/Lt.		4 G.R.
3	Ponjeart	J.S.	S.Cndr.	1071438	I.A.O.C.
4	Roose	W.R.C.	S.Cndr.	6397290	I.A.O.C.

(those in BOLD identified as being in PG 49 at the time of the Italian Armistice on 8th September 1943)

The following pages (2-32) brought up no additional personnel amongst the other ranks of the Indian Army, although quite a number appeared to be in PG 63 (Aversa near Rome), PG 91 (Avezzano) and also quite a number in the same Hospital (H202) as Lieutenant-Colonel H.G. De-Burgh in Lucca.

Acronyms	Rank	Acronyms	Rank
Lt.-Col.	Lieutenant-Colonel.	Lt.	Lieutenant.
Maj.	Major.	2/Lt.	Second Lieutenant.
Capt.	Captain.	S. Cndr.

Regimental Acronyms

Indian Army Abbreviations

A.I.R.O. – Army in India Reserve of Officers.
I.A.C. – Indian Armoured Corps.
Ind. Arty. – Indian Artillery.
Ind. Engrs. – Indian Engineers
Madras S. & M. – Madras Sappers and Miners.
Bengal S. & M. – Bengal Sappers and Miners.
R. Bom. S. & M. – Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners.
I.S.C. – Indian Signal Corps.
1 Punjab R. – 1st Punjab Regiment.
2 Punjab R. – 2nd Punjab Regiment
5 Mahratta L.I. – 5th Mahratta Light Infantry.
6 Raj. Rif. – 6th Rajputana Rifles.
7 Rajput R. – 7th Rajput Regiment..
8 Punjab R. – 8th Punjab Regiment.
9 Jat. R. – 9th Jat Reginebt.
10 Baluch R. – 10th Baluch Regiment.
11 Sikh R. – 11th Sikh Regiment.
12 F.F.R. – 12th Frontier Force Regiment.
13 F.F. Rif. – 13th Frontier Force Rifles.
14 Punjab R. – 14th Punjab Regiment.
15 Punjab R. – 15th Punjab Regiment
16 Punjab R. – 16th Punjab Regiment.
17 Dogra R. – 17th Dogra Regiment
18 R. Garh. Rif. – 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles
19 Hy’bad R. – 19th Hyderabad Rifles.
1 G.R. – 1st Gurkha Rifles.
2 G.R. – 2nd Gurkha Rifles.
3 G.R. – 3rd Gurkha Rifles.
4 G.R. – 4th Gurkha Rifles.
5 R.G.R. – 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, F.F.
6 G.R. – 6th Gurkha Rifles.
7 G.R. – 7th Gurkha Rifles.
8 G.R. – 8th Gurkha Rifles.
9 G.R. – 9th Gurkha Rifles.
10 G.R. – 10th Gurkha Rifles.
R.I.A.S.C. – Royal Indian Army Service Corps.
I.M.S. – Indian Medical Service
I.M.D. – Indian Medical Department.
I.H.C. – Indian Hospital Corps.
I.A.M.C. – Indian Army Medical Corps.
I.A.O.C. – Indian Army Ordnance Corps.
A.R.D. – Army Remount Department.
I.A.P.C. – Indian Army Pioneer Corps.
I.G.S.C. – Indian General Service Corps.
Ind. Post. Serv. – Indian Postal Service.