SWAIN, Paul O’Brien-

A.K.A. Paul O’Brien-Swayne or Swain, P.B. Lt. (124863) K.R.R.C. as in my Roll Call

I’ve created a Page for Paul because I got a little confused as to his correct name. Fortunately I stumbled upon a lovely photo of him and his new bride in 1945, about the same time that my Mum and Dad had married on 29th September 1945.

I firstly came across the story by the Rev. Captain Richard H. Hill archived with the M.S.M.T. who had, on being advised by the S.B.O., Colonel Hugo de Burgh, to prepare some means of carrying essential items of kit in the event that an opportunity of escape on a large scale was ever offered, had included two pictures which he had commissioned from two of the many excellent artists at Fontanellato and I recorded that:-

Other POW’s referred to by Richard in his story were:-

• Paul O’Brien-Swayne (possibly Swain, P.B.) who painted “a view of Fontanellato from the top windows of our building”
• Bill Glover who painted “an impression of the surrounding countryside with its poplars and vines”
• Hector MacDonald (133401) “a Presbyterian minister from the Isle of Islay”
• Roques, (V.J.?) “who had been in the Army Post Office and was therefore always known as Posty”
• Pat Gibson “our music maestro”
• “We knew much later that some of our own parties had successfully made for Switzerland and that a very few had made their way some two hundred and fifty miles south, passed success­ fully through the German lines and rejoined our own forces. Among these heroic few were Geoffrey Phalp (88264) and his companion Gervase Nicholls (132008), also of the 72nd Field Regiment R.A. It was really a great achievement.”

And Anthony (Tony) STEVEN also recorded his name the same way in his Diary archived with M.S.M.T.:-