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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: vapcq45 on Saturday 01 December 12 10:45 GMT (UK)

Title: WWII capture and fighting with partisans in Italy
Post by: vapcq45 on Saturday 01 December 12 10:45 GMT (UK)

I'd be grateful for some help in finding out more about the capture and escape of William alfred Loftus b 1917 Lambeth.

The story is that Bill was in the Royal Tank Regiment and fought in the 8th Army in North Africa and was captured and taken prisoner to Italy. He escaped (maybe when Italy came out of the war) and he fought with local Italian partisans.

That's all we know and have no other military records so any hep would be wonderful!

Title: Re: WWII capture and fighting with partisans in Italy
Post by: DeeBoneham on Monday 03 December 12 15:02 GMT (UK)

You might like to try and get his service record - details from http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html but you also might like to try www.royaltankregiment.com (the RTR Assn) or www.tankmuseum.org (RTR Museum) for more information.
Good luck  :)
Dee

Title: Re: WWII capture and fighting with partisans in Italy
Post by: AndyBaldEagle on Monday 03 December 12 21:03 GMT (UK)

Quote from: vapcq45 on Saturday 01 December 12 10:45 GMT (UK)

I'd be grateful for some help in finding out more about the capture and escape of William alfred Loftus b 1917 Lambeth.

The story is that Bill was in the Royal Tank Regiment and fought in the 8th Army in North Africa and was captured and taken prisoner to Italy. He escaped (maybe when Italy came out of the war) and he fought with local Italian partisans.

That's all we know and have no other military records so any hep would be wonderful!



He may have completed a POW questionaire after his eventual return to the Allied Forces. They are in the WO 344 series at the National Archives.
I have had a quick look at if he did fill one in it will be probably be in WO 344/188/2.

I am going to be at the National Archives in January for a week and I intend to be looking through a lot of these particular files for my own research, but I am not up to anywhere near those numbers yet! ;D

Regards
Andy

Title: Re: WWII capture and fighting with partisans in Italy
Post by: vapcq45 on Tuesday 04 December 12 18:14 GMT (UK)

Hi Andy

Thank you, I didn't know about POW questionnaires so that's really helpful.  I need to go to the National Archives too so will definitely note the reference and see if I can look up.  Good luck with your hunt and thanks again.

Best wishes
Val

Title: Re: WWII capture and fighting with partisans in Italy
Post by: DeeBoneham on Thursday 06 December 12 13:10 GMT (UK)

I would put aside more than one day at the Archives cos you will find you get sidetracked and want to look at other things  ;D