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We had an Italian prisoner of war camp near us alongside Fairlop Aerodrome, the idea was that the Germans would'nt bomb the aerodrome
with that there, but as the Germans had no love for the Italians it didn't make any difference, I used to see them walking around with some
of the local girls on their arms, this I could'nt understand as we were at war with them, but there again its a well known fact that the Italians
only fight with the winning side
Bert Trautman, was in the prison camp in Huyton, German prisoner at the back of our house we lived in Belton Rd. then at the top of the street we had the Italians, when Italy dropped out of the war the Italians s were allowed out oh the camp and just walk around. I posted on the same subject on here a few years back.
Well I have had another reply from Penny at Southampton Archives and she has come up with almost the same Pic which to me is the correct one,as looking at both you can see the similarity.
So this now solves the issue!
Thank you all for the replies.
Cheers
Attachment 27245My original Pic
Attachment 27246One from Penny I see that the date of mine was not correct it was 1945 not 1942
The Ship is the Corfu Transport Ship
As a Bonus I had also asked about the old Checkpoint Café that was near the Bargate ,you went Downstairs to it and it had a Flag outside of the Car Racing Flag (Checkpoint) I am sure many of you will recall the place where we went to meet our then Girls! There were Wall juke Boxes on the Walls where you put in your Coin to play what you wanted!
Good old Memories!
Cheers
Attachment 27247
Vernon, like so much of the Southampton we knew, now all gone.
Great places of our time, but times and needs change as does the landscape of the town.
But the photo brinks back great memories of great times and places.
Glad that the mystery is solved, Doc.
1942 did not ring true with me because at that time Brits were being TAKEN prisoner (eg Tobruk ) not being repatriated.
regards
Brenda
From "Hell or High Water" Chapter by Lou Barron. "Then the British Navy came in off a cruiser called the Sussex, and we went aboard............I was one of the first draft out, on a New Zealand ship called the Monowai.. There were six Merchant seamen on it; the rest were British Army and Navy. We boarded in Keppel Harbour in Singapore and they took us to Liverpool. We were the first ship to land in Liverpool from the Far East with Prisoners of War on it, so they organised a big welcome....................
I used to enjoy my days at sea. I thought that it was a big adventure. During the War we never got much recognition for what we did, We lost a lot of men at sea. I was in Convoys where five or six ships were hit- Bang, bang, bang, - one after another. But when we came home from the War we were treated as though we were a forgotten service".
HELL OR HIGH WATER. New Zealand Merchant Seafarers Remember the War. Edited by Neill Atkinson. HarperCollins Publishers. It's a good read and I think I must have bought it from Amazon.
Brenda
I have the book,
Lou gave it to me when I visited his home in Dunedin. NZ
Excellent read
forgive me if this has posted before, but i had not seen it before, and others may have missed it, buts its the story of our Lou, who most on site knew before he passed away. If its been well posted before please delete Vernon, kt
https://www.cofepow.org.uk/armed-for...seaman-1942-45
Thank you both Keith T and Brenda S
Brings back fond memories of our dear Lou we spent some very happy days together here when he was visiting me and staying at our shack,will never forget that Man!
Cheers
lou was a true gentleman it was an honour to meet him in Liverpool small in stature but a giant of a man he is missed on the site never a bad word/post from him? jp