An outstanding Second World War escaper’s M.M. group of five awarded to Private A. E. Atkinson, East Yorkshire Regiment: taken prisoner at Gazala in May 1942, he and a comrade made a bid for freedom in Italy in September 1943, thereby embarking on a journey infused with partisans and S.O.E. operatives, the dispatch of two fascists, a wound and the threat of being shot as a spy

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (4345096 Pte. A. E. Atkinson, E. York. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine or better (5) £1800-2200

M.M. London Gazette 5 December 1946:

‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field.’

The following is the recipient’s own account of his extraordinary escapades in Italy between September 1943 and December 1944, as sent to higher authority on his repatriation from Germany in 1945:

‘I first escaped from Veneria, a working camp near Turin, on 8 September 1943, accompanied by Trooper P. J. Marnell (No. 6215173) of the same military address as myself, after being on the loose for two weeks, making it 22 September 1943. We were picked up by a fascist and a carabinieri but managed to dispose of them and, taking their arms, which were Italian pistols, near Rubiana, from there we went to Pineralo, where we joined the partisans, staying there a month, but we had to leave as the Hun attacked us one Sunday morning, so we had to start our travels again. 

There were several people who helped us but I haven’t got all their addresses as they were afraid of the Hun or fascists picking us up again and finding it on us. I will enclose two addresses of people who helped us. The first was where we had to stay as my ankle swelled and I couldn’t get my boot on with walking over bad country and not having good socks to wear. They fed us very well but we had to leave there after eight days as the news spread that two English were in the district. We arrived at Cariglio on 1 November 1943, staying with some more people who fed us and clothed us as much as possible, until we went to some more partisans eight kilometres from the German H.Q. at Cuneo. We did several jobs for them, staying there until they put a reward out for us. We went to Peveragno to some more partisans, also two Australian ex-P.O.Ws, names not known. They left us before Christmas 1943. We were badly attacked by the enemy - who used tanks - on 31 December 1943. We fought for five days but were forced to withdraw as we hadn’t a great deal of kit - the arms we were using were what we had taken from the Hun of fascists. The enemy lost twice the men we did.

We went on our travels again, this time landing in Val Pesio after going to Rifugo Mandoni, which was well in the mountains. It was the only place which was safe from the Hun. We held out while the [fire] wood lasted, living very rough and having to walk seven kilometres for food over high mountains and snow. We left there on 21 January 1944. The next place we went was to Prea under the command of Lieutenant Frances. He did some good work and we took quite a number of prisoners but I don’t know for certain what really happened to him as Italy is a strange place for rumours.

We left there after another attack by the Hun in the middle of April 1944, going to start a small band of our own under Lt. Piero Bombelli and Lt. Carlo of Bargo Gesso (Cuneo), above San Gaicamo. It was hard going for a start … but while staying there we heard of some kit being dropped by the English so we went over the mountain road and found that Colonel Cobb and a wireless operator, Corporal Williamson, had been dropped. Two English ex-P.O.Ws were also staying with them, helping them on the wireless operating business. It was many weeks after some American airmen joined them. We didn’t stay with them as we had plans to stay with Lt. Bombelli while there was any chance of going home.

By this time we had about a hundred Italians in our band. We were the only English in the valley. We managed to get settled down to some real work, such as sabotaging bridges, taking prisoners, including getting back several Stens and other kit which had been dropped in the wrong place by our planes. The Italians didn’t mind going on these jobs as long as we went with them. On 15 August 1944 I was wounded in the arm, but I soon got well again. But on the orders which came through from France, we had to disband as the snow would hold up the fighting on the French-Italian border.

On 18 December 1944, an American airman came to ask me if I would take him to see the other English and Americans at Larisia, as he didn’t know the way, but I couldn’t get back to San Gaicamo as we were attacked once more by the fascists and Hun. It was the final attack and the biggest one he ever made.

It was quite a big party of us. The Colonel had gone back by plane to south Italy, but Major Campbell took his place and there was Captain Bell, Lieutenant Clark, and a Petty Officer and wireless operator to join the party, the Lieutenant, P.O. and wireless operator were of the Royal Navy. We went by night to Fabresa, 15 kilometres from Mendrecia. Six of the English were captured on 23 December 1944. I was with seven American officers. We had to stay in the snow for five days as the Hun was searching for us. On 28 December 1944, I went down for some food for the Americans. I had everything sent up that we should need for two weeks as we had planned to get to the coast. Everything was fixed, even the boat was already hired, but on the 29th I was caught. It was there that I met the P.O. and an Australian ex-P.O.W. also caught. The Hun took us to Mendoni for questioning. They said I might get shot as I was classed as a spy. I was wearing civilian clothes. But they took us to a civvy jail at Cuneo and from there to Turino Prison. We planned an escape but we were moved to Bobrano before it came off and from there to Moosburg, via the Bremer Pass. They kept us in a tunnel for eight days - the excuse was the line was bombed. We arrived at Moosburg, Stalag VIIA, in a bad state … ’

In closing his account of his adventures in Italy, an account that was sent from No. 186 P.O.W. Camp at Berechurch Hall, Colchester, Essex, where he was stationed, Atkinson stated:

‘One thing in my life I hated was wire and as you will see by my address, I am at a prisoner of war camp doing guard duty three times a week. And us ex-P.O.Ws are supposed to have been stationed near home. Well, I don’t call 150 miles away near.’

Alfred Ernest Atkinson, a native of Hull, Yorkshire, was born in August 1918 and enlisted in the East Yorkshire Regiment in July 1939, direct from his employment as an oil refiner. Embarked for the Middle East with the 4th Battalion, he was wounded and taken P.O.W. at Gazala on 31 May 1942. Held at several different P.O.W. camps in Italy in the period July 1942 until September 1943, it was from a working camp at Veneria, near Turin, in the latter month, that he launched his bid for freedom; sold with copied research.