| Accession Number | P02793.002 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film copy negative |
| Date made | c 1941 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Grupignano, Italy. c. 1941. The main entrance, with the original guard watch tower of the Italian ...
Description
Grupignano, Italy. c. 1941. The main entrance, with the original guard watch tower of the Italian Prisoner of War Camp PG57 (Campo 57) in northern Italy with a Carabinieri guard on sentry duty. The watch tower was later removed and only the single sentry box remained. About 500 Australians captured in North Africa were held here as prisoners of war (POWs). The camp, situated in a wide plain surrounded by mountains, was a large compound containing wooden huts about 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. The camp commandant was Colonel Calcaterra of the Italian Carabinieri. By October 1942 there were more than 1200 Australians and 1000 New Zealanders held in this camp. (Donor D. Frame)