Michal,
Thanks for the information, Doc could well have been evacuated also from the Italain mainland but why to Istres ? Why not further north in Italy like all the other POW's ?
Any chance of finding a trace of any flights from Sicily / South of Italy to Istres in that time frame (Aug 3rd - 17th) ?
Cheers,
Ian Stevenson
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michal
Evacuation of German and Italian Forces from Sicily took place between August 11 a 17 1943. MFP boats carried accross Messina Strait (2 to 5 nautical miles) in this period 39569 German soldiers, 62 000 Italian soldiers, 15 000 wounded, 9605 vehicles, 163 guns, 51 tanks and almost 17 000 tonnes of ammuniton and material. Messina Strait was covered by almost 380 AA-guns, mainly Ack-ack. Germans lost only 7 (seven) MFB boat and any soldier. So, it would not be miracle, that your man could be easily evacuated by MFP boat. Gliders which took part in supply flights to Sicily, never flew back. After evacuation from Sicily he could be taken on board of any plane or gliders which flew from Italy back to France.
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