The Tragedy at Allerona
On 28 January 1944, during World War II, the Orvieto North railway bridge at
Allerona, Italy, was the site of the inadvertent bombing by the American 320th
Bombardment Group of a train filled with Allied prisoners. Most of the POWs had come
from Camp P.G. 54, Fara in Sabina, 35 kilometres to the north of Rome, and had been
evacuated in anticipation of the Allied advance. One of the men on the train, Richard
Morris of the U.S. Army, wrote that the train was halted on the bridge over the river
when the Allied bombs started to fall, and that the German guards fled the train, leaving
the prisoners locked inside. Many escaped, Morris included, through holes in the
boxcars caused by the bombing, and jumped into the river below. Historian Iris Origo
wrote that 450 were killed when the cars ultimately tumbled into the river
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_the_Val_D%27Orcia].
[Information from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allerona]
Most of those who survived were taken to POW camps. This list is of those who were
taken to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf.
With very grateful thanks to Janet Kinrade Dethick who has carefully assembled the information
from many sources: http://bombedpowtrain.weebly.com/index.html. Her excellent website is
essential reading on this topic.
Leckenby A 3253411 Rfn 2 Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Captured Garigliano Uninjured
Tilley Jack C 69858225 Fus 2 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Captured Garigliano Probable fracture of
forearm
Clark Harry 5574347 L/Cpl 2 Wiltshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Not specified
Futter Jack H D 53430084 Pte 2 Wiltshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Numerous slight wounds
King Alfred 5572164 Pte 2 Wiltshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Not specified
Stamp A 5572324 Pte 2 Wiltshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Uninjured
Mason George 4386573 Pte 3 Green Howards Captured Garigliano Probable fractured left foot
Ellis Frederick J 6211898 Pte 1 York & Lancaster Regiment Captured Garigliano Bruising and
multiple abrasions
Ogden Clifford 7677972 Pte 1 York & Lancaster Regiment Captured Garigliano Wound to left ear
and left hand
Cox Noel 5887436 Pte 2 Northamptonshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Probable fracture of bone
in foot
Cameron H 3131658 Fus 2 Royal Scots Fusiliers Captured Garigliano Uninjured
Billingham Albert 2937264 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Multiple wounds
to head right hand and left leg
Carruthers Andy 14529910 Pte 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Bruising left
leg
Gilmour William 2833791 Pte 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Slight wounds
to both feet
Guess George 4860587 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Fractured upper left
leg
Hornby John 14412743 Pte 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Not specified
Rawlings Reginald 4805438 L/Cpl 6 Seaforth Highlanders Captured 18/01/44 Minturno Not
specified
Barratt Joseph 4128905 S/Sgt 6 Cheshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Bruising to chest
Lishman A 14546759 Pte 6 Cheshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Uninjured
Thomas James W 4124561 A/Sgt 6 Cheshire Regiment Captured Garigliano Fracture left upper arm
facial wounds
Dorlin Ernest 14394012 Fus 8 or 9 Battalion Royal Fusiliers Captured Salerno or Garigliano
Multiple small wounds
Halls Frank 14603955 Queen's Royal Regiment Captured Salerno or Garigliano Wounded right leg
Baker Harold 70474 461 Pte Gordon Highlanders (battalion Unknown) Captured Tunisia or Salerno
Not specified
Harris Alfred 35711268 Pte Worcester Regiment Captured Tobruk Fractured left leg
Price Ernest H 3905173 Sgt 1 South Wales Borderers Captured Tobruk Multiple slight wounds to
head and lower left leg
Davis Harold 208438 Royal Army Service Corps Slight calf wound
Fieldson T 4802210 Pte Sutherland Highlanders (Regiment Unknown) Captured Tobruk Uninjured
Mallett C W Douglas 114495 Warrant Officer Union Defence Force Captured Desert campaign
Broken ribs with loss of blood from respiratory tract Previous camp 122
Joscelyne Arthur 53490 Gnr Union Defence Force Captured Desert campaign Fractured upper leg
and head wounds Previous camp 66
Martin Leonard 90204 Sgt Union Defence Force Captured Desert campaign Injuries not specified
Previous camp 85
Ryan James 251936 Sgmn Union Defence Force Captured Desert campaign Multiple wounds lower
back
Bene Charles Molotja N/2122 Pte Native Military Corps Captured Desert campaign Fractured left
leg Previous camp 85
Maluka Kleinbooi Thabalshoey N/8837 Pte Native Military Corps Captured Desert campaign On
admissions list but not on wounded list Previous camp 122
Mnise Rice N/2384 Pte Native Military Corps Captured Desert campaign Fractured left forearm and
wounds to eyebrow
Mohale William N/18317 Pte Native Military Corps Captured Desert campaign Fractured left leg
Previous camp 122
Moleli Jan N/4315 Pte Native Military Corps Captured Desert campaign Fractured right leg
Previous camp 122
Rakeepile Bernard N/9524 Pte Native Military CorpsCaptured Desert campaign On admissions list
but not on wounded list Previous camp 122
Sebushe Phineas N/12664 Pte Native Military Corps I Brigade Signals Coy Captured Desert
campaign 15/4/41 Laceration to foot arch Previous camp 122
Thomaso Ange 13906032 Described by hospital authorities as Mauritanian. Wounds to head and
left hand