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Private J. D. Caves: The Long Journey Home

30 August 1943 Campo 57, Italy

30 August 1943 Campo 57, Italy

My Dear Jean,

If you realised how perverted the workings of the mind of a POW are, you would not have mentioned any particular chap quite so much. Many page 86
Joker cards collected by Denis while he was a POW.

Joker cards collected by Denis while he was a POW.

page 87of us are getting a little 'wire-happy' darling but fortunately I have sufficient sanity to retain my trust and love for you. Now I feel like ripping this up - it may hurt you - doubt of you is really not part of me. But Darling it's so hard to write anything but rubbish. Our worst trial is of course monotonous waiting.

The Italian Armistice September 1943

In May 1943 the Axis forces in Tunisia surrendered and on 9 July the Allies invaded Sicily. On 25 July Mussolini resigned and on 3 September an armistice was signed and the Italians exited the war. It was expected that the POWs held in Italian camps would soon be liberated. Denis could reasonably have expected to be freed from Campo 57 within a few weeks. But the POWs in Italy were not liberated in 1943 and were instead taken captive by the Germans, due in no small part to inappropriate orders issued by the British Government to POWs to remain in their camps rather than attempting escape.