Francis Joseph Widdowson
Known as Frank
farm worker working in Ollerton.
- Family History
- Military history
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The youngest son of Samuel and Emma Widdowson of 35 Newcastle Street, Mansfield Woodhouse.
Samuel died aged 33 in 1922 and Emma married again in 1939 to George Harrison and lived at 2 Kitchener Drive Mansfield.
Siblings Emily (1910), Marjorie (1913), Maud (1915), Ivy (1916)and Samuel (1919).
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 28/12/1944: Died in Germany
The death in Germany is announced of Pte Frank Widdowson Sherwood Foresters who has been a Prisoner of War since 1941. He was 24 years old and saw service in Crete but was taken by the Italians. After Italy's capitulation he was taken prisoner by the Germans. Prior to enlisting Pte Widdowson was employed in farmwork at Ollerton. Until sometime ago his home was at Kitchener Drive, Mansfield.
According to records Frank was held at these two PoW camps:
Campo per Prigionieri di Guerra No 68 (Italian Prisoner of War camp No 68) at Vetralla.
The camp was opened on 1st of April 1942 and closed on 10th January 1943 and was intended to hold 4000 men. The first 200 British prisoners arrived on 1st August 1942 and were used to construct some of the camp. On 20th December orders were received to close the camp and to make arrangements to move the men to other camps.
Stalag VII-A , Moonsberg Germany.
Opened in 1939 for Polish prisoners but from May 1940 the camp housed British and French troops captured during the Battle of France and the evacuation at Dunkirk. From September 1943, when Italy was invaded, some prisoners previously held in Italian camps were transferred Stalag VII-A.
The 1st bn Sherwood Foresters were fighting in the Middle East and North Africa and so Frank would have initially been sent to an Italian camp after his capture in 1941.
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