He then headed to Lybia. He was in the Middle east for around 6 months when Doris received a telegram from the war office advising her that Billy was very ill and was on the danger list. She was advised that a letter would follow. The letter was from his commanding Officer and it advised her that he had acute appendicitis. He was transferred to Cypress and they operated on him there in a tent. A week letter a further telegramme was received stating that he was off the danger list. He had developed Peritonitous he never forgot being in agonising pain and bounced along in a lorry rolling all over the road. They were initially treated better here than in the Italian camp, they were deloused and showered and given clothes. They were then told by the guard you are now clean stay clean. They were forced to have showers every morning at 0500, cold showers that is. Life was difficult, they were forced to work and this included time in the IG Farben Factory, Digging ditches, working in mines and many other forced labour situations. The camp was bombed a number of times and on one occasion 39 of Billys comrades were killed. He and a couple of others were forced to bag up the bodies and the body parts by the Germans. Bill later told Doris that he was operated on in the desert. While he was in the desert he shared quarters with another patient, he lent him a pair of socks to keep him warm a when he woke from the anaesthetic the man beside him was dead and his socks were gone.
Bill was billeted in the hospital in Cypress with a man who had had severe damage to his hands and as a result could not do anything. Billy helped him. The Doctors and Nurses saw how well Bill got on with the other man that he was asked to return to the UK with him. Bill refused, as he wanted to get well and return to his mates at the front line.
Billy hadn’t recovered properly from his operation when he retuned to his unit (Battery 286) He went back to his unit and shortly afterwards was captured and taken prisoner near Tobruk. They were transferred from Libya to Italy by boat where they were locked in the hold and forced to live in their own excrement on the journey over. Three tanker type boats left crowded with prisoners and en route two of them were torpedoed. Bill arrived in Italy and was sent to camp PG73.
Whist he was a prisoner in Italy Doris received a letter forwarded through the vatican which said “Greetings to all my family with all my love Billy”
None of the men knew where they were going but they were sorted out into skill groups. Billy was asked what he did in civilian life he told the guards that he was a wheel tappers listener. The guards said since you come from Newcastle you can work down the mines. Therefore he was shoved down the pit to working with Russian prisoners.
He had arrived in Monowitz also known as Auswich 3.see http://anniessong.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk
