Once they had escaped from the camps the prisoners had the following options -

• to stay hidden in the woods and fields and rely on help from those who knew of their whereabouts

• to look for accommodation with a family, often working on the land in exchange for board and lodging

• to make for the hills and join one of the newly-formed bands of partisans

• to head for the Swiss border, either on their own initiative or with the help of an organisation such as those run by engineer Giuseppe Bacciagaluppi or industrial chemist Fulvio Borghetti

• after the Allied invasion of France, to cross the French border

 

Many escapers stayed with families until their presence put their hosts in danger, hence they moved on to live rough or to join the partisans.

Descriptions of their experiences are found in their Escape or Liberation reports.  Not all prisoners filled in a Liberation Report and some of the Escape reports have not yet been traced (for example, those of the group which crossed into France with  Gunner K.H. Bailey).

The Escape and Liberation reports can be requested  from The National Archives Discovery.

Liberation Reports can be also be obtained from Ancestry.co.uk.

For catalogue numbers  see the Known Prisoners page.