Gnr. William Victor Manford
British Army 76th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery
from:Chirk Wrexham
My father Bill Manford was a farmer, born in 1919 and when he was 19 joined the Shropshire Yeomanry. In 1940 he was transferred to the Royal Artillery firstly the 75th then the 76th Regiment. He trained in Luton, and was posted to the Middle East in 1941. He was sent to Port Said, Egypt, and then on to Cyprus, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, what is now Lebanon, visiting Baalbeck while he was there. Finally on to the Western Desert in Egypt where he was captured at El Alemain in July 1942.
He then was handed to the Italians and then went to Serena Bari Transit camp before being sent to POW Camp P.G. 73 at Fossoli di Carpi in 1942. In Sept 1943 he either escaped or was released and spent sometime working on an Italian farm where he was treated very well by the farm bailiff. He was then picked up by the Germans and transferred to Stalag IVC in the Czech republic, which was then part of Germany. The camp was liberated by the Russians in May 1945. After 2 years 11 months in captivity. He served a total of 6 years 44 days and returned to farming. While he was away in the Army, his only sibling Mary was married and had 2 children.
