258109 Pte. Thomas Herbert Lee British Army 1st Btn. Welch Regiment from:Barry, Glamorgan Thomas Lee was taken prisoner by the Germans when Rommel's Afrika Korps overran 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment near Benghasi in 1st Battle of El Alamein, on the 30th of January 1942.
He was handed over to the Italians and eventually arrived at POW Hospital, Caserta, Italy in May 1942, via several transit camps and a sea crossing.
In July 1942 he was transferred to the POW Hospital at Lucca, Campo PG202.
We are not sure if he was a patient or some sort of medical orderly, because his own account suggests he was involved in the development of a library of 18,000 books at Lucca. His length of stay also suggests something more than a period of illness.
In September or October 1943 he was moved to Stalag VIIIb Lamsdorf on the medical train. Early in his stay at Lamsdorf, he was moved to a work camp run by civilians where he was treated reasonably well. From then he did a year as a miner at another work camp at Beuthen, Kommando E72.
On 22nd of January 1945 they were roused and marched out of camp on one of the Long Marches. This covered 900 miles, several countries and several months before they were liberated in Steblowitz (now Steblovice).
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