Des welcomed back to village he escaped

Sep 19 2008 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

A FORMER prisoner of war was guest of honour at an Italian village from where he escaped 65 years ago.

Des Jones, aged 87, of Waterside View, Gorse Stacks, returned to Borgo San Siro near Milan where he was held as a PoW after being captured by the Germans in 1943.

After three attempts, Des escaped and travelled to Southern Italy and was eventually reunited with his fiancee Edith whom he married in January 1944.

Village leaders have invited Des to return to the village several times when he has been given a hero’s welcome and treated as a local celebrity.

A long distance run, parade and dinner was held in his honour.

More than 300 runners took part in the 15km run which took them past the Cascina Vignazza, the building where Des was held as a prisoner.

Des was awarded a plaque commemorating the 65th anniversary of his escape from the camp, presented to him by the local mayor, and the Chester man was warmly applauded by local residents including 80-year-old Egidio who, back in 1943, used to take the post to the PoW camp and hand it to Des as camp leader.

British Pro Consul Julia Billingsley, who acted as chaperone and translator to Des and his family, said: “Desmond and family, with the mayor and other local residents, enjoyed a dinner of traditional dishes in a restaurant not far from his former PoW camp, where they were joined by the councillor for the Province of Pavia who, having heard of Desmond’s story, was anxious to meet him.”