Globocniks Men in Italy, 1943-45 : Abteilung R and the SS-Wachmannschaften of the OAK

[90th Light]

Thank you o.r.k. and Stefano,

this is also being discussed on this thread in a different way;

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=840111

However, what you have told me is both interesting and important so I have quoted you both on that thread.

I appreciate the information,

Chris

[90th Light]

Thanks for your help Chris, there are so many contradicting stories, but I believe I figured it out with your help. On route the ANZACS took 615 POW at Miramare and many small POW groups, at San Giusto castle they took another 182 POW, they too had a lucky postwar time. At the Tribunale the WSS (including the SS men of Globocnik?))had a last stand refusing to surrender so with the help of the ANZAC tanks the Jugoslav Partisans stormed it, took 200 POW but surely there was no mercy on them. Genmaj Linkenbach (north of Trieste HQ)with 824 men also made it safely to the ANZAC Montcalfone POW cages. At Villa Opcina the ANZACS were surrounded by hostile partisans themselves and handed over their German POWs due to the danger of an inter-allied battle (after a night of guarding eating and talking together). A further 6.000 Germans made it across the sea into ANZAC captivity (Latisania cages) and the rest had the grim fate of being Jugoslav POWs. So all in all there weren´t so many hand-overs as I heard. The Germans didn´t really resist the ANZAC offensive at Trieste in order to become POWs in the West.

In another book called "Cassino to Trieste, a soldier's story" written by Captain 'Scotch' Paterson of 22 Battalion who was in Trieste when the NZ tanks open fire on the Tribunale. He states that there were 300 SS & SS Police personal in the building. He also said that when NZ Lt. Colonel Haddon Donald turned his back on the SS commander as he was shaking his fist and saying no to surrender, that the walk back to the NZ tanks was the longest walk of Donald's life.

So the number of SS soldiers in the Tribunale at the time is 200+ to 300+,

Chris