Prisoner of War
De Wiart was a high profile prisoner. After four months at the Villa Orsini at Sulmona he was transferred to a special prison for senior officers at Castello di Vincigliata. There were a number of senior officer prisoners here because of the successes made by Rommel in North Africa early in 1941. De Wiart made friends, especially with General Sir Richard O'Connor, Thomas Daniel Knox, 6th Earl of Ranfurly and Lieutenant-General Philip Neame VC. The four were committed to escaping. He made five attempts including seven months tunnelling. Once de Wiart evaded capture for eight days disguised as an Italian peasant (which is surprising considering that he was in northern Italy, couldn't speak Italian, and was 61 years old, with an eye patch, one empty sleeve and multiple injuries and scars). Ironically, de Wiart had been approved for repatriation due to his disablement but notification arrived after his escape. As the repatriation would have required that he promise not to take any further part in the war it is probable that he would have declined anyway.
In letters to his wife, Hermione, Countess of Ranfurly, Ranfurly described De Wiart in captivity as "... a delightful character" and said he "...must hold the record for bad language." Ranfurly was "...endlessly amused by him. He really is a nice person – superbly outspoken."
Then, in a surprising development, de Wiart was taken from his prison in August 1943, and driven to Rome, where the Italian goverment secretly planned to leave the war and wanted De Wiart to send the message to the British Army negotiating about a peace treaty with the UK. De Wiart was to accompany an Italian negotiator, General Giacomo Zanussi, to Lisbon to meet Allied contacts to facilitate the surrender.
But to keep the cover, de Wiart was told he needed civilian clothes. Distrusting Italian tailors, he emphasised that they must be properly made. He was not going to wear one of their "bloody gigolo suits". In Happy Odyssey, he described the resultant suit as being the best he had in his life.
When they reached Lisbon, de Wiart was released and made his way to England, reaching there on 28 August 1943.
Read more about this topic: Adrian Carton De Wiart
Famous quotes containing the words prisoner and/or war:
“The prisoner is not the one who has commited a crime, but the one who clings to his crime and lives it over and over.”
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“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
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