William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Percy was born at South Shields in 1918 to his parents, George William and Alice (nee Burns). The couple had about 10 children together.
He married Christian Robertson Gibb in 1939.
Percy fought in the Western Desert, Middle East. He was reported missing during action of December 15th 1941. However on casualty list 735 dated March 26th 1942 he was confirmed as being a prisoner of war at Camp no 53 Urbisaglia Macerata.
Percy was held as an Imperial prisoner of war in Italy. City of Macerata. A large camp, established in July or October 1942 holding up to 10,000 prisoners. It was located on the site of a disused linen factory at Cassette Verdini, to the south west of settlement, Sforzacosta. The camp was located about 1 mile (1.6km) from the railway station.
It was a fairly modern concrete building: two tall storage buildings housed about 2,000 men per floor, and a couple of smaller buildings in the middle. However the camp had poor sanitation with just 12 toilets and 3 taps. The camp was commanded by a “Blackshirt” Colonel (who had made the march with Mussolini) and who had under his command at the camp a number of elderly officers, sentries and dogs, Carabinieri and two interpreters. It was a mountainous area, cold in winter.
His death was reported to the War Office on Casualty list 1848.
The following inscription added to his headstone “In the midst of life we are in death”
Probate to his widow amounted to £194.18s.10d
Percy Dunmore is remembered at Westoe in W101.08
