German and Italian War Graves in Botley, Oxford ?

[Max (UK)]

Hi folks,

I went to visit my Grandma's grave last week, in Botley Cemetery, Oxford. It was my first time visiting there, and I noticed quite a large section of war graves. So I went for a look and found that as well as the British graves, there was quite a substantial number of German and Italian graves there too. I have attached a pic of one of the Italian graves. It says that he died for his Country in June 1914.

I'm really interested to know why these Italian and German men ended up buried in Botley, Oxford? Anyone?

Thanks

Max.

[Kevin Tobin]

Max,

I don't know if this is the answer?

During the First World War, the 3rd Southern General Hospital (an Oxfordshire Territorial Unit) was housed in the Examination Schools and a number of other buildings in Oxford, where they brought her for treatment?

I'm also sure that there was a POW camp nearby but the info escapes me at present.

[Max (UK)]

Hey Kevin

Thanks for the reply. The hospital info is good to know, cheers. I thought about the possibility of POW's, except my understanding is that the Italians were our allies.........so surely not POWs ?

Hmmm..............

[Steven Broomfield]

And Italy, surely, wasn't in the war in 1914?

Hang on - are you sure he died in 1914 and not 1944? It looks as if he was born in 1902, so he'd have been a child soldier in 1914. The stone is very worn, but it looks as if it might be 1944 to me.

[Kevin Tobin]

Hey Kevin

Thanks for the reply. The hospital info is good to know, cheers. I thought about the possibility of POW's, except my understanding is that the Italians were our allies.........so surely not POWs ?

Hmmm..............

Good point, but I meant the German graves that you mentioned in the post. (Honest!)

[pmaasz]

There was a WW2 POW camp up the hill SW of North Hinksey village, so very close to Botley. I think it was for Germans.

[RobertBr]

There were also German POWs housed near Witney in WW2.

They used to go house to house selling items they made, such as slippers made from string, to buy soap to send home!

Bob

[Max (UK)]

Well blow me down. You're right, it must be 1944. What a putz! And that therefore explains it then, POW's held nearby. So some Italians were held there too. That's excellent, thanks so much everyone.