30169
L/CPL. David RUSSELL G.C.
David volunteered for military service eleven days after war was declared in
1939 and entered Trentham Military Camp 12th. January 1940.
As a private he trained with the 5th. Anti-tank Company and sailed from
Wellington with the 2nd echelon on 2nd May 1940 bound for the United
Kingdom and disembarking at Greenock Scotland on 16th June began a six-
month training programme. They departed for Egypt and the Middle East 5th
January 1941. On the 8th. March David was posted to "B" Company 22
Battalion which was sent to fight in Greece and then Crete. Like many others
David was evacuated from Crete back to Egypt where he was posted to
Battalion school of Instruction in 1942 and promoted to L/Cpl on 20th May.
While serving in the Western Desert with "C" Company, David was wounded
and captured at Ruweisat on 14 July 1942 and transported to prisoner of
war camps in Italy. Confirmation was received in November 1942 that he was
interned at Campo 57 Gruppignano north of Trieste.
He escaped from the camp and was sheltered by friendly Italian peasants and
with help from local partisans was able to assist other escapees to return to
Allied lines.
On 22nd February 1945 David was recaptured and taken to the Company
Headquarters of Operleutnant Haupt at Ponte di Piave. He was chained to a
stable wall and severally beaten and told lf he did not give information about
the partisans and escaped prisoners he would be shot.
L/Cpl Russell resolutely refused to talk and was subjected to more beatings.
On the third day L/Cpl Russell was shot by firing squad.
Operleutnant Haupt reported "the behaviour of the Englishman was splendid
and died very bravely".
King George V1 approved the awarding of the George Cross to 30169 L/Cpl.
David Russell on 24th. December 1948
- Plaque at Kati Kati RSA
The citation for his George Cross:
"Like so many other escaped prisoners-of-war, Lance-Corporal Russell had obtained civilian clothes and was living with an Italian peasant, Giuseppe Vettorello. He was well-known and liked by the people of the locality. According to Giuseppe Vettorello, Lance-Corporal Russell maintained contact with a number of other ex-prisoners-of-war, visiting them regularly by bicycle. On about 22nd February, 1945, Lance-Corporal Russell was arrested by a patrol of Italian Fascist troops near the house of Giuseppe Vettorello. Giuseppe Vettorello himself was arrested on suspicion of having harboured Lance-Corporal Russell. Their captors were members of a mixed German-Italian police regiment. The prisoners were taken to the Compay Headquarters of Oberleutnant Haupt at Ponte di Piave. Here an attempt was made to force Lance-Corporal Russell to betray Giuseppe Vettorello, but he refused to do so, denying that he had ever seen him before. According to an Italian soldier who was present, Lance-Corporal Russell was beaten up by Haupt, but maintained his silence. Thanks to Lance-Corporal Russell's loyalty, Giuseppe Vettorello was released. The Germans were evidently convinced that Lance-Corporal Russell had been in contact with other ex-prisoners-of-war and Partisans, and were determined that he should disclose their whereabouts. He was chained to a wall in a stable, and told that, unless he gave the required information within three days, he would be shot. Again, on the testimony of two Italians who were present, Lance-Corporal Russell was beaten up, but he resolutely refused to speak. A civilian who took him food tried to persuade him to save his life, but he replied, 'Let them shoot me'. Haupt's interpreter, an Italian says: 'The behaviour of the Englishman was splendid, and it won the admiration of Haupt himself'. On the third day Lance-Corporal Russell was shot. The German warrant officer who witnessed the execution, says: 'The prisoner died very bravely'. There can be be no doubt whatsoever that Lance-Corporal Russell in the midst of his enemies and in the face of death, bore himself with courage and dignity of a very high order."
