Each day this week the Evening News is featuring some of those who have been involved in conflicts around the world.

Today reporter Kirsty Beever talks with Dougie Harrison, who managed to escape after being captured by the Italians in 1942.

RETIRED plumber Dougie Harrison says he has led a charmed life.

Many would describe what Mr Harrison has been through as brave and courageous but he believes he was one of the lucky ones.

He said: "I do not wish to accept any credit for my experience as I feel that all the credit is due to my saviours who gave me shelter, food, clothing and possibly the will to live, for an unknown period of war time."

Mr Harrison joined the army at the beginning of the Second World War aged 18.

In 1942, after being seconded to the 5th Battalion East Yorkshire, Mr Harrison, along with thousands of others, held a front line from Tobruk to a position called Bir Hacheim – when the notorious German General Rommel decided to attack.

Mr Harrison said: "Fortunately my battalion were confronted by an Italian Axiete Division. Fortunate, because the Italians were generally accepted as the weaker of the two opponents.

"Nevertheless we had to vacate our positions and move back 300-400 miles to a place on the coast called Mersa Matruh and here we attempted to hold back the advancing Germans and Italians.

"Myself and hundreds more were captured and of course became POWs and after many weeks of a rough life in camps we were shipped over to Brindisi in Southern Italy."

They arrived at Arezzo in central Italy and after Mr Harrison had sustained two spells in hospital – once with malaria and once with sceptic lice bites – he was chosen to lead a group of 50 POWs to do agricultural work at the foot of the Appenines at a village called Matraia, near Lucca.

But it became apparent that the Italians were about to surrender to the Allied Forces so they seized the opportunity and escaped.

"We escaped into the mountains. We didn't know where we were going and we were just hopeful we would only have to live in the mountains for a few weeks. Little did we know we would be there for two years."

The group of 50 split into smaller groups hoping this would give them a better chance of survival. Added to the obvious task of finding food and shelter, the Germans had offered a reward of several thousand lire and extra food for all escaped POWs who were caught and handed over to the German authorities.

He and a group of four others decided to dig into a mountainside to act as their shelter, stealing materials for a roof, beds and blankets.

"However our five strong group did not last long. We had slept in the dug out for just one night when two of the lads decided to go out and search for food and cigarettes.

CAN YOU HELP MR HARRISON?

Mr Harrison is keen to be reunited with the two colleagues who left the
others in search of food, and never returned.

One of them was Corporal Jack Millican. Mr Harrison says he was from the
Royal Corps of Signals, Newcastle. The other, Mr Harrison knew as
"Smudger" so he believes his last name may have been Smith.

If anyone could help with the locating of these two men, please could
you call Kirsty Beever at the Scarborough Evening News on (01723) 383810
or email kirsty.beever@yrntld.co.uk