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Interview with Paola Bianchi
Paola Bianchi (b. 1938) recalls daily life in wartime Tuscany. She describes Rosalinda, a strict midwife, and recounts how people used to take refuge in shelters. She also gives an account of how, during the evacuation to Arezzo, they rushed to take…
Interview with Maria Caterina Siccardi
Maria Caterina Siccardi (b. 1924) remembers attending the funeral of a young soldier and her fear of being bombed. She also describes the makeshift shelter her grandfather built and how she rushed to take shelter in it every time an aircraft…
Interview with Eraldo Bessone
Eraldo Bessone (b. 1925) remembers the bombing of the Borgo San Paolo neighbourhood in Turin, and how, due to the extensive damage it suffered, people started calling it the 'Stalingrad neighbourhood'. He also describes how the extensive damage led…
Interview with Irma Ferranti
Irma Ferranti recalls a day when there were four bombings on Turin. She gives a complete account of the last one: how she ran through the street in search of shelter, before trying to take cover under a bridge. She goes on to remember the sound of…
Interview with Maria Teresa Boazzelli
Maria Teresa Boazzelli describes the bombing of Frascati on 8 September 1943 and provides an account of life inside an improvised shelter: people praying and screaming after explosions. She explains how the Germans had been expecting the bombing and…
Interview with Carla Fantini
After leaving school, Carla Fantini started working as telegraph operator, which she found a gratifying and thoroughly enjoyable occupation. She describes the bombing war in Milan, stressing widespread destruction and ravaging fires. Reminisces…
Interview with Germana Pisa
Germana reminisces her comfortable evacuee life in Gualtieri, supported by local farmers who kept her family well supplied. Describes ditches used makeshifts shelter and daily life in Milan.
Interview with Leontina Giovanetti
Leontina Giovanetti (b. 1913) reminisces about her early life with three sisters, her father who was a typographer and photographer and her mother a house-wife. Describes musical training at the Milan conservatory, stressing the demanding attitude of…
Interview with Alessandro Samorè
Alessandro Samorè reminisces his early life in Milan, Domodossa, Portofino, and Santa Margherita Ligure. Provides details of life in youth fascist organisations, playing with homemade fireworks, and attempts to assemble an improvised scuba gear.…
Interview with Edvige Colombo
Edvige Colombo recalls her life in wartime Milan. Describes when the alarm sounded and she and her family went to the basement used as a shelter. Recollects moments inside, re-emphasizing how there was nothing to do there, just standing waiting until…
Interview with Giuseppe Pirovano
Giuseppe Pirovano remembers wartime memories as schoolboy at Affori, a Milan neighbourhood. Describes daily life in fascist youth organisations, with regimented schooling and political rallies. Mentions childrens plays and pastimes, such as…
Interview with Tito Samorè
Tito Samorè recollects wartime memories in Milan, when he was a member of the Balilla youth organisation. Remembers the outbreak of war and its announcement on the radio. Describes the first bombing of Milan in 1940, stressing how the wooden…
Interview with Annunciata Buffadossi
Annunciata Buffadossi recollects her wartime life in Milan. Annunciata stresses poor-quality housing in a low-class neighbourhood close to potential targets; emphasises how much she feared Germans and Fascists; and speaks with affection of her old…
Interview with Santina Colombo
Santina Colombo describes her early life in a family of farmers, her father a fervent socialist. She mentions the start of the war announced on the radio and gives a detailed account of civilian life in wartime Milan: scarce food, growing vegetables…
Interview with Efrem Colombi
Efrem Colombi recalls his care-free childhood, initially in the Bergamo countryside and then in Milan. Emphasises his life-long radical anti-Clericalism and recounts how he ran away several times from Catholic boarding schools because of his…
My private war with Hitler's Gremlins
Frank Walshaw's memoir. He discusses his training and several crashes he was involved in.
Statement of Virgilio Peli about some Allied servicemen
Virgilio Peli claims he helped thirteen English prisoners of war, from 25 September 1943 to 20 December 1943, giving them food, clothes, and cigarettes. On 20 December, they moved to Monte Morello (Florence), where a Partisan brigade was active. For…
Statement of Viola Vannucci about some Allied servicemen
Viola Vannucci claims she helped for eight days in October 1943 two English officers: Geoffrey Tay and John Winchester. They lived in her house where she gave them food, clothes, and 500 lire.
Statement of Vermiglia Bellucci about some Allied servicemen
Vermiglia Bellucci claims she helped some allied prisoners of war hide in the woods near the village of Fognano, Pistoia. She gave them food and clothes.
Statement of Valerio Traversari about some Allied servicemen
Valerio Traversari claims he helped about twenty Allied servicemen and officers giving them food, clothes, and shelter, in the winter of 1943. Then they decided to re-join their units.
Statement of Valentina Ciappei about John F Kerrigan and Erbert Nirton
Valentina Ciappei claims she helped John F Kerrigan, Erbert Nirton and other servicemen. On 5 September 1943, there was a round-up near Ombrone river and four prisoners she helped were recaptured. On 6 December , John F Kerrigan evaded capture and…
Statement of Umberto and Livio Livi about some Allied servicemen
Umberto and Livio Livi claim they helped four English prisoners of war in the village of Pantiera, near Pistoia, for twenty-five days, giving them food, and clothes. Sometimes they lived in their house, other times they stayed in a hut. Then, they…
Statement of Ulderico Betti about some Allied servicemen
Ulderico Betti claims he helped, from 10 September 1943 to 20 December 1943, ten allied prisoners of war giving them food and clothes. On 20 December, they moved to Migliana area, near Cantagallo (Prato), where they were recaptured some days later by…
Statement of Ugo Perugi about some Allied servicemen
Ugo Perugi claims he helped, from 10 September 1943 to 24 December 1943, eight English prisoners of war of war, giving them food, shelter and clothes. On 24 December 1943 they moved to Florence or to Rome to escape from fascist militiamen.
Statement of Tosca Torracchi about some Allied servicemen
Tosca Torracchi claims she helped, from 8 September 1943 to 1 August 1944, five Allied servicemen giving them food and clothes. Their service numbers are 2537162, 4691070, 2659998, 2657673, and 4276177.