Interview with Paolo Bottani
World War (1939-1945)
Bombing, Aerial
Paolo Bottani recalls wartime memories of a working-class family in Milan. Describes the widespread enthusiasm for the declaration of war, followed by a relatively calm period. Mentions alarms as greeted initially with joy because classes stopped and the care-free attitude of children who used to salvage shell casings for their scrap value. Recounts the first bombing he witnessed when in Crema and gives a detailed account of the Precotto primary school bombing, where he was trapped underground and brought to safety by the effort a rescue party. Describes the aftermath of the bombing on the surrounding areas and explains how the authorities presented him as evidence of the Allies’ brutality. Recalls his life as evacuee: fear, hunger, cold and painful frostbites; disrupted communication; destroyed bridges replaced by precarious footbridges, strafing. Recollects events at end of the war and describes head-shaved female collaborators paraded in shame. Mentions a life-long distress reaction to sirens and connects his strong pacifist stance to the experience of being bombed.
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2016-12-02
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00:33:25 audio recording
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ABottaniP161202
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Interview with Patrizia Riviera
Patrizia Riviera (b. 1930) gives a brief account of wartime life in Bergamo. Mentions food shortages, fear of bombings, basements used as shelters. Mentions disrupted schooling after the fall from power of the Fascist regime.
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<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=45&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Memoro.+La+banca+della+memoria">Memoro. La banca della memoria</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=37&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Francesca+Campani">Francesca Campani</a>
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00:01:52 audio recording
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Memoro#8409
Interview with Pietro Varesi
World War (1939-1945)
Bombing, Aerial
Pietro Varesi describes wartime life in Pavia, focussing on the Borgo neighbourhood. He mentions the Ticino bridges as primary targets for bombers; recalls bent shop shutters and debris on the streets; stresses the limited accuracy of bombing and the damage to civilian buildings. Describes how ineffectual anti-aircraft fire was and remembers playing on anti-aircraft guns when the gunners were eating and drinking at a nearby country inn. Contrasts the reaction of adults being frightened and alarmed, with the care-free attitudes of youngsters. Mentions street urchins involved in dangerous games often with disastrous consequences. Criticises makeshift shelters, deemed tantamount to death traps. Recalls various wartime episodes: being a member of fascist organisations while his father was an opponent of the fascist regime, deserters, repression of partisan activities, corpses hidden in a church, 'Pippo' flying at night, disrupted communications, improvised footbridges, rationing, the black market, and food pilfering. Describes men quickly exchanging fascist uniforms with red handkerchiefs at the end of the war. Reflects on the bombing war and stresses the duality of liberators / tormentors.
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2017-03-08
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00:29:50 audio recording
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AVaresiP170308
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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 pannelled attics made it easy for the incendiaries to burn the building. Recollects his fathers attempts to avoid skilled workers being deported to Germany and reminisces on various episodes: food shortages, ration cards, shoot-outs in the streets, strafing of tramways. Describes different kinds of shelters and remembers his evacuee life at Santa Margherita Ligure where he witnessed the sinking of a destroyer. Recollects how he was left maimed for rest of the life after a failed attempt to disassemble a gun shell on 27 February 1944.
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2018-02-06
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01:30:54 audio recording
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ASamoreT180206
PSamoreT1801
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Letter from Alan Green to his parents
Alan talks about issues with the family building firm.
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1943-09-08
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One handwritten envelope and letter
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EGreenAWGreenWH430908-0001,
EGreenAWGreenWH430908-0002
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Letter to Hedley Madgett's parents
Thanks them for account of Hedley's doings. Comments on bombing in Germany and Italy. Notes it takes months to get any news of missing crews. Catches up with news. From Ada and Aunt. Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.
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1943-09-08
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Two page handwritten letter
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E[Author]A-AMadgettLR-AG430908
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Samual Guyan's Royal Air Force Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying log book
S Guyans’ Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book covering the period 24 January 1943 to 17 Mar 1945. Detailing his flying training and operations flown as air gunner. He was stationed at RAF Penrhos (9 [O] AFU), RAF Marham (1483 Gunnery Flight), RAF Waterbeach (1651 HCU), RAF Ridgewell & RAF Wratting Common (90 Squadron), RAF Edgehill (RAF Shenington) (12 OTU), RAF Dalcross (2 AGS) and RAF Witchford (115 Squadron). Aircraft flown in were Blenheim, Wellington, Anson, Henley, Martinet, Stirling and Lancaster. He flew on 23 night operations with 90 Squadron and 18 day and 10 night operations with 115 Squadron. Targets were Bordeaux, Boulogne, Le Creusot, Modane, Bochum, Chemnitz, Cologne, Dortmund, Dresden, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Essen, Frisian Islands, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hannover, Heinsberg, Hohenbudberg, Homberg, Huls, Kamen, Krefeld, Mannheim, Munich, Neuss, Nuremburg, Osterfeld, Peenemunde, Remscheid, Trier, Turin, Wesel and Wuppertal. His pilots on operations were Sergeant Appleby, Flying Officer Andrewartha, Flight Sergeant Noble, Flight Lieutenant Dagnon, Flying Officer Roberts, Flight Lieutenant Snyder and Flying Officer Burbridge.
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A printed book with handwritten annotations
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LGuyanS1551813v1
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Time out for war
History of wartime experiences of Ronald Witty. Starts with schooling and early employment just before the war in Hull. Mentions German bombing of Hull and volunteering for the RAF. Describes training in London and Torquay before departing on a troop ship for South Africa. Describes navigator training and activities at Woodbrook and Queenstown. Continues with trip back to England and continuation of training at RAF Halfpenny Green, Desborough (Northamptonshire), RAF Chedburgh, and RAF Hemswell. Goes on to describe his operational tour on 12 Squadron at RAF Wickenby including accounts of some operations including some daylight operations during the Normandy campaign and against flying bomb sites as well as mine laying. Tour culminates with award of Distinguished Flying Cross. Concludes with account of subsequent tours as an instructor at RAF Lindholme and other stations and including account of flying on Cook's tour of German cities. Adds chapters about his Lancaster ME758 PH-N "Nan" as well as another on GEE, A.P.I and H2S. Contains many b/w photographs of RAF personnel and aircraft.
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100 page printed book
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BWittyARWittyARv1
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