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Interview with Gianfranco Nardi
Gianfranco Nardi (b. 1933) recalls the first bombing of Cesenatico in 1944, a night action carried out by 'Pippo'. Explains how the aircraft missed the train station and hit the nearby town centre; maintains that the pilot was drunk. Describes three…
Interview with Albino Ristorto
Albino Ristorto (b. 1938) remembers the bombing of Dronero in 1944 when he saw a formation of aircraft approaching from the north, coming from Turin (Torino)
airport. He describes how one them made a swooping manoeuvre and mentions how the pilot…
airport. He describes how one them made a swooping manoeuvre and mentions how the pilot…
Interview with Albino Ristorto
Albino Ristorto (b. 1938) remembers the day he challenged the president of the local partisans association, who was reluctant to admit their involvement in the bombing of Dronero. He reports the widely held belief that the partisans asked the Allies…
Interview with Umberto Veroli
Umberto Veroli (b. 1933) recollects wartime memories when his father was an electrical engineer: living close to power substations; a kitten killed by an electric arc; Germans forcing workers to remove transformers and smash meters. He describes how…
Interview with Osvaldo Gramegna
Osvaldo Gramegna (b. 1937) remembers the bombings of Turin. Mentions civilians initially fleeing along the railway during alarms and explains how, in hindsight, it was foolish behaviour. Anecdotes of his evacuee life at Casalgrasso: ineffective civil…
Interview with Paolo Ferroni
Paolo Ferroni (b. 1937) remembers the bombings of Rome stressing the ubiquitous noise of sirens wailing and the psychological distress associated with it. Contrasts night bombings, when civilians dashed to improvised dugouts nearby and day attacks…
Interview with Vittorio Finauri
Vittorio Finauri (b. 1931) remembers the first bombing of Foligno on 22 November 1943. Explains that it was completely unexpected and people were caught unprepared, so bombs aimed at nearby barracks resulted in a heavy death toll. Describes how some…
Interview with Tino Luparia
Tino Luparia (b. 1930) chronicles the first daylight bombing of Turin which was aimed at the SPA industries, then a defence contractor. Describes the effects of a massive unexploded bomb which pierced all floors of a building and stopped immediately…
Interview with Pietro Cosma
Pietro Cosma (b. 1927) remembers the bombings of Milan and recollects two wartime anecdotes: the execution of a man in front of his home and Benito Mussolini’s corpse on public display in Piazzale Loreto. Describes wartime hardships: losses; food…
Personnel in front of Lancaster
A group of 27 people in front of a Lancaster. Captioned 'Aircrew, ground crew on opposite page'. Photograph shows 26 air force personnel in two rows. The back row standing all have aircrew brevet. 12 are wearing side caps and one an officer's peaked…
Totaler Krieg
Propaganda booklet about total war containing photographs quotes and text about bombing.
Harold Beech at Snelland railway station
Harold Beech in railway worker’s uniform, with peaked cap, standing in front of a level crossing gate at Snelland railway station. On the left is a signal box and behind him, alongside the two rail tracks, is a semaphore railway signal. Harold…
Mary Brophy at Middle Rasen
Mary Brophy, in summer dress, is sitting on a brick wall; behind the wall is a hedge and tree in full foliage and in front of the wall a grass verge. Mary Brophy remained in the village after the war to go to grammar school. Captioned 'Mary Brophy.…
Operation Manna commemorative tile
Ceramic tile commemorating Operation Manna. A woman holding a child's hand is waving a handkerchief. the child is waving a Dutch flag. Two aircraft are flying over dropping food. At the bottom the caption reads 'Voedsel-Vrede-Vrijheid 29 April . 1945…
Vitry en Artois Christmas 1944
Photograph 1 is of non-commissioned officers supervising children at a Christmas Party, captioned 'Christmas Party for the children of Vitroy [sic] en Artois and surrounding villages, in the village hall, Vitroy [sic] en Artois, given by R.A.F. 137…
Boy and bomb-site
Bomb-site with young man sitting in foreground with his head in his hands.
The RAF Greeting
A calendar for a child. A child is in a model aeroplane with a dog. There is also an enamel metal RAF badge. On the reverse 'All the best to you David, & boys of the Crew, Betty'. The front is signed by David's crew and has bombs indicating…
Party in Lido
Four children sitting round a table. A girl on the right is in a high chair and a boy in centre is back to the camera. There are Christmas crackers on the table. In the background windows. On the reverse 'No 46, Sergeant J R M Valentine, British…
Se trovate un oggetto simile non toccatelo! Avvisate subito i carabinieri
A boy in tears with amputated hands is holding a green toy truck. His stumps are bandaged. Behind him, an explosion is throwing in the air four maimed children. On the reverse, different kinds of explosive devices are shown. The text urges not to…
No. C’e’ la morte!
A boy in summer clothing is about to touch an unexploded bomb partially embedded in the ground. Behind him, a young woman in anguish with outstretched arm and open palm. Below, line drawings of fuses, bombs and other explosive devices. The text urges…
Account of German witness to crash of John Valentines aircraft
Written by one of Philip Floyd's (pilot of John Valentine's aircraft) brother Michael's children based on conversations with parents. Recounts a letter to a German newspaper from a Werner Gerlach who as a young 15 year old boy witnessed the shooting…
Sea sense
Main article concerning differences in sea bathing for evacuated children on east or west coasts. Offers advice to parents. Includes Pop cartoon at top right.
Battle of Britain: RAF on offensive
Front page - contains Churchill battle of Britain quote.Subsidiary headlines: dictators talk four hours; French general's appeal from London, let all children go to safety. Photograph of evacuated children sitting in row with crowd behind them.
Immediate training for all men fit to fight
Main article - states all men it is possible to use in defence of Britain will be called up and trained immediately with or without uniforms or equipment. Other headlines: obey these orders in invasion, give |L.D.V more weapons. Children for Canada…
Small child
Small child in a pram, on reverse, '8/8/30 4 P.C.S.'