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Interview with Marialuigia Buffadossi
Marialuigia Buffadossi remembers her wartime life in the Lombardy region. Born in a low-class neighbourhood with poor-quality housing, she first worked as shorthand clerk for a solicitor, and then was employed by a major bank. Remembers her…
Interview with Adriana Ventriglia
Adriana Ventriglia remembers the bombings of Milan. She provides details about her evacuee life in the Lodi countryside and describes how her father was injured in a train strafing. Mentions her early life in a mixed family, the impact on…
Interview with Giovanni Delfino
Giovanni Delfino was at first evacuated to the Cremona area, where he could see the glow of the distant bombings. He then came back to Milan only to witness a bomb nearly missing his house and killing factory workers. He describes the gruesome sight…
Interview with Speranza Piras
Speranza Piras reminisces about the Alghero bombing on 17 May 1943 and her subsequent life as an evacuee. She describes daily life in wartime; German occupation; anti-aircraft fire; hardships; the black market; and different anecdotes about enlisted…
Interview with Giovanni Oderda
Giovanni Oderda recalls the Dogliani bombing on 8 September 1943. He claims that the town was hit because partisans shaved a fascist woman; after the attack Giovanni and his family left the town. He and his brothers ended up in the partisan ranks…
Interview with Celsa Agosto
Celsa Agosto reminisces about her wartime experiences and talks about a relatively quiet existence, until her father was enlisted. Her neighbourhood was then bombed, and a reprisal stormed the town the day after. After that, Celsa did not return…
Interview with Gavino Pala
Gavino Pala reminisces about his childhood in Sardinia, describing schooling and paramilitary training. He recalls the Alghero bombing on 17 May 1943, explaining how part of the population had left the city the day before and slept among olive trees,…
Interview with Ruta Popika
Ruta Popika was born near the river Nemunas, in what was Lithuania before the war. She remembers her family being forced to move eastwards and westwards from Lithuania according to the changing tides of war. Remembers the occupation of the Baltic…
Interview with Jim Wright. Two
John Wright was born in 1932. He was evacuated from West Ham during the War along with his Mother and two Brothers. Johns’ Father joined the Royal Air Force as an Observer Bomb Aimer with 207 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down over Switzerland on…
Interview with Margaret Hodgin
Margaret’s family lived in Fiskerton and her first memory of war time, when she was seven and her brother four, was of her father digging a shelter in the garden. The children would walk or cycle to Reepham school.
Margaret was about eleven when…
Margaret was about eleven when…
Letter from the headmaster
![EButlerPWJohnsHJ-[Mo]390901.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1916/44177/EButlerPWJohnsHJ-[Mo]390901.jpg "EButlerPWJohnsHJ-[Mo]390901.jpg")
A letter signed by the headmaster of West Bromwich Grammar School, P. W. Butler. The letter concerns the decision to evacuate students.
Interview with Dr Marjorie Birch
Dr Marjorie Birch was born and grew up in London. She was evacuated with her younger sister when war was declared. She later trained as a medical student in London. She describes her accommodation opposite Kings Cross Station and the bombing. She…
Tom Payne
An autobiography of Tom Payne, mainly pre-war in Hemel Hempstead. At the start of the war he became a fire watcher. His cousin, Vivian Gunning, died in June 1940 whilst flying in a Blenheim. He recalls bombing and low flying German bombers. He joined…
Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husband John Valentine
Reports arrival of parcel with socks, chocolate, sweets and honey. Mentions filling out form for billeting office providing particulars of people living in house and hopes they will not have anyone billeted with her. Continues with news of her…
West Bromwich evacuation
A document from the West Bromwich Education Committee providing information and advice on the evacuation of West Bromwich.
Evacuation preparation
A letter sent from the West Bromwich Education Committee, signed by L.G. Rose, Evacuation Officer. The letter provides a list on what is necessary to prepare for when an evacuation is ordered, including what to pack.
Catalogue of Evacs
Drawing showing head of girl with pigtails and glasses.Dated 10.3.41 by Aki. Captioned 'Evacuees come to Collingham'.
Assorted Evacs
Twelve cartoon figures standing in two rows. All are girls of varying height, some in school type uniforms and some with hats. Captioned 'Assorted Evacs by Aki'.
More Evacs
Thirteen cartoon figures standing in row of seven at top and six on the bottom. All are girls of various heights, some wearing school uniform like clothes. One has a tennis racket and some have hats. One is eating a banana and one is crying.…
Evacuplets
Four pairs of cartoon figures, all girls. Top right: two hockey players, top left: two girls whispering together. Bottom left: two girls hand-in-hand, both wearing school type uniform and hats. Bottom right: two girls fighting. Captioned…
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…
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 Tito Samorè
Tito Samorè recalls wartime memories in Milan, when he was a member of the Balilla youth organisation. He remembers the outbreak of war and its announcement on the radio. Tito describes the first bombing of Milan in 1940, stressing how easy it was…
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 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.