Browse Items (35362 total)
Sort by:
Interview with Alberto Dini
Alberto Dini reminisces his wartime life in Trieste starting from the declaration of war until the end of the conflict. Describes life under the bombs, stressing disruption of utilities, devastated streets and chequered schooling history. Describes…
Interview with Angelo Bencina
Angelo Bencina recalls wartime memories in Monfalcone: a cave being modified as a shelter; the descent of bright red and white target indicators at night; a bomb which nearly missed him and didn’t explode; Window radio counter-measures being…
Interview with Paolo Vivoda
Paolo Vivoda remembers a bombing attack which started moments before the show of the stage magician Delfo, his mother barely made to the shelter and was injured, others died. Paolo lost contact with his parents, only for them to reappear two days…
Interview with Alberto Buvoli
Alberto Buvoli recalls his wartime childhood in Udine, where he lived in the railway station area. He describes how furniture was moved to a safer place at the onset of the war and explains air raid precautions, such as leaving the windows open and…
Interview with Inge Nicolis
Inge Nicolis, the daughter of a Swedish engineer and an Italian woman, reminisces about her wartime experiences in Milan. She stresses the sense of having been thrown into a tragedy and the anguish of not being able to evacuate Milan on the grounds…
Interview with Nino Tenca Montini
Nino Tenca Montini reminisces about his wartime experiences in Udine and the Friuli region. He describes the family shelter as a concrete reinforced basement, sparsely furnished with wooden benches. He recalls the urge to escape the vigilance of…
Interview with an eye-witness of Milan bombings
The informant describes two bombings he eye-witnessed in the Sesto San Giovanni and Niguarda area. During the first, he was in a basement adapted as underground shelter: he recollects women reciting the rosary and a queasy sensation in the stomach…
Interview with Piero Fiorot
Piero Fiorot reminisces about his pre-war life in Sacile: schooling, fascist paramilitary training and indoctrination, curfews, rationing, and doing business in a tightly controlled, closed economic system. Contrasts the relatively tranquil life…
Interview with Guido Toccacieli
Guido Toccaceri remembers his wartime experiences as a schoolboy in Milan: the day war broke out; food shortages; his father working at an airfield near Bergamo; train strafing; basements used as makeshift shelters; being evacuated outside Milan,…
Interview with Lidia Vendramin
Lidia Vendramin reminisces her childhood in Sacile including details on her primary schooling, family, and town life. Contrasts the public manifestations of joy the day the war was declared, with the shock and dismay of her parents, whose lives had…
Interview with Marco Pederielli
Marco Pederielli describes his father’s career as a Regia Aeronautica officer, providing details of his service in North Africa. He describes his personal situation after the fall of the Fascist regime, when he, reluctantly, joined the Aeronautica…
Statement of Alessio Ferri about some Allied servicemen
Alessio Ferri claims he helped, from 8 September 1943 to 1 September 1944, some Allied servicemen, giving them food and clothes. For his efforts, he received a certificate of thankfulness (number 83271-18246)
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Alexander Lamb's Operational Diary
An unofficial diary kept by Alexander from March 21st, 1945 to May 2nd 1945.
Statement of Alfonsa Torracchi about some Allied servicemen
Alfonsa Torracchi claims she helped, from 10 September 1943 to 20 December 1943, eleven allied prisoners of war in the Striglianella area, near Pistoia. Her son Primo Lucchesi always brought them food in the woods where they hid. On 20 December, they…
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Statement of Alfredo Barni about some Allied servicemen
Alfredo Barni claims he helped twelve allied prisoners of war, from 9 September 1943 to 30 June 1944: three hosted in his house, the others hidden in the mountains. For his efforts, he received a certificate of thankfulness.
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Statement of Alfredo Giovannetti about some Allied servicemen
Alfredo Giovannetti claims he helped two English prisoners of war in the village of Baco, near Pistoia. He helped the first for a month, giving him food, cigarettes, and clothes; the second stayed in his house for eight days, and for other eight he…
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Statement of Alfredo Peli about some Allied servicemen
Alfredo Peli claims he helped, from 7 September 1943 to 1 September 1944, some Allied servicemen. He gave them food and clothes. For his efforts, he received a certificate of thankfulness (number 83270-18248).
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Alice Omerod's record of Douglas Hudson's operations
Daily record from 1 January 1944 to 6 June 1944 relating operations with comments on target, numbers of aircraft, bomb tonnages and losses. Includes period of leave. From 14 January to 6 June there are 30 ticked and numbered operations. Alice Omerod…
Tags: bombing; bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944); bombing of the Juvisy, Noisy-le-Sec and Le Bourget railways (18/19 April 1944); bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944); bombing of Toulouse (5/6 April 1944); Halifax; Lancaster; Mosquito; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
Statement of Alina Franchi about some Allied servicemen
Alina Franchi claims she helped some allied prisoners of war, from 5 September 1943 to 20 November 1943, in Felciana and Vacchirossoli areas, in the municipality of Montale (Pistoia). For her efforts, she received a certificate of thankfulness…
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Statement of Alipio Biagini about some Allied servicemen
Alipio Biagini claims he helped, from 8 September 1943 to 1 September 1944, six Allied servicemen providing their service numbers: 6013099, 3327632, 4385978, 4347178, 259775, 4691070.
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance
Letter to Mrs Hunt
A handwritten letter sent to Mrs Hunt sending apologies on the news of Mrs Hunt's son being reported missing. The letter is written by an Alison Bayeud.
Tags: missing in action
Interview with George Patrick Smith-Leach
George was born in Chelmsford, Essex. He then moved to Clacton-on-Sea where he went to school before going to a seminary catholic college. When war broke out, he and two other boys aged 15 or 16 ran away from college and went to Ipswich to join the…
The Shooting Down of Allan Smith
The story of Allan's Lancaster after they were damaged by anti-aircraft fire near Berlin. He had a heavy landing and damaged his leg.
The second part of the story is written by a German pilot who was involved in shooting down the damaged…
The second part of the story is written by a German pilot who was involved in shooting down the damaged…
Statement of Alvaro Gori about some Allied servicemen
Alvaro Gori claims he helped, from 1 November 1943 to April 1944, two English escapees. They hid in a hut in the woods and Alvaro brought them food, clothes, cigarettes and pocket money.
Tags: prisoner of war; Resistance