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At the end of August we were delighted to have our younger son Ben, his “other half” Emma and “Baby Bump” to stay. They are expecting a little arrival at the end of November and were both much in need of a relaxing holiday. This was to be Emma’s first trip to Italy.
Although their stay here was all too brief, Ben and Emma managed to fit in ….. a couple of days at the beach …..
some local sight-seeing (Sperlonga) …..
and a day in Rome.
We were all kindly invited to our friends, Luca and Loredana’s home, for a special meal to celebrate Luca’s 50th Birthday. Buon Compleanno Luca !!!
By the way -such a landmark birthday is shortly looming for
Paul this October !!!
One day we were also invited to San Donato and Atina in the Val di Comino and enjoyed another delicious meal with our Italian cousins.
Emma is a very passionate and creative cook and during her stay, delighted in preparing some srumptious food for us all.
Local tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala Drizzled With "Tre Cancelle" Olive Oil
Breakfast - Emma's Tasty Potato Cakes
Please come back soon Emma !!!
“Papa Woods” and Emma are about to move into their new home together in Cardiff, in time to get settled before the little addition to their family arrives.
We wish them all lots of love and all the very best in their new home.
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some local sight-seeing
Very recently we welcomed a trio from America, Patrick, Kathy and Rita, who came to this area searching for more information on a particular time in their family’s history.
Patrick and Kathy were trying to retrace their father’s journey through Italy as a soldier in the US 88th “Blue Devil” Division.
Patrick is currently writing a book about his father’s experiences during this period. His father sent home many descriptive letters to his new bride, who he had only married the day before his departure from America.
Charles Logan was just 22 years old when he was drafted into the army and sent to fight in Italy along the infamous GUSTAV Line. His Division disembarked at Naples and was then transported to the town of Piedimonte d’Alife (now known as Piedimonte Matesse) for combat training.
The 88th was then sent to the GUSTAV Line, on the western flank of the main Fifth Army, to relieve the 5th British Division in the Minturno area in Operation Diadem. The 88th “Blue Devils”, encountering stiff German resistance, took part in a particularly bitter and bloody battle, which lasted almost 3 days, to seize the village of Santa Maria Infante.
The capture of this position on the 14th May 1944, proved to be a defining moment, finally breaking through the GUSTAV line and forcing a German retreat.
The French Expeditionary Corps of Morrocan Goumiers*, who were skilled in mountain warfare, continued to make their way forward over the seemingly impassable terrain of the Aurunci Mountains, while the 88th surged ahead, taking the seaward facing villages of Spigno Saturnia, Castellonorato, Trivio, Maranola, then on through Formia, Itri, Fondi, Monte San Biagio to Roccagorga.
Continuing northward some of the 88th Divison made contact with Allied units breaking out of the Anzio beach-head on 29th May and they were the first to enter Rome on the 4 June 1944.
We had the great pleasure of acting as Patrick’s guide and driver during their stay, and we visited Cassino and Montecassino and many of the above mentioned towns and villages, travelling some 500 miles during the week.
We learned so much about the historical significance of these places through this traumatic period of the Second World War. From the picturesque little villages that we see today, it is hard to imagine what it would have been like for the local people and the opposing Allied forces during this terrible time.
The Italians had suffered greatly under German occupation, having to endure persecution, reprisals and famine. Prior to their liberation these villages also had endured heavy land and naval bombardments by the Allied forces which resulted in catastrophic damage, and hundreds of innocent civilian deaths and casualties.
* Yet there was more suffering to come – The French General Alphonse Juin, before the final battles to the breach the German GUSTAV line, he was said to have promised the Morrocan Goumier troops the following:
“For 50 hours you will be the absolute masters of what you will find beyond the enemy. Nobody will punish you for what you will do, nobody will ask you about what you will get up to.”
When the Goumiers swarmed over the mountain villages they subjected thousands of Italian women and even young girls to merciless violence and rape, and reportedly any men who fought to save their wives and daughters from harm were ruthlessly murdered.
A novel, “La Ciociara”, was penned, based on this subject of mass rape, by the author Alberto Moravia. This was subsequently made into a film also called “La Ciociara” or ”Two Women”, directed by Vittorio de Sica, and starred Sophia Loren. In 1960, for this role, she was awarded an Academy Award for Best Actress.
We would just like to wish Patrick Logan good luck with the writing of his book about his father’s war time experiences, and we very much look forward to the book’s publication.
We would be interested to hear from anyone else who had family members who fought in Italy during World War II, along this area of the German GUSTAV Line.
For more information about some of the towns and villages in SOUTH LAZIO that were positioned along the GUSTAV Line, please click on the following links:
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Having lost Dad (dear “Ugo”) in the March of 2008 and after having spent three difficult Christmases here in Italy, this year we decided to go back to the UK for a flying visit to be close to our nearest and dearest, but planned to be back in Italy to see in the New Year with some of our Italian friends.
This meant that we needed to find someone willing to help care for the 10 dogs during our absence. Thankfully we were able to leave the feeding of the hounds in the care of our good friends Raffaele and Michael, who volunteered to visit them daily. We can’t thank them enough for their stirling efforts over the Christmas period. Michael also kindly gave us a lift to Itri Station, to catch the train to Termini station in Rome.
Our cases were heavy with Christmas Gifts and several bottles of our freshly pressed olive oil to give as presents. We decided to try out a Shuttle-Bus Service, and purchased for 6 euros each vouchers at a kiosk just outside of Termini Station. We were then directed to Via Marsala, just around the corner from Termini, the pick-up point for various Shuttle bus services, including Terravision. Here there is an English Speaking rep for each bus company. We exchanged our vouchers for actual tickets to board the SIT Bus Shuttle. A little too late we learned that if you purchase here directly, tickets cost just 5 euros each !
Website for SIT Bus Shuttle: http://www.sitbusshuttle.it
Website for Terravision: http://www.terravision.eu/rome_ciampino.html
The coach took an interesting route through the congested streets of Rome, along the Via Appia, and before too long we were delivered to Ciampino Airport. We found the service excellent and would recommend it to anyone.
Airbus A320 *
We flew with Easyjet, and had a good, smooth flight - I think that at long last I am beginning to overcome my fear of flying. It certainly is reassuring when it is an Airbus, as Paul, in our former life, when we lived back in the UK, worked there as a Mechanical Stress Engineer on various Airbus projects, and knows personally many of the excellent engineers involved in the design and development of the aircraft.
It came as no surprise that the Airbus that recently ditched in the Hudson River in New York, held together, allowing all the passengers to be rescued safely. The combination of the skill of the pilot and crew, the design of the aircraft and I daresay a generous helping of good luck, resulted in the positive outcome. Paul claims no part in the successful conclusion but feels privileged to know and to have worked with some of the clever and dedicated people involved.
Paul’s dad met us at Bristol Airport and took us back home. We hadn’t realised that Paul’s sister was arriving that evening too, for a couple of days stay before Christmas, so it was lovely to catch up with them both.
* photo courtesy of easyjet website
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