Time off in the Marche 1943-44

By PAUL BULLARD

For Jeanne, who waited

It was a mistake not to have written this story down over forty years ago, when it was fresh in my memory. That I have done it at last demands my thanks to Margaret Towle who has, over the years, gently nagged me to do so. After so long, no doubt many of the events recorded have become muddled, but I have tried to put them down as they seem to me now, filtered through an imperfect remembrance, and with apologies to my friends, English and Italian, for all sins of omission and commission.
April 1989 Paul Bullard

The Principal Characters

The English:

Len Burch (Alec), from Sidmouth
Fred Denton, from Staffordshire
Arthur Hooper (Hoop), from Bristol
Norman Towle, from Nottingham
myself, from London
—
Jack Hulford, from London
Frank Fish, Capt.RAMC, from London
Bert Ramelson, from Alberta, Canada and Leeds
Laurence Bains, from London

The Italians:

The CARDARELLI family; those living at home in October 1943:
Vivenzio, aged 59
Nazarena, his wife
Riccardo, 33, second son of Vivenzio
Maria, 27, his wife
Flavio, 2, their son
Guerino, 18, third son of Vivenzio
Federico, 16, youngest son of Vivenzio
Elvira, daughter-in-law, married to Gino the eldest son who was still away in the army
Stelvio, 7, their son
Giovanna (Nannina), third daughter of Vivenzio, unmarried
Lina, 14, youngest daughter of Vivenzio, chronically ill, died April 1944

The Di LUCA family; those living at home in October 1943:
Guiseppe, 65
Palmira, 61, his wife
Carolina, 89 (the Eighty-niner), mother of Palmira
Amilcare, 24, younger son of Guiseppe
Secondina, 30, only daughter of Guiseppe, unmarried
Maria, 35, daughter-in-law, married to Gino, elder son who was still away in the army
Elvia, 10, and Graziano, 4, children of Maria and Gino
Bastiano, about 60, brother of Guiseppe, slightly simple
Maria-Silla, his wife, likewise
Lina, 18, niece of Palmira, a refugee from Rome
Elia, 16, niece of Guiseppe, likewise

The LUCARELLI family:
Ernesto, 39
Assunta, 30, his wife
Rosa, 65, mother of Ernesto
Domenico, 5, and Walter, 3, sons of Ernesto and Assunta
Adolfo, 47, brother of Ernesto

Filippo PINDI, the Cardarelli landlord
Pia, his wife

Tulli and Ilsa, a Yugoslav couple, previously internees