Open Writing

On 7 August, 1945, we moved to a new area. No explanation was usually given as to why we moved from time to time, and now was no exception. It rained the day we left, and on arrival the tanks were very muddy, so we took some time cleaning them up to make them look presentable again. We were sorry to leave, but only went about ten miles.

On our last evening at Gradisca Jack, Ted and I went to a dance and didn't get back till 2 a.m.: 'danced with girl with up-swept hair.' We en¬joyed these dances, which were held most evenings. Usually the same group of four or five of us went together, and we got on well with the girls. As we were now only ten miles away, it was no problem to get a pick-up and go there.

We had been living under canvas, but now our new billets were in occupied houses in the village of Campalogna near the lovely little town of Palmanova.

Families had been persuaded to have soldiers billeted on them, and Ted and I found ourselves in a lovely house owned by two sisters, both in their late thirties. One was unmarried, the other, Signora Matarese, had four children, all beautiful little girls, Fiorella, Paola, Sylvia and Gabriella, ranging in age from five to twelve. Fiorella is the Italian for flower, a perfect name for the youngest girl. With her dark hair, big dark eyes and fair skin she was like a little doll.

We had a room upstairs, and there was no doubt that this was the best billet we'd ever had. The door at the back of the house led into a large well-kept garden. The sisters, who besides Italian, spoke some English and French, were smart, gentle and intelligent, and ap-peared to be quite wealthy. (We didn't know what had happened to the husband of Signora Matarese, and she never mentioned him.)

They had a piano, and were particularly knowledgeable about music. Topper was living nearby and naturally was interested in two good-looking, musical ladies. Soon he came round and we introduced him. Some evenings he played the piano, to everyone's enjoyment.
10 August: 'Another glorious day. Harold and I went out in scout car to Gradisca and Gorizia and fixed up a couple of cricket matches for Tuesday and Thursday with 10th Hussars and MPs. Very good pitch at Gorizia airfield. At night went to dance. Enjoyed it very much mainly because 'she' was there - the girl with the up-swept hair (but now it's down-swept!).'

Besides the open-air dance floor there was an open-air theatre where the local operatic society performed. One night they put on Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci. Another evening it was Rigoletto. We couldn't expect them to be as good as La Boheme in Rome, but all the same they were most enjoyable.

There were quite a lot of Yugoslavian soldiers about. They looked uncomfortable in their ill-fitting dark, blue-grey uniforms, and were never very friendly. One night ' ... just before the dance finished, a load of Yugoslavs came in on lorries, and it seemed that there may be trouble. Someone fired a few shots, but no one was hurt, and shortly after, they left.'

A little mail was coming through and I was pleased to get a letter from Lucienne, which I answered straightaway, and at the same time I wrote to Marie. I had been writing to Margaret, Jessie's friend, and there was a letter from her too.

Names were still being drawn for Blighty leave and now it was Colin's turn. Naturally he was delighted, but we wondered if we would still be here when he came back.

On 15 August there were great celebrations at the news of Japan's surrender. Now, after almost six terrible years, the war was really over.